THE ALCHEMIST BOOK REVIEW - BHADRA ASHOK KUMAR

"There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve, the fear of failure."
' The Alchemist' by Paulo Coelho is one of the international best sellers. It has brought a sense of happiness and have encouraged millions of people around the globe.
Paulo Coelho de Souza is a Brazilian lyricist and novelist and recipient of many international awards. He was brave enough to take risks and experiment something new. Paulo Coelho in his work ' The Alchemist' portrays the importance of taking risks and believing in fate. The writer has beautifully illustrated the need for following one's dram, aspiring about it and finally achieving it. ' The Alchemist' tells the story of Santiago, the young  Andalusian shepherd who dreams of buried treasure in Egypt and embarks upon a challenging and enlightening journey to find it.
Santiago referred throughout the novel as 'the boy' is basically a shepherd. He reaches an abandoned church and slowly falls to sleep and dreams of huge treasure.
In order to reach the treasure, Santiago must first learn to accept change, value simplicity, learn to live in the present moment, to read God's will in different signs and omens, to listen to ones' own heart and penetrate the soul of the world.
During the journey, Santiago falls in love, meets the alchemist, and risks his own life. In the surprise ending, Paulo Coelho teaches us that we should always be aware of the happenings around us. The novel gives us the powerful implication that one should always look in to the roots and foundations of their lives. The novel highlights the importance of trusting our dreams even when they have slipped beyond our reach.
Santiago sees the different perspectives of life during his journey. He was robbed, beaten and nearly killed. Even though the wound leave scars on him, he decides to flaunt it as a tattoo of survival. He never knew what life had kept for him, but the journey to find the hidden treasure, motivates and encourages him to continue. At the end of the story, Santiago undergoes a spiritual transformation. He understands the soul of the universe and language through which it speaks. He believed that he will fly again even if he falls down countless times.