I had been hearing about this book for ages. I don't know why, but I always imagined it as a story in the style of The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco. Maybe because of the author's name, Paulo Coelho (both have first and last names ending in -o), and the somewhat mysterious title?

However, I haven't read The Name of the Rose. I only have a vague memory of the movie adaptation I saw about a dozen years ago. I try not to think too much about it because I recall the grim courtyard of a monastery and the sight of a kid’s bare backside wriggling on screen as he discovers love (while my panicked teacher tries to skip over that immodest scene). So, was I wrong to subconsciously compare it to The Alchemist? Probably. Umberto Eco’s work seems more inclined toward a medieval detective drama. I’ll know sooner or later, as it’s already on my reading list.

The Alchemist is highly accessible. I was surprised by the simplistic style, even a bit disoriented in the first few pages—since I dove into it without really knowing what to expect, as I usually do with all the books I read—before realizing that I was dealing with an openly philosophical tale.

It’s easy to understand, efficient in its exposition, with a clear plot and quite straightforward. We follow Santiago’s journey through a wonderfully depicted North Africa, which is realistically portrayed yet interspersed with fantastical elements, giving the story a dreamlike and utterly timeless atmosphere. I realized we were in a fable when a king from Jerusalem appeared, three thousand years old, to set the protagonist on the path of his “Personal Legend.”

The book presents a whole jargon seemingly drawn from alchemical arts and esotericism—the author even mentions in the preface his passion for secrecy. You’ll hear terms like Personal Legend, Soul of the World, and Omens... In short, a way to name several philosophical ideas that none can escape.

For instance, the Personal Legend. It’s this unchanging quest that resides within each of us, the deepest goal we wish to achieve, corresponding to our true destiny. And The Alchemist shows that pursuing our Personal Legend is not without peril, but that all the misfortunes you endure along the way will be erased by the true fulfillment found in this quest. The book ultimately concludes with a clear message: appreciate the journey, the destination is secondary.

“When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”

In hindsight, the ending is consistent with the rest of the story, but I must admit I was surprised. Santiago spends the entire story in search of a treasure. He finally reaches it at the end of a long, meaningful, philosophical journey that opens his soul to a higher degree of awareness and understanding. So, at the end of such a book, where everything seems implied and full of deep meaning, you don't expect the treasure to be literal. I was almost eager to discover through what mental twist the author would surprise me again. But no, it really was a treasure of gold and jewels.

And in the end, The Alchemist is still a fable. So it makes sense. And maybe it’s better that way.