[Disclaimer: Most book reviews are written for one of two reasons. You either love the book or you hate it. In true millennial fashion, I felt lukewarm. So here we are.]

The Alchemist

Here at Invisible Children, we love a good story. So it’s no surprise that we also love a good book (it may be important to note those words are fairly synonymous). This winter break, I read The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. It had been recommended to me upwards of twenty times and it was on sale at Half Priced Books, so I proceeded to make the $3.24 investment in my future.  

With a name like The Alchemist, I’ll admit I expected a Lord of the Rings-esq novel both in size and in wizardry. That is not at all what I received. The novel itself is only 164 pages and proved to be an easy read. I actually read it in its entirety in one family gathering. The book itself is more of a fable than an epic fantasy novel. Set in Spain sometime in the unspecified past, the plot follows the journey of one shepard boy, Santiago, on his quest to find both personal adventure and self-worth.

Like many pieces of literature, The Alchemist opens with a prologue. This sets the tone for the rest of the book– straightforward and concise writing full of small introspective messages. The message of the prologue is simple: “my own beauty reflected.”

Throughout the entire book, the theme of positive self-worth is repeated. Through experiencing Santiago’s pilgrimage, the reader can find that many of the doubts, strife, and thoughts are familiar to their own. In a lot of ways, I felt as though I was being tricked into reading a self-help book. This is not a knock at The Alchemist, rather a knock at my unwillingness to read self-help books.

I would only selectively recommend this book. But, if we’re being honest with ourselves, it’s short enough in length so mostly anyone could give it a shot. I would hate to reveal too much, in fear of spoiling the plot, so I will just leave you with my favorite quote:

“When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.”

(Photo credit)