The Alchemist question

The only thing this book made me think was, "WHY is this insane, senseless book so famous?" some ppl say it answers a lot of questions.....does it?! I thought it was very lame

Dull, boring, trite. I don't like any of his books (I've tried 4, finished 2). He's like a precocious high-schooler trying too hard.

My teenaged son and I listened to over half as an Audiobook but could not finish it. That almost never happens. The combo of the repetitious and slow-moving plot and the monotonous voice of Jeremy Irons was just too much - or should I say too little - for us to bear.

I read this because my friend said it was his favorite book of all time... Absolutely no plot and the "spiritual" and philosophical side of it just did nothing for me. It was short, so it didn't take long to read at least. Don't really understand what the hype's all about.

Kirsten wrote: "I'm a very spiritual person, but I have to admit this book kinda went in one ear and out the other. At least I can say I've read it."

i didnt enjoy the book so much

I was not so impressed with The Alchemist and as a rule, Coelho is the type of writer that doesn't impress me. First of all, the mix of all the possible religions coming together into an eclectic, dominant one that has nothing to do with our realities and adding the mystic effect.

I was not impressed at all.
Very dissapointed actually. I still do not understand why this book became so successful...

I've never read none of Paulo Coelho's despite this one and I didn´t like it at all. At the end I just felt I was wasting my time. It's all about a never ending search, but life is like that, will always search for better and answers.

it was so overrated and cliche, no? I read it because I "should" but I really didn't care for it at all.

i was not impressed at all.... JOJO

I didn't get it....what a waste of my money and time...

When we finally come across a female character, Fatima, we find that her raison d'etre is to passively wait? Gross. I could have done without the patronizing addition of the token chick in the story.

same feeling...

I don't know if the translation kills the message and the literary function? But I do "get" the book, but its just that after reading it I'm not that impressed to re-read it again it's so simple.

I'm among those who wasn't impressed. It does my heart good (forgive the cliche) to know I'm not alone.

I heard great things about this book before I read,so I had high expenctations. I enjoyed reading it, but I started to wonder if I was missing something because I didn't impress me as it did for other people. I'm glad to see it's not just me.

Unforgivable shite. If you haven't read it don't patronise yourself by picking it up, even as toilet paper.

I was excited about this book until I read the reviews and then I was really, really dreading it.

So I read it and I actually really liked it. It wasn't the BEST book I've ever read but I don't have any complaints about it. I don't claim to be some... "mystical guru" who knows everything about being spiritual because that's not who I am. So I don't really know why I liked it more than everyone else because I didn't think I would.

One of the worst book I have read, ever. It is definitely on my list of books never to read again, and never to give away as a present.

The story was slow moving.I felt that the story setting was too antiquated for this day and age.

Yep. Bad, bad, bad. I read this some time ago, sold by the advertising. I felt duped at the time. I thought maybe something was lost in the translation.

I totally agree. The book is overrated and not one of the best of the author. Almost all of his other books are better.

I feel like timing has a lot to do with it. I wasn't too inspired when I read it, but if I had read it at another time in my life under different circumstances, I think I would have loved it... It's strange.

250 pages to tell you "follow your heart"... Not impressed...

Finally, i was begining to think sumthing was wrong with everyone. This book is totally trite and full of hackneyed writing. Albeit there were a few moments where the story picked up, but on the whole it left me feeling why anyone would bother writing such a book. In fact, Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach could be more profound than this.
The world is back on its axis. Whewww

Not his best book, but good. Much preferred Veronka Decides to Die" and "Beside the River Piedra....".

Exit Darkness, Enter Light

I thought the Alchemist was spiritual popcorn. Fluffy and light and not bad while it lasted, but not really much of an impression is left. Anyway, I have just read a book called Exit Darkness, Enter Light, which was brilliant. Lots of spiritual meaning, depth and also exciting. Here is an extract:

“Love is the most mysterious force in the universe.
It locks two souls together across space and time.
Once that spark is ignited it consumes all else.
It was that shard of light that transformed a dark soul forever.
Now let that love burn bright like a sun for eternity…”

I have taken the above from the author's page so hopefully I shouldn't get into any trouble!

I am so glad to read all these comments because I hated this book. It was shallow cheap pseudo spirituality but there seem to be so many devotees.

http://sonamwriting.blogspot.in/

Finished it recently after 3 or 4 attempts and finished it only because it was a book club selection. It was okay. Nothing it was made out to be. Pretentious and trying to be esoteric.

