Santiago is a young shepherd from Spain. His purpose in life is to travel. On a trip to a merchant’s village to sell wool, he encounters a gypsy. Taking advantage of this, he tells the gypsy the dream he has seen more than once. The gypsy woman tells him that he has treasure hidden at the place he saw in his dream – the pyramids of Egypt. His ordinary trip to the village turns into an extraordinary journey to another continent where he has to overcome many obstacles in order to reach his destined location. On his way to the Pyramids, he meets many people who give him the wisdom and courage to accomplish his goal. This adventure-filled book overflowing with wisdom about listening to your heart will leave you begging for more.
- Reviewed by Ani M., grade 9.
Comments
Although this was a physically short book, the depth of it made it a slow read. Not only was it an interesting story about a shepherd, but it was also an eye-opening experience for me because of its philosophical component. Out of all the books I've read this one sparked a part of my brain to begin questioning the different aspects of a person's life. I would not recommend this to those who are looking for a fun, quick read. Rather, those who are tired of the typical fictional stories and want a new perspective on life would appreciate this book. In my opinion, the author had too many ideas that he was trying to convey metaphorically and at times he did not do a good job of tying up loose ends and properly structuring the story. Yet the book was so beautifully written and rich with metaphors and figurative language, that the slightly overwhelming amount of ideas were not as much of a distraction. Reading this was well work my time because it gave me a more positive outlook on life and taught me that if you wants something bad enough, "the entire universe conspires to help you achieve it" (Coelho 22).
Reviewed by Collett, Grade 11
Montrose Library
Wow. That's the only word that can describe The Alchemist. This is truly one of the greatest books ever written. Centered around destiny and finding yourself, the novel truly serves as a guide to life and how to live one's best life. The theme of a "personal legend" shows up a lot and it basically means that everyone has a certain destiny that is already written for them Coehlo does an amazing job of weaving words together to create the absolute art that is The Alchemist. Usually, I would winnow it down to a certain genre, but I am wholeheartedly saying that all readers of all ages would adore this book. I highly recommend it
Reviewed by M.S., Grade 11
Montrose Library