Book Review: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Book Review: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

“A Santiago Journey to Achieve his Legend”

A brief:

Paulo Coelho’s “The Alchemist” is a hypnotizing and mesmerizing story that takes readers on an excursion of self-disclosure, spiritual awakening, and the quest for one’s dreams. This tale-like novel follows the story of Santiago, in the mystical landscapes of Andalusia, Spain who embarks on a groundbreaking quest in the search of hidden treasure. The novel includes the recurring motifs of Dreams, Omens, Destiny, and Alchemy.

A Short Summary:

A shepherd (Santiago) who belongs to Spanish Countryside left it in search of Treasure by following his iterative dream. On his journey toward the pyramids of Egypt, he met with the magical king named “Melchizedek” who is an owner of a crystal shop Santiago started working in his shop because he lost his money in a robe. This old man gave him a new concept which was “the soul of the world”. This concept inculcates the ideas of spirituality and understanding the viewpoint that how earth-living and non-living things are helping us to achieve our goals. As a result, he started making money by selling crystals by following the principle of favorability as the crystals were helping him to go on the journey toward the Pyramids of Egypt. In addition, in the Sahara desert, he met with an Englishman who also searching for an Alchemist to transform lead into Gold but both the ordinary boy and Englishman were persuading towards the meaning of their life (Destiny). In the desert of the Sahara, Santiago faces many challenges and met with several people with different aptitudes that eventually help him to learn and grow with a mature mindset. Moreover, in his journey, he met with the woman of the desert (Fatima) who also allows and supports him to peruse his dream as she knows she has to wait until he will fulfill his destiny.

At the end of the journey when the alchemist leaves him, he continues on the path toward the Pyramids, he learns the power of becoming one in the universe; he can be sand, wind, or anything. Although he completely understands his strengths of Alchemy and reaches the top of the large dunes to look at the Egyptian Pyramids, at this stage he drops to his knees and began to cry. After a while when he sees a scarab beetle and considers it as an Omen, so, he begins to dig the sand. While digging in the sand, he was surrounded by two young men who thought that he is burying treasure, they attack him and took his treasure and he responded by telling that he is finding his treasure which he has seen in his dream several times. One of them, tells him, he has also seen this type of dream that a treasure is buried in Spain church where sycamore trees grow.

In this concluding point, Santiago realized that Church in Spain is the same one he had in his original dream, he eventually got where he will find the treasure. The Alchemist ends up with Fatima, and Santiago plans to return to Al-Fayoum to reunite with her because her unconditional love enables him to pursue his dream.

Key Points in “The Alchemist”

The principle of favorability or beginner's luck: “Everything in this world begins with beginner’s luck and every search ends with the victor’s is severely tested”. Its crystal clear meanings are that life wants you to execute your highest dreams and helps you with different signals.

The soul of the world: Every biological and non-biological matter has a soul in this world as well as it is acting as the largest positive force in human life to keep things going on.

Self-discovery: This story leads towards an enigma of self-discovery if you want to uncover and dome true your desires into reality then you have to leave your current place in the fulfillment of your dream.

Concept of Alchemist: The focal part of the Book “The Alchemist” entails persuading metal to accomplish its very own legend to transform into “GOLD”. It shows that all individuals should pursue their dreams arises as the essential subject of “The Alchemist”

Meaning of Maktab: This word was said by a Crystal Merchant in the book meaning “it is written”.

My Favorite Sentences in the book “The Alchemist”

“There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.”

“Love is not to be found in someone else but in ourselves; we simply awaken it. But to do that, we need the other person.”

“One is loved because one is loved. No reason is needed for loving.”

“You can become blind by seeing each day as a similar one. Each day is a different one; each day brings a miracle of its own. It’s just a matter of paying attention to this miracle.”