OinkMcOink

OinkMcOink t1_jdtplt2 wrote

Personally, the problem I have with The Alchemist is the people I've met in person who read it, which is mostly people who says they love reading books but could not mention any other books than The Alchemist (or The Count of Monte Cristo.)

I don't care if people don't like books, we all have our varied interests. I hate it when people mention this book (and The Count of Monte Cristo) as valid examples that they're "well read" too. The reason non-readers read it is it's short and popular. Who hasn't heard of The Alchemist, right? I've read it too, but the problem is I've read other books too and that's very much the end of books as a topic in a conversation for me.

My opinion on the book itself is that it's a padded short story masquerading as a right full book. It's charming, sure, but it could have been better off as one shorter story in a book of collected stories.

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