Book Review: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

 "A beautiful book about magic, dreams and the treasures we seek elsewhere and then find on our doorstep" - Madonna

Brief summary

The book’s main character is a poor shepherd boy, called Santiago from Andalusia of Spain. In most parts of the book, we will be hearing or reading his point of views. As a shepherd boy, he had a repeated dream. In his dream, “he was in a field with his  sheep, when a child appeared and began to play with the animals. ……….. And suddenly, the child hold him by both hands and transported him to the Egyptian Pyramids. Then, at Egyptian Pyramids, the child said to him that if he come here he will find a hidden treasure. And just as she was about to show him the exact location, he woke up. Both times.” He does not really know it meaning, the message being conveyed by dream. But his thought ends up in longing for going to Egypt and find the Pyramids. This intuitively repeated dreams really disturbed his thought and life as a shepherd boy. Then, he decided to go to Egypt to find his buried treasure that he saw in his dream.

Along his journey to Egypt, he meets many different subsequent characters – which steers him in different directions or tell him different meaning or different things about his dream. The first character that he met was Gypsy (a woman) who tells him about his dream and how he needs to fulfill it. A old Gypsy woman said a boy that his dream is prophetic and he must follow it. Then, he meet a mysterious old man who seems to read his mind. He introduced himself as Melchizedek, the king of salem. He helped the boy to understand whatever happens he should be guided by the right things, follow the omens and paths made by the God.

Upon the guidiance and instructions received from old woman and a king, he proceeded toward Egypt. On the way he encountered the thieves and robbed his belongings. He lost all his coins which he earned through selling his flock. There he was in the empty market place, without a cent to his name and with not a sheep to guard through the right. But only thing he had is two stones – Urim and Thummin in his pouch given by  a old king for six sheep. He remembered the old king’s advise – “Learn to recognize omens, and follow them against all adversities.” Then, he promised himself to make own decision and not to flee from one’s own dream and destiny.

He, then meet with the crystal merchant. He worked with merchant for year or two. He was the omen to a merchant where he helped the merchant from ordinary glassware shop to cafe with glassware shop. The merchant’s business become prosperous, and a boy could make enough money to sail through desert to Pyramids of Egypt. Then, he set towards Pyramids of Egypt along with other caravans.

As he was traveling to Egypt along with other Caravan. Santiago meets an Englishman. He was looking for alchemist who lives at oasis on the way to Pyramids to learn the secret of alchemy. An alchemy are the one who turns any metal into gold through their secret magic. At oasis, Santiago meets a desert girl, Fatima, and got loved at her first sight near the well. Her love touched his heart, and it become the strength for him to further pursue for his dream. He also met the alchemist who helped the boy to reminds of the old king and his instruction to helps continue his journey to his dreamed treasure across the desert. Despite the bloody tribal war at oasis, he continued his journey to Pyramids. Along the way many thing around like vast desert, sandy winds, whining of camel, dunes, moon, stars, hawks taught him vital life lesson and further boosted his determination to reached his destiny and fulfill his dream. And he discovered the soul of the world – the spirituality of linkage between all that exist on the earth. When he was three hours away from the Pyramids, the Alchemist returned to his oasis, letting Santiago to proceed on his own.

His heart got exploded with joy and happiness when he reached to Pyramids. He then started digging hole beneath his feet to dig out his dreamed treasure. To his surprise, he couldn’t find any treasure in the sand. Instead, a groups of thieves approached him and beaten him to blood and sand. They robbed the gold coin given to him by the Alchemist. But more surprisingly, one of the thieves recounts his own dream of pursuing treasure like Santiago which is hidden beneath a Sycamore tree in the sacristy of an abandoned church on which he once spent his night. Then,the boy stood up shakily, and looked once more at the Pyramids. They seemed to laugh at him, and he laughed back, bursting with joy. Because now ultimately he know where his treasure was.

He returned to Andalusia and then to the church. He digs the treasure beneath a Sycamore tree. Overjoyed, destiny at hand, dream in reality, treasure at his luck and finally he got his treasure that he was dreaming for many years.

Golden points

The book that should be on our book shelve or reading list is “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho. It is a pretty god book for those who thrive after their dream. This book really teach us the  importance of listening to our dream.

Though the book is only a fable about following our dream, the power of pages in the book really push us within to understand our own dream and destiny. This book is very special as it has great meaning and, if you read and extract the essence hidden by the content it will be our special life companion. The book teach us the trial and tribulations that we come across while pursuing our dream, which adds the sense of magic and joy rising within us. This trial and tribulation actually helps us to realize our personal legend. The book also talks about the roles of god, religion and god within us in reaching out for our dreams. It says, when we want something, all universe conspires to help us achieve it. The book vividly includes the different elements of space, other people helping not only to see but helping us to achieve our dreams. But ultimately understanding that it falls back to us and we are the sole responsible to believe in our dream and work forward to excavate the dream.

Everyone on earth has a treasure that awaits him/her. It touches us at time, we need to realize that gentle touch and pursue for it. The book assure us that, every one has a talent and intuitive dream to become a alchemist. Every body is alchemist in their own way, but we need to realize our potential to unveil that secret magic spell. Life adversities are the rolling stones to step forward and strengthened our perseverance and test our passion. For sure, this book make a greater impact in our life.