** spoiler alert ** 
 The story itself was charming enough - a young shepherd from Spain wanted to leave his village and explore the world. He was told by a gypsy and an odd old man that he would find his treasure at the Pyramids in Egypt. He sets out and experiences adventure and learns life lessons along the way. 
 Although I enjoyed the main story on a basic level, the "deeper" parts of the novel didn't grab me. It felt repetitious and like it was trying too hard to be profound. Like the author, I was raised Catholic and appreciate many things about the religion, but also am spiritual in a way that strains against the "rules" of the Church. So, I could relate to the basic premise of the book - that we all have a journey, for lack of a better word, that is unique and that we have to listen to our hearts and perhaps something else to find our way. 
 This book just felt heavy-handed to me. It was an easy read and moved along quickly, but it didn't really touch me. I think this would have been better had I read it 25 years ago! Maybe I've read too many books from which I've drawn inspiration and I'm comfortable with my "journey" and decisions. I gave this one 3/5 stars, as it met but did not exceed my expectations. It was a good read, but not much more for me.