The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Alchemist
Book Review: 5th grade type book
Summary: 2 Stars
This book is short and an easy read. It's a metaphorical and philosophical book, but it seemed to me more like a 5th grade read as it is about a young boy searching for meaning and satisfying his curiosity. He meets new people in different culture. The reader watches as he gains new experiences and insight on life.Book Review: A Book to think About
Summary: 4 Stars
Reading this book, I had to keep stopping and thinking about the implications. While at the surface the book seems to be a simple story, the implications are much deeper.Book Review: A Fable About Following Your Dreams
Summary: 4 Stars
In English class, I was told to do a reading project with a group. My group chose to read The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. My group chose to read The Alchemist because we were told that it was a great book. Before reading the book I was hearing great reviews from everyone who read the book. Although I don't particularly enjoy reading I decided that I would actually read the book.
The Alchemist is an enchanting novel that teaches many life lessons to the reader. The story is about a young Sheppard named Santiago. Santiago meets a king that convinces him to take an epic journey from his homeland in Spain to the pyramids in Egypt in search of a treasure. On Santiago's quest, he meets a gypsy woman, an army, and an alchemist. I feel that the plot is very enriching as Santiago learns many life lessons on his Journey. I wouldn't say that this book is completely unrealistic but I think there are times when the author gets a bit to carried away.
I think that overall it's a great story. The Alchemist is fit for all audiences but is probably best suit for teenagers and older. The story makes you think of your morals and beliefs as a human towards yourself and towards others. I believe that one of the intentions of Coelho is to show a clear difference between religion and spirituality.
I think that the author makes several quality connections to life. In the book, the author explains that you must work hard to achieve your goals, you must follow your heart to be happy, and that you must do what is right for the greater good. "Every person on earth plays a central role in the history of the world. And normally he doesn't know it." This is a direct quote from the book which I believe is an excellent point that Coelho brings up. According to Coelho, fear of failure seems to be the greatest obstacle to achieving happiness. Coelho also states that "simple things are the most valuable and only wise people appreciate them." I think that the main point that Coelho brings up is that everything is possible as long as you really want it to happen. Although it may seem like a motivational philosophy on its own, Coelho does an excellent job of providing realistic samples that convey this message.
Although there is no specific genre that The Alchemist would qualify under, I believe that the book would be best labeled as fiction. The author maintains a solid amount of realism for the majority of the book. I think that this book is a very quick read. It isn't very difficult and shouldn't take the average reader more than two weeks to read it.
Overall I would give The Alchemist four out of five stars. I think it's much better than your average book. I also believe that Paulo Coelho does a great job portraying his message across to the readers. It isn't too difficult to read. The book also has a thrilling plot that will keep the reader addicted throughout the book.
Book Review: A Must Read
Summary: 5 Stars
The Alchemist is an amazing book. Everyone should read this book at least once in their lives. This is the third copy I have bought of this book. Whenever I loan it out I never get it back, yet I keep buying it and keep loaning it out. It is just that good.Book Review: A Parable of Legends
Summary: 4 Stars
As I read the young shepherd search for his Personal Legend I found myself deeply moved by the story. It is hard not to get caught up in this simple story with personal emotion. This is a creative work of art about finding and fulfilling your dreams. I'll definitely be recommending it to friends.