My biggest issue with the book is the claim that not knowing your destiny, and not realizing it, would make you a very unhappy and unsatisfied individual and that achieving your dreams would make you very happy indeed. Since most humans have actual responsibilities that stop us from following these desires, adjusting or compromising them would offer better and happier solutions. Additionally, following our desires blindly can often have disastrous consequences, as our best interests often do not align with our dreams. Real life simply does not work this way rock bottom exists. On the surface, it seems to give the message that any impossible dream is achievable by simply just wanting it very hard, without acknowledging how difficult it is to achieve, or the consequences of such decisions. If you critically analyze the plot and take it literally instead of metaphorically, you would find it silly, basic and fable-like. The style can feel childish to more advanced readers. The book’s simplicity, which is also its magic, is a double-edged sword. According to the author, it is this path that makes life worth living. It suggests that life is a journey, not a specific destination to reach, and that following your dreams is worth the risk. Thus, the book is a journey of following your calling and dreams about adapting and transforming ourselves depending on the environment, while keeping our true essence.

If you read it with an open mind and not take it too literally, it can leave a positive impact.Īlchemy refers to the old art of transforming materials from one form to another. The book is a must read for young adults, especially university students.

It is a short, fun, and beginner-friendly book, guiding you through a magnificent and exotic journey in the great Sahara. The magic of Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist comes from its simplicity.

The alchemist book meaning