I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I began reading this book but every word Coelho wrote blew my mind. I found both the literal and  metaphorical meaning in this novel to be fascinating. Santiago begins his journey due to a reoccurring dream that leads him on a path to great gain and self growth. Although I loved this novel, I would not recommend it for everyone. Santiago is a relatively bland character and  unless you have great patience for long parable type plots and writing, this book may seem tedious and pointless. Which in a literal way, it is. The plot is very mainstreamed with Santiago simply following his dream based off of omens. The message of this story comes through in the end and few places throughout. If you can see the value in the end result of this novel, definitely give it a try, but if you prefer stories of great excitement, I'd recommend you don't waste your time on a philosophical novel of this type. I personally enjoyed this book and loved looking for the meaning and symbolism in miscellaneous objects such as tea cups, omens, sheep, and the pyramids. They may seem insignificant, but "The simple things are also the most extraordinary things, and only the wise can see them."-Coelho