It is SO GOOD to see a thread like this. Kudos to Kirsten for starting this thread and to everyone who posted here.

I am glad I saw this thread. I didn't,t dislike the book, I just found it very predictable. I am not sure why it is so popular.

It lacks originality and creativity, such a hype! The hype has surely made the book bestseller, a major money minter, and earned some phony fans, but not enough respect!

I went to a business conference once and they were handing these out as freebies. I suspect most of the ginormous sales came from the corporate motivational seminar world.

In the first read, yes, it's impress me. But when I think about it, Paulo Coelho (in my personal opinion) is actually acting like a God himself, making the story.

well, I didn't like it at all when I read it but now after reading these posts I kind of wanna re-read it if it still that bad..

Whew, i'm not the only one. Wasn't sure if I was just too thick, totally un-spiritual or something else was wrong with me. The book was ok, but certainly didn't live up to all the hype. I also had a very hard time finding much to enjoy while slogging through The Celestine Prophecy. All I keep thinking while reading these types of books is "really, isn't it just basic common sense to be a decent human being". Why does being kind & treating others as you want to be treated have to turn into so much mystical mumbo jumbo?

I loved it as a story and of course there were some great points here and there. Although I was never too confused in my life that I wanted it to change me altogether. However, by the end of the book I did have the answer to my true calling. Read it twice (at an interval of 3 years) and both the time the answer was the same. Overall, I was not too dissatisfied with it.

My husband left it half way. He just couldn't understand. He picked up Catcher of the Rye instead :)

I think that may be its very simple & common that he has mentioned in the book. hence this book for a beginner will do a good job, however, who has already read a lots of philosophies about life, may find it routine & nothing much interesting due to lack of novelty

Isnt he saying same things everytime? "When you want something, everything will help you." Short sentences, too short. There was just one part of this book that ı like, that's the scene when they were at desert, while they were waiting to go.

I dont want to say something about Coelho's books. Because ı liked Veronica Decides To Die. It was different.

I actually enjoyed The Alchemist, but it was the first Coelho book I ever read. I didn't like the preachy tone of certain passages, but the story was all right. I remember I got teary-eyed at the end.

But all that's over now. My mother has several Coelho books and she lent them to me some years ago.

THEY'RE ALL THE SAME! I couldn't get past the first couple pages of sermon. No, no.

At the time I read it, I liked The Alchemist, but that must be because it was the first Coelho book I ever read. After flipping through the rest and seeing they all gravitate around the same pound-in-your-face mysticism, I have to agree with my boyfriend and say: NOT IMPRESSED!

I didn't get it. Should I re-read?

Kirsten wrote: "I'm a very spiritual person, but I have to admit this book kinda went in one ear and out the other. At least I can say I've read it."

I've read a few of his books. Although this one was a lovely story I just didn't get what all the fuss was about. It didn't resonate with anything for me... My favourite Coelho book so far is Eleven Minutes.

It was given to me by a friend who said it changed their life, and I can't even remember what the hell it was about...

I heard a lot about this book but when I found it silly , I thought there is something wrong with my taste.
Thanks for this discussion, I regained my confidence in my sences.

I'm not impressed. Because it seems the author took a collection of aphorisms and used them in the book...

I'd heard so much about the novel...but it turned out to be an utter waste of time...
It was too metaphorical!!!...
An average book according to me...

It was boring for me. It had little action. I wanna see some blood. D:

feels so good not to be alone in this world who wasn't really impressed with Alchemist...In fact I was a bit disappointed after all the publicity for the author and the book particularly.

My God damn philosophy teacher said it was one of her favorite books while I argued today in class.

IT IS REALLY AWFUL!
No plot. His philosophy is sooooo superficial... the language is so simple... And the ending is god damn miserable! He goes all around Africa and then gets back to the same point. I know the point is beyond that , finding your happiness where you are and all of that, but seriously? Argh... I don't know what people god damn find in it.

I just flat out didnt like it! Period!!!

I have read this book, and I read it after my operation. This book really give me courage and try to let go and let things find its own way in the future. And this feeling of let go and believe that destiny has its own way is really relieving for me. At least that what I got from this book, really good and worth to read