'The Alchemist' by Paulo Coelho
'The Alchemist' by Paulo Coelho

The good

  • Simple, pretty writing style
  • Has a cute, timeless, fable-like quality to it
  • A few fun aphorisms, morals, and inspiring quotes

The not so good

  • A bit cheesy at times
  • A bit too simplistic and childish at times
  • Cliches everywhere
  • The characters are just storytelling aides and don’t act like people
  • The book talks a lot about the central role of passion, hard work, and pursuing your dreams and desires, which is supposed to be inspiring, but then the main character’s success relies heavily on magic, which I found a bit lame and demotivating
  • The portrayal of women is just… sad. Books like this must be infuriating to read if you’re a woman.

Overall

A quick, cute read, but ultimately, it felt like a children’s tale, lacking much depth.

Rating: 3 stars