The Alchemist

   The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho, relates the story of a young Spanish shepherd named Santiago who has a dream that reveals to him a treasure that he feels inclined to seek. Along his journey Santiago is often delayed by unexpected circumstances and people, but remembers to follow his heart and pay attention to the omens. He ends up finding friends, love, and the secrets to listening to one's own heart on his way to finding his treasure and learning that one's "treasure is where your heart is".
   I found this to be a quick and interesting read. At times, I wished that the story would delve deeper into some of the characters and situations as this would have created a more complete story. I think, though, that the author was singular in purpose and wanted to focus and centralize the plot around the personal journey of one young man.
   The story is mostly told from Santiago's point of view, but sometimes oddly shifts to the point of view of other characters, but only for short periods of time. I didn't really understand the purpose of these shifts, but I also didn't think they detracted from the story.
   There are also undeniable religious themes underlying this story. There are a variety of Christ characters that help guide Santiago along his way and scriptural references, though sometimes subtle, are common throughout.
   Overall I enjoyed this read. I could see myself rereading it as well as recommending it to others.

Appearance, 4/5: I was drawn to the book, but don't really think it really indicated much or had much to do with the storyline.
Readability, 4.5/5: It held my interest and was a quick read. The only negative would be the shifting narration mentioned earlier.
My Points, 10/10: I enjoyed the book, simply put.

Total: 18.5/20