The Alchemist

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Reading Level: 6.4

AR Points: 6

Translated from Portuguese, this is the story of a shepherd boy, Santiago, who dreams of seeing the world.  He travels from Spain, to Morocco, and finally to Egypt, after dreaming of a treasure buried by the Pyramids.  He literally abandons his old life, meeting spiritual messengers on his journey, including an alchemist who helps him discover the "Soul of the World".

This fable is written in a style that is vague yet appealing. I found myself confused at times, then realized that the point of the book is to make you interpret the story.  Am I adventurous enough to go off and seek my dream?  Or am I satisfied with my decisions, and don't want to know what my "Personal Legend" could be?  Unfortunately, I'm pretty gutless, so if I'm unhappy, it's nobody's fault by my own. ***** 5 Esoteric Stars