Reviews with content warning for Violence - The Alchemist

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The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

30 reviews

applesaucecreachur's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective relaxing slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho is a necessary reread throughout one’s life. For context, my first encounter with the tale of Santiago and the pursuit of his Personal Legend came as required reading between my freshman and sophomore years of high school; I’ve just finished reading it a second time on my phone, on a bus beside my childhood best friend who recommended it all those years ago, the day after completing our pilgrimage to the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. The Soul of the World sounds different to me now, and even more clear.

Santiago’s is a simple story told with masterful skill. Coelho weaves his own life philosophies into these pages and while they may not land with every reader, they create a sturdy base on which plot points and characters and grow. I can’t overlook the potentially harmful depictions of the non-ethnically Spanish characters, nor of

Spoiler

the only prominent female character, Fatima, serving as Santiago’s love interest

. These elements date the book and serve to make it less universally relatable. Still The Alchemist remains as a testament to one man’s truth, and in this way, to the truth of many. The Universe hosts many personal legends.

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hefftbundle's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

A nice read with some nice sound bites. Didn’t realize it was a spiritual book, but that’s on me. I do love me some talk about signs and omens. I DON’T love me some cultural/religious slurs, though. Made for a really odd read.

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mad_mads's review against another edition

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hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

Reading this book felt like riding on a lazy river; it just floats you along and leaves you feeling relaxed and refreshed at the end.

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sussu's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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caelysium's review against another edition

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adventurous reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

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stormeno's review against another edition

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adventurous inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

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genie09's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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hhwanghyunjin's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

"The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho had me hooked from beginning to end. The book tells the story of Santiago, a shepherd boy who embarks on a journey in search of his Personal Legend. Coelho weaves together themes of destiny, perseverance, and the pursuit of one's dreams in a way that felt both relatable and inspiring.

The story itself is both character and plot-driven, with Santiago's personal growth and development being the driving force behind the narrative. I appreciated the attention given to Santiago's flaws and the struggles he faced along the way, which made his eventual triumph all the more satisfying.

One of the few criticisms I had of the book was the lack of diversity among the characters. While I understand that the story is set in a particular time and place, it would have been nice to see a wider range of perspectives and experiences represented.

Overall, "The Alchemist" was a captivating and thought-provoking read that I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a lighthearted yet meaningful story.

“And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” - Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist, page 22.

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joshmacaroni's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

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chaoticnostalgia's review

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inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

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