Overall Rating and Opinion of "The Alchemist"

[Airam Velarde]

The Alchemist is definitely on my to read list. My mom quite enjoyed reading it and has since greatly recommended it to me.

[CatGitane]

Hey, same here! *high fives* My mom also did! It seems like moms enjoy reading Paulo Coelho's works. Haha! And I looooveee your picture! What good tastes you've got there. But I guess it's... elementary, my dear Watson.

[book_first_love]

Read this book quite some time back. It may not be appealing to everyone since it has a certain degree of hope (mostly unfounded) attached to it. But its a great book to read. You mayn't follow it blindly, but you will like the way the characters trust and believe in the theory.

[amen jamir]

I had a joyful experience reading the book. 'The Alchemist' emits a positive vibe and the messages in the book drove me home. However, the book's central message about all the universe conspiring to let us achieve something when we really want it, sounded too good to be true. But then, I might have read it too plainly and missed out the true concept.

The ending came to me as a sweet surprise. I recommended this book to a friend of mine and he liked it. Maybe everyone should give the book a try atleast once. It's worth reading.

[Liot]

I read this a couple of years ago. It is a book that haunts the mind long after reading. I have to say I didn't really enjoy reading it at the time; it was, in my opinion, heavy going. But after I finished it and I thought back through the experience then, yes, I got it and it made an impression. It really is a strange book but worth reading.

[sedmontson]

I'm a new member - just joined today. Am going to the library Monday to get or reserve this book. He was interviewed on Super Soul Sunday last week and this week by Oprah Winfrey. Very engaging. Am looking forward to a good read.

[nannyluvscmu]

I had never read THE ALCHEMIST before I discovered it was the book of the month here. I'm so glad it was, because it was honestly one of the best books I've read it quite some time. It was short, which was pleasant, and an easy read but it was also extremely moving. This is definitely a book I can see myself returning to time and time again, and I will be recommending it to all of my friends.

[Julia P]

2 stars
I read "The Alchemist" recommended by a friend who told me that the book changed her life, she said "Is a must read", so I bought it.
The book does not explore the fundamental problems of human beings, but treats them superficially, Cohelo is a person who in his prose denotes a (fairly common) limitation of thought, therefore he ventures to explore human behavior and the result is unfortunate, but predictable.
I really did not enjoy it, some parts are boring and other parts seemed like a children's book.
I don't like this book, if you loved it and changed your life ... good for you!!

[Nbrown19]

**Warning: Spoilers!! Basically a synopsis**I read this book in College! My boyfriend's mother (now my mother-in-law) told me that I should read it and I did. I have to say that I loved this book. It definitely was different than I anticipated it to be, but the fact that I had to approach it a different way made me appreciate the book more. I believe that it is a wonderful book about perserverance and knowing when you have to go another direction. I also believe that this book is about personal and spiritual discovery. The main character started out as an adventurous shepherd residing by a little church with a sycamore tree growing near it in Spain, and he is having dreams of finding treasure at the base of the Egyptian pyramids. He then consults a gypsy about his dream and she sends him on his journey saying he must go to Egypt; it is his Personal Journey . On his way he meets many different people and he even falls in love with a woman named Fatima who lives at an oasis in the desert. With every person he meets,he takes something from each encounter until he finally gets to the pyramids. He starts digging at the base of the pyramid when he gets attacked by thieves. He tells them of his dream that he will find treasure at the base of the Egyptian pyramids and thief tells him of the uselessness of dreams, telling him of his dream of finding treasure at the bottom of a sycamore growing by a little church in the fields of Spain. So he goes back his little church in Spain, finds a chest full of jewels and goes back to the oasis to his Fatima. So in a sense, he did find treasure at the base of the pyramids, just not in the way he thought. Personally, I think that the lesson is that it's not getting there that matters, but the journey that gets you there. Yes he found the treasure that he dreamed about, but what he took from his journey and from all of the people he met was much more enriching than the jewels that he found.

[booklovingolfer]

I also got to page 70 and found the book a bit too boring. I did not finish the book. This just was not my type of book.

[BookWorm07]

I read 'The Alchemist' a few years ago because a friend recommended it. I remember just going into the book to read a normal fantasy type story. I didn't have too much expectations as I thought it might be one of those over-hyped novels. Boy was I wrong. Towards the end, I fell in love with narration, the plot and most importantly the moral. It restored my faith in the possibility of dreams becoming a reality if only one is patient enough and hardworking.

[cyndiha11]

I just purchased this book and added it to my Read List I have two I am reading right now, but hoping to finish one today or tomorrow and start on The Alchemist right afterwards. I've never been so excited as when I registered on this site.

[SparklingOne]

I am only as far as the oasis, during trip the to Eygpt. Liking the story and characters so far. I see that the story is supposed to slow down at some point from prior posts, hoping that won't be a bear to get through. Seems like there is a philosophical spirituality to this story so far. Personal quests, the law of attraction, religion, love and alchemy....interesting stuff. Can't wait to see how it all ends.

[cool2000]

"The Alchemist
by Paulo Coelho
Paulo Coelho's enchanting novel has inspired a devoted following around the world. This story, dazzling in its powerful simplicity and inspiring wisdom, is about an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago who travels from his homeland in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of a treasure buried in the Pyramids. Along the way he meets a Gypsy woman, a man who calls himself king, and an alchemist, all of whom point Santiago in the direction of his quest. No one knows what the treasure is, or if Santiago will be able to surmount the obstacles along the way. But what starts out as a journey to find worldly goods turns into a discovery of the treasure found within. Lush, evocative, and deeply humane, the story of Santiago is an eternal testament to the transforming power of our dreams and the importance of listening to our hearts.

Socrates
“The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.”

-- 21 Sep 2014, 02:55 --

Paulo Coelho's enchanting novel has inspired a devoted following around the world. This story, dazzling in its powerful simplicity and inspiring wisdom, is about an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago who travels from his homeland in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of a treasure buried in the Pyramids. Along the way he meets a Gypsy woman, a man who calls himself king, and an alchemist, all of whom point Santiago in the direction of his quest. No one knows what the treasure is, or if Santiago will be able to surmount the obstacles along the way. But what starts out as a journey to find worldly goods turns into a discovery of the treasure found within. Lush, evocative, and deeply humane, the story of Santiago is an eternal testament to the transforming power of our dreams and the importance of listening to our hearts.

[cyndiha11]

I started reading this a scant six hours ago, and didn't put it down until it was finished. Now, I have a cup of very cold coffee on the coffee table, and some housework to catch up on.

I truly enjoyed the simple message that this book sends out - the fact that the universe conspires as a whole to help you with your Personal Legend, your journey to your best self. I love that!

All the people that Santiago, a Shepherd, meets throughout his journey inspire him in different ways to continue his quest for treasure and reach his own Personal Legend. The crystal merchant, the Englishman, Fatima; such important characters who offer their own insights into what life means for them.

To quote from the book, "This is why alchemy exists,' the boy said. 'So that everyone will search for his treasure, find it, and then want to be better than he was in his former life."

This book is an inspiration for anyone striving to live their best selves. It might make you think twice about some of the choices you have made throughout your life. Were you reading your omens, or did you ignore them?