Shadow of the Wind

[Mark Robson]

A young boy wakes crying in the night because he can no longer remember his dead mother's face. To help distract his son, the father decides to let the boy in on a very special secret. He takes him to the Cemetary of Forgotten Books, a huge labyrinth of bookshelves in the city of Barcelona that houses no end of treasures in literary form.

The father tells his son that he can choose one book to take home with him, and that this book will always have a special place in his heart. He chooses a book called Shadow of the Wind and nothing is ever the same again. Having read the book and fallen in love with the Author's writing style, the boy begins a search to find more by the same writer, a little known writer called Julian Carax. Mystery upon mystery abound, as it becomes clear that someone has been burning everything this obscure writer has ever written.

Strange characters from the novel begin to take on human form, including the devil himself. What is going on? Why does the boy's life seem to be mirroring events from the book he has read and what is the author's dark secret?

This is a stunning first novel by Carlos Ruis Zafon. It deserves every plaudit in the long list that abound around its covers and title pages. I was completely mesmorized by it, despite the fact that I would never normally even pick this sort of novel off the shelf. It is a masterpiece that will surely become a classic of our time. Totally readable. Rich in language, both fair and foul.

A huge thumbs up.

[Foxbat]

High praise indeed.

I found the plot description quite intriguing - so much so that I've just ordered a copy through Amazon. I'll let you know what I think once I get around to reading it

[Mark Robson]

Originally Posted by Foxbat

High praise indeed.

I found the plot description quite intriguing - so much so that I've just ordered a copy through Amazon. I'll let you know what I think once I get around to reading it

I doubt that you'll be disappointed with your purchase. It's neither sci/fi, nor really fantasy, but it touches so many areas of literature, that I wouldn't like to peg it into one particular genre.

[Teresa Edgerton]

It sounds very intriguing ...

[Mark Robson]

Originally Posted by Kelpie

It sounds very intriguing ...

I don't know how this book is doing in the US, Kelpie, but it's literally flying off the shelves here in the UK - with good reason. It's number 2 in the paperback charts at the moment, and should be number 1 in my opinion. That Dan Brown has a lot to answer for!

[shaggydog]

It was an autentic Boom in spain, was the num 1 during some time, without any publicity just people telling to the other... until they sold so many copies that it was hard not to notice... anyway, it is brilliant. The house in Avinguda Tibidabo 32 is now a company, i am always curious every time i go over there... you can smell the shadows...

[jneni]

I've just started reading on it, and I agree that it's really a good book. Currently even though I'm just on chapter 6, I'm already mesmerised by the book. The author described emotions in such explicit details and used lots of good metaphors in this book.

Here's one of my fav:

"One of the pitfalls of childhood is that one doesn’t have to understand something to feel it. By the time the mind is able to comprehend what has happened, the wounds of the heart are already too deep."

I think Zafon really knows how to reach the deepest part of our hearts with his words ^^ The book is melancholic to me overall (at the moment) but I would strongly recommend this for anyone that loves to read.

[Nesacat]

It's an absolutely wonderful book and the UK hardback edition has really lovely black and white photographs of old Barcelona. The book itself is made to look worn and has watermarks and all.

Ruiz Zafon tells a great tell and he tells it very well indeed. And there is a Cemetery of Forgotten Books. 2 thumbs up.

[Allegra]

I second Nesa. Also I think it must be very well-translated. You don't feel that you are reading a translation.

[jneni]

Yes ^^ It is very beautifully and well-translated. I read it very slowly trying to remember all the wonderful words and metaphors used in the book