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thecrazydonkey's review
5.0
Amazing writer.. He transmits so many emotions through his words, I would recommend Marina, which is in my opinion the best book ever written, I believe it's being published in English around September or October, so keep a lookout for this great book!
broo23's review
5.0
Why all these books have to be bunched together? "Shadows of the WInd" a true classic, a mystery involving a secret library, etc. -- especially good as an audiobook!
kellyhager's review
5.0
This is very different from Shadow of the Wind but it's still great.
Here's the synopsis from the back of the book--I don't want to spoil anything, because this is really good.
"In an abandoned mansion at the heart of Barcelona, a young man, David Martin, makes his living by writing sensationalist novels under a pseudonym. The survivor of a troubled childhood, he spends his nights spinning baroque tales about the city's underworld. But perhaps his dark imaginings are not as strange as they seem, for in a locked room deep within the house lie photographs and letters hinting at an unsolved mystery.
Like a slow poison, the history of the place and an impossible love bring David close to despair. But then he receives a letter from a reclusive French editor, Andreas Corelli, who makes him the offer of a lifetime. He is to write a book unlike any other - a book with the power to change hearts and minds. In return, he will receive a fortune, perhaps more. But as David begins the work, he realzies that there is a connection between this haunting book and the shadows that surround his home.
Set in the turbulent 1920s, The Angel's Game takes us back to the gothic universe of the Cemetery of Forgotten Books and the Sempere & Sons bookshop, in