Mixed feelings. The fable/parable aspect felt really forced and cliche. The messages felt a bit repetitive. Most readers’ comments I saw online referred to the novel’s “follow your dreams” theme. I feel the theme went beyond follow your dreams and was more like “fulfill your potential.” I interpreted the story as fulfilling one’s potential doesn’t necessarily come easy and often requires risk. Trying to fulfill one’s potential and failing is better than playing it safe and not risking the attempt. If you play it safe, there will always be that friction there – you know you are avoiding something. Most online reviews also balanced the perceived negatives of the book with “well it was short.” True, it was a quick read, but also a sign that I’m not the only one that was searching for positives. Also, the main character took a journey to find a faraway treasure, then wound up finding the treasure where he originally started out. So there was this theme of everything you need is already within your grasp. I couldn’t really square that exactly with the follow your dreams/fulfill your potential. My understanding (and subsequent appreciation) of this novel could benefit from taking a deep dive online to read analysis of the book, but I don’t know that I’m interested enough. I will say there is a mystical, intriguing aftertaste that lingers – as if there are bigger revelations to make about the story. I think I’ll avoid the temptation to find them so my disappointment doesn’t grow.