The Alchemist is a symbolic novel written by a Brazilian author “Paulo Coelho”. The Alchemist, which many consider a guide to their spiritual lives was originally written in Portuguese, after being translated into 70 languages it became a must-read and a bestseller of 2017. Coelho wrote many influential and life-changing novels but The Alchemist broke every precedent record. This novel is also followed by his other novel under the title of “Brida” but the fun part is that you can get started with The Alchemist without even knowing a bit about Brida, it won’t cause you a problem getting along with the story. Just exceptional! This breath-taking quest is absolutely worth your time and energy.

This 163 page novel is so mind-boggling and beautifully crafted that it compels the reader to keep up with the pace of the book. The overall background and storyline drifts slowly towards the plot-twist but the whole journey from the prologue to the epilogue is just beyond words. The tranquilizing theme and the involvement of spirituality is what makes it so inspirational for billions of bibliophiles all over the globe.

The Alchemist is based upon a fascinating story of an Andalusian boy who is a shepherd by choice, named Santiago and his re-occurring dreams, when he is told by a Romani-fortune teller that his re-occurring dreams will guide him to a treasure which is located in the Egyptian pyramids. Santiago is in quandary of whether to trust the woman who is interpreting her dreams or to continue living life just the way it is, as a shepherd. What do you think he chose?

Personal Opinion:
I consider The Alchemist to be a very powerful and engrossing novel. It changed my perspective on a lot of things, truly; e.g.: destination, believing in one’s self and most of all discovering one’s purest inner desires. This adventure is a must-read. I rate this book five out of five. The way it connected me to myself spiritually, is just so eye-opening. The plot-twists, the philosophy, the deeply buried meanings; from the first line to the last sentence is beyond perfect. I will admit the fact that this novel is not for someone who has just started taking interests in reading books, beginning your journey with this book may not be the best choice because as it digs deeper into the citadel of the novel it becomes a bit distractive and also a bit dry. Many would suffer from a reading slump but the slower you read this novel the more you learn about the world within you. Apart from these little things, I absolutely loved reading this book, the elaboration on various soulful attention-grabbing aspects made me feel so zealous and filled with wisdom and knowledge that I felt as if the horizons of my thinking had been widened, I could express the dimensions in my perspectives that it created with such ease. My journey through out this book had been amazing.  Flawlessly sketched scenarios and gorgeously composed details is what makes it so captivating.

Fun facts:

1. It took the author only two weeks to write this book in 1987. He later said that the story was “already written in his soul.”

2. The main motif of the novel:
“When you really want something to happen, the whole universe will conspire to make your wish come true.”

3.  According, To The New York Times, “The Alchemist is more self-help than literature.”