Book Review: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

 A Journey of Self-Discovery

The novel that I know would inspire and encourage the generation it belongs to is 'The Alchemist' by Paulo Coelho. Published in 1988, this cheery novel narrates the affair of young shepherd boy Santiago from Andalusian who looks for his way to achieve his dream or destiny.  Coelho has made his prose straightforward and profound and hence, anyone can read this book.

Plot Overview: A Quest for Treasure

The story of Santiago starts when he wakes with a vision of buried treasure near the Great Pyramids. Stimulated by an unknown king called Melchizedek, he decides to sell the flock and go through numerous dangers and receive numerous lessons in life. On his journey, he meets and interact with different people, a crystal merchant, an Englishman, and most crucially an alchemist all of which he learns from in his quest of life and the pursuit of the ultimate happiness.

Themes That Resonate: The Pursuit of Dreams

In its simplest sense, 'The Alchemist' revolves around a very important concept: pursuit of one’s destiny. Coelho writes this perfectly to show that the journey does not matter where you end up, but the fact that you travelled is what is important. It is for this reason that Santiago experiences all these trails and tribulations so that the readers would understand that dreams are important in life regardless of the many obstacles that one is likely to encounter.

Listening to One’s Heart

Another great discussion topic is the decision-making calling or ‘listening to the heart’. At the end of the novel, Santiago learns to rely on his intuition, which leads him to his calling. There exist translation proposals of the metaphor inclination for encouraging readers to be sensitive to signs and inner voices.

 The Web of Life

Coelho also tries to tell that everything around the universe is intertwined. The “Soul of the World” means that when one follows his Personal Legend he is in harmony with the Universe.

Writing Style: Simple Yet Poetic

The author has made his narrative very simple though it is intermingled with the poetic presence of truth. This makes the novel easy to read but also really challenging in terms of the kind of thinking that the narrator engages the reader in. This means that readers can develop their own understanding and meanings to the story making the story even deeper in terms of allegory.

Conclusion: A Must-Read for Dreamers

Of course, 'The Alchemist' is not just a story about a shepherd that set off in pursuit of his dream – it is a story about life and its mysteries, a man’s vocation, and the essence of dreams. California’s desert hosts readers on the way finding their dreams where the treasure is not gold, but where the journey encounters and what one learns in the course of the trip.

Whether you have read a lot of books or have just started reading books 'The Alchemist' is a book that elicits joy and hope deep in the soul from the first page through to the last one. It is a Word that is always equally topical reminding people to follow their hearts and dreams and to enthusiastically celebrate life. Highly recommended!