There are books you pick up and forget.
And then there are books that pick you up—and never quite let you go.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho is one of those rare books for me.
I first read it while sitting at a train station in September 2021. I still remember the weight of that moment. The air was cool. I had just made a big decision in my life and wasn’t entirely sure if I was moving forward, or just running away. My hands trembled a little—not from the cold, but from that subtle, sacred fear of not knowing what comes next.
And then this book happened to me.
This small, red book with its radiant golden sun on the cover wasn’t just something to read while waiting for a train—it became a mirror, a compass, and, strangely, a kind of quiet friend. It told me things I didn’t even know I was needing to hear. It was like someone had bottled up the whispers of the universe and handed them to me in paperback form.
What’s it about, really?
It’s a story of Santiago, a shepherd boy from Andalusia who follows his dream—literally. He has a recurring dream about treasure near the Egyptian pyramids. Leaving behind his familiar, predictable life, he sets out across deserts, through bustling marketplaces, and into the unknown. But the beauty of the novel lies not in the literal adventure, but in the metaphor it becomes. Santiago’s journey is all of ours. Whether you’re a nurse, an artist, a dreamer, or simply someone quietly trying to make life make sense—this book speaks to that part of you that longs for something more.
What I Loved:
Paulo Coelho’s writing is simple but deeply lyrical. His sentences feel like prayers. They’re not trying to impress; they’re trying to speak to your heart. And they do. Lines like, “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it” aren’t just quotes—they’re mantras. They’re stitched into my memory now.
The idea of a “Personal Legend” resonated with me in a way I can’t fully explain. It made me reflect on the times I had silenced my own calling—times I stayed because it was safe, not because it was right. Reading about Santiago’s encounters with omens reminded me of the subtle signs I, too, had once ignored. But also the ones I didn’t—and how those brave, quiet choices shaped my life today.
This isn’t a book you only read once. The real magic of The Alchemist is that it reads you, too. What you take from it depends on where you are in life. That first read gave me courage. The second, clarity. And I suspect future re-reads will offer even more, like a soul returning to a sacred well.
I love that Coelho didn’t overcomplicate the story. He trusted the power of simple words. This isn’t a book of plot twists or elaborate worlds—it’s a book of quiet truths. It doesn’t scream. It whispers. And if you’re still enough, it’ll change you.
Read this book. Or better yet—let it read you.
If I Had to Be Critical…
There are readers who might find the philosophy repetitive or “too simplistic.” Some of the metaphors are obvious. The plot is linear. And yes, if you approach this book looking for a traditional literary masterpiece, you might miss the point entirely. It doesn’t try to be intellectually superior. It’s not a puzzle. It’s a parable.
But for someone like me—someone who has left her homeland, worked in hospitals where hope and pain hold hands, and lived through both answered and unanswered prayers—this book felt sacred. Not perfect. But exactly what it needed to be.
Who is this book for?
It’s for anyone at a crossroads. Anyone who has ever whispered “There has to be more than this.”
It’s for the ones who’ve felt lost but dared to walk anyway.
It’s for those waiting at train stations, literal or emotional, unsure whether the next journey is worth the risk.
Spoiler alert: it is.
Final Thoughts:
I gave this book 5 stars not because it was flawless—but because it found me when I needed it most.
It taught me that my dreams are not foolish. That every step, every heartbreak, every delay has meaning.
And that sometimes, the treasure we’re looking for isn’t buried at the end of the world…
but quietly waiting within us, right where it all began.
I promise, something will shift.
superanjventures 
Leave a comment