I had tried to read it twice before and each time couldn't make it past few pages. Somehow found it boring. But when I started reading it for the 3rd time, I got so much engrossed that I forgot my world and drowned myself in the world of Santiago, the protagonist.
At the outset, "The Alchemist" is a simple story of an ordinary boy with extra-ordinary dreams. At its core, it is the story about the never ending battle between the mind and the heart. It is the story of you, me and every other person and how our destinies get shaped, not by the unforeseen situations that occur in the path of our dreams but rather by how we react to those.
The book begins with a captivating prologue about Narcissus. All of us know the mythical story of Narcissus and his extreme fascination for his own beauty but in this, the author gives a novel twist to the age-old story that leaves ones reflecting.
The best part of the book is the innate simple and lucid style in which it is written. You'd never need to refer to the dictionary save for a word or two.
The book takes us on the journey of a shepherd and his dreams but through the Shepherd, you can find your heart talking to you (your mind/conscious). You could think of the innumerable occasions wherein you didn't heed to your heart (omens) and how you could've avoided some circumstances had you only listened to your heart.
The book also talks about affection for one's soil (land). While the current generation may laugh it off, as a kid, I remember my grandma telling me that the first thing she'd do on waking up is to pray to EARTH for she said - it's the soil that nourishes her and hence it's her duty to be grateful to it. What a wonderful way of thinking! She'd often tell me how omens would warn the village folk of impending disasters. Back then, all her tales merely satisfied my curiosity but when I read the book, I could actually relate to all her tales.
The way the "love" between the protagonist and her girl is described is awesome. No caste. No creed. Nothing. Just pure, divine love defined as the Universal Language! What a wonderful way to describe Love :)
Reading this book will make you want to go on a desert safari, not your usual ride-in-jeep safari but rather a trip wherein you spend time with the desert, with its oasis, with its palm trees and 'connect' with it. Reading this book will make you stop and look at the "street dog" who has been outside your house for as long as you can remember. You would want to look at the dog and you'll realize that you can communicate with it too. No, you won't go crazy. You'll instead become sensitive. Reading this book will teach you the wonderful art of communicating with "Thoughts" !
I've heard that "The Alchemist" is a highly over-rate book. I'd politely disagree. The book makes sense only if one reads it in the right frame of mind (zone). And what is the right frame of mind? Well, it differs from person to person but for sure, everyone knows when he/she is in the zone. If you ARE in the zone, go ahead and read it. You'll LOVE IT!
