If you are in search of an incredible story with several lessons to be learnt in the process, then read the Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.

From the overall theme of the book and my research on the author’s life, there seem to be some parallels between the main character of the book and the author. Paulo Coelho was an aspiring writer whose parents never wanted him to be one. At some point, he had to escape. In the course of his escape from home, he became a hippie and traveled the world. He returned years later to live his dream of being a writer.

Santiago

The Alchemist is about Santiago, a young Shepherd from the south of Spain who keeps having a dream that a treasure lies underneath the Egyptian pyramids. After encountering an old king who offers him some advice on the journey he is to embark on and leaves him with some magic stones, the protagonist leaves his home and embarks on a journey to the Sahara to find the treasure.

The journey takes Santiago across the Mediterranean Sea and the Sahara to find his treasure and his purpose in life. He encounters swindlers, tribal wars and endless sand, and in the process, he finds his one true love, learns the language of his heart, learns alchemy and eventually, finds his treasure.

Dreamy and Philosophical

For the most part, this book is dreamy, pensive and philosophical to the point where it leaves one at its wit’s end. The author seems to have lived a long time and is very wise. The story presents some insightful ideas about finding one’s destiny, rising above adversity, and the unity which exists in the universe. A central theme in the book is that “when you want something, the universe always conspires in your favor.” The author’s descriptions of events are simply awe-inspiring, and his choice of words is perfect. Beyond all these, the magic of this novel is found in the depth of the thought and soul behind this novel.

If you are looking to understand reality and beyond, The Alchemist is the book for you. The events in this novel sitting on the borderline of miraculous although being very much easy to relate to. It offers insights and inspiration which extend beyond the journeys which Santiago experiences and whether you are old or young, there is so much to learn here.

So much of the focus of self-help literature is on finding purpose and pursuing your destiny.

However, dreams do not pull us along by their force. It takes determination and courage, and worn copies of Coelho’s masterpiece have become a constant companion for people in need of making bold decisions and to stay focused on the vision. In addition to being a great story, this book is a great alternative to feel the fear but get it done anyway.

1Q84 is at times a surreal, ambitious work that finds itself meandering through seemingly unimportant paths that distract the reader from the overall tapestry Murakami weaves. It is a strong narrative, very Japanese in style and tone, and is recommended reading for anybody who loves Haruki Murakami or enjoys Japanese fiction. Like 1984 by George Orwell, 1Q84 presents a dystopian future set in Japan and primarily follows two characters. The title is a play on words, with the Japanese word for “9” being kyuu, here represented by “Q” in 1Q84.

Review

The book is filled with religious references and themes, as well as asides that evoke classical composers like Bach and Vivaldi. Murakami extensively quotes Russian author Anton Chekhov’s Sakhalin Island, leaving inferences for the reader to address. The events of the novel occur between April and December of 1984 in Tokyo, Japan and opens with Aomame, an assassin who becomes trapped in a traffic jam and, incidentally, finds herself trapped in an alternative reality.

She deduces this alternative reality’s existence through context clues that require the reader to pay attention because the differences between Aomame’s Japan, of which we know little, and the reality she calls “1Q84” are small, almost insignificant at first and are found in portions of text that a lax reader may miss.

Another major character is Tengo, a writer tasked with re-writing a promising manuscript from a young author known only as Fuka-Eri. The cult and religious themes evoked in these segments are as fascinating as they are unsettling and I found myself really enjoying these portions as this mystery was more immediately accessible to the reader than the Aomame storyline.

Strange World

Fuka-Eri’s world is strange and is immediately so, evoking past tales by Murakami like Kafka on the Shore. Aomame and Tengo/Fuka-Eri’s story combines in a completely fantastical way that reminds the reader of Murakami’s power as an author. Though initially unsettling and slightly strange, it all begins to make sense one the reader connects Tengo’s re-writing of Air Chrysalis with Aomame’s alternative reality and assignment as an assassin.

There is moral ambiguity in Aomame’s assignments and lifestyle in general. The reader wants to cheer her on (and the author goes to great lengths to help in that regard) but, ultimately, she is a murderer and it is impossible to shake the unlikeable, sociopathic personality she exudes. Killing for a good cause is always tough to justify, and Murakami doesn’t let this aspect of the narrative bog anything down, particularly when things start to draw more from a true alternate, fantasy-realm much different from our own.

Recommendation

Again, the novel is best for the reader that enjoys Japanese fiction, as some of the resolutions are baffling and might leave the reader unsatisfied. Towards the end, as much of the masterful Japanese fiction does, it becomes laden with existential realizations and the almost requisite overstressing of the importance of small, ephemeral moments in one’s life. The connections between the main characters are tenuous and almost cosmological at this point and, indeed, to this point one of the defining features of the narrative is the night sky itself.

A beautiful book with crisp, clean language and a well-paced narrative, 1Q84 is the kind of novel that makes the reader work for its revelations – and that can be rewarding in and of itself. It is not, however, a quick read in which you can casually skim over the pages and expect enjoyment. The pastiche of the bizarre, the normal, the fantastical, and the consequential begins to blend into an unrecognizable, almost surreal experience that only begins to make sense when viewed in toto. If you love Japanese fiction, this book is a must read without a doubt.

The web novel Sansheng, Wangchuan Wu Shang Review (三生，忘川无殇 by 九鹭非香) has been completely translated into English by Hamster428.

To be honest, I don’t even know why I read this since it’s not the type of story I like. However, once I started reading, I just couldn’t stop. It’s great!

This story was my first time reading a supernatural Chinese novel based on Chinese folklore/myth. Sansheng is a rock who gained consciousness and a human form. She’s like the main character in Dream of the Red Chamber except for the fact that she lives in the Underworld.

One day as she is going about her business (mostly loafing around and reading romance books) she sees something that she likes. It’s Moxi, the war god. He has descended into the Underworld from Heaven so that he can become a human. It’s part of the trials that gods must go through. Sansheng falls madly in love with him at first sight.

What follows is the story of their three human lifetimes together.

It’s very sweet and sometimes tragic but ends in happily ever after. Sansheng and Moxi are both strong characters who both know what they want. They don’t pussyfoot and are very active in their pursuit and protection of their loved ones. Of course, since the three human lifetimes are meant to be a trial, fate steps in and makes every life full of suffering.

The story is quite short, just 15 chapters plus and epilogue and 3 more bonus chapters. The author also has another story set in the same universe, Demon King/The Parting of the Orchid and Cang.

I recommend this to anyone who likes love stories and Chinese myth/folklore.