The Alchemist reads like a fairy tale, a personal narrative, a religious text, and a fable all wrapped up into one tight novel. Because of Paulo Coelho's distinct focus on the story’s plotline and the omens associated with Santiago's ‘Personal Legend’, the book is quite easy to follow. It reads more similar to that of a non-fiction book; each sentence seems as though it is an indisputable fact. The novel is the perfect length for a cultural fable or story, and Coelho is a good author, able to deliver his ideas in a straightforward and eloquent manner which all audiences are able to understand. Language and vocabulary is descriptive, but not too flowery, and is able to outline setting in a more minimalistic style. 

The plot of The Alchemist follows the story of young Spanish shepherd Santiago, who left his family's vision of priesthood to become a shepherd. He wanders the Andalusian countryside taking care of his flock of 50 sheep and meeting people from all over Spain on his travels. He begins to have recurring dreams of a child who transports him to the Egyptian pyramids and tells him he will find treasure here. Out of curiosity, Santiago goes to a gypsy to ask her of the dream, and she tells him that he must follow the dream because it is an omen. 

He then meets a man in the town plaza who echoes the sentiments of the gypsy, and tells him to go to Egypt in pursuit of his Personal Legend. The old man soon reveals himself as a king, convinces Santiago to sell his herd of sheep, and sends him off to Tangier. In Tangier, Santiago is robbed of all his money and so briefly gives up on his dream of the pyramids, coming to work for a crystal merchant for one year. He then realizes, however, that he must complete his Personal Legend. He joins a caravan traveling to Egypt and meets an Englishman who is in search of a 200-year old alchemist. The caravan travels through the dangerous desert for months, eventually coming to an oasis in the midst of desert tribal wars. 

There, Santiago meets Fatima, a girl living in the oasis, and falls in love. He predicts an omen of war and is given the role of advisor to the chief of the oasis, which is how he meets the alchemist. The alchemist takes Santiago under his wing and they depart to the pyramids to pursue his Personal Legend. They travel for weeks, and Santiago learns to speak the Language of the World with the wind, the sun, and with the Soul of God. Eventually, he leaves the alchemist and finds the pyramids, where he begins to dig for treasure where his tears fall. A group of displaced men begin to attack him, making fun of his dream and demanding money. 

At this moment, the boy realizes where the treasure is really buried: all the way back in Andalusia under the Sycamore tree. The novel is incredibly spiritual, and reads like a religious text, weaving intangible ideas with the simple story of adventure. The overall theme of the novel is Santiago's Personal Legend, which must be fulfilled in order for him to become an alchemist and achieve true satisfaction in life. The book touches on themes of nature, spirituality, love, and society, but ultimately comes back to place emphasis on adventure and the power of the journey. 

The main character of the novel is Santiago, the young shepherd boy whose Personal Legend is the story that the novel follows. All characters in this book are pretty one-dimensional, and I thought this was one of the few faults with The Alchemist. Even while we follow Santiago's story, we still know little of him as a person other than his journey. Honestly, this may be partially attributed to Coelho's writing style which leaves little to be interpreted, but I just wish there was more done in building out all the characters. The other major characters are all those who work to serve Santiago's Personal Legend: the Gypsy, the king, the crystal merchant, the alchemist, the Englishman, and Fatima. Little to nothing is revealed about each of them, because The Alchemist is not their Personal Legend.

 I was particularly underwhelmed by the role of women in the book, one of Fatima’s quotes even reads, "But above all, I'm a woman", in regards to her awaiting Santiago's return. The role of Fatima in the novel, similar to other characters, was to serve Santiago. While this may be attributed to Muslim culture, I think Coelho could have undone the misogynistic misconceptions by emphasizing her character, but she is just as one-dimensional as the rest of the side characters in Santiago's quest. The only other character that is briefly touched upon is the alchemist, who seems to be an aged-up Santiago. He is a man who can speak the Language of the World, and is a mentor of the boy throughout the latter half of the novel. But even still, little is known about him besides his Personal Legend to turn things into gold. 

The Alchemist was and still is one of the most popular novels written in the twentieth century, and is the most translated piece of literature by any living author. Regarded as a ‘classic’, The Alchemist is a must read for its contributions to popular culture and its deeper spiritual ideas. It is a strong piece of work, and implores each reader to align themselves with their own personal quest, embrace adventure, and discover the world. But, the book should also be taken with a grain of salt: it is not an all-intensive portrait of Northern Africa and the Muslim world, nor is it a portrait of women. Characters fell short in the novel, and some themes may be misconstrued to provide a more Eurocentric viewpoint of the world. 

Nonetheless, the novel should still be regarded with as much praise as it receives. I appreciate The Alchemist’s exploration of life’s greater meaning, spirituality and religion, and our personal relationships to the world around us. It is an uplifting tale– one of hope, adventure, and treasure– that implores readers to become the best versions of themselves possible. Each of our Personal Legends are out there waiting for us, we are only asked to take the first step.