i think you were looking to get more out of the book than the author put into it. personally, i loved the book - i'm a fan of folk-tale and fairy-tale retelling

i think you were looking to get more out of the book than the author put into it. personally, i loved the book - i'm a fan of folk-tale and fairy-tale retellings in modern novel form, and "the alchemist" was, i felt, a very well-done example of one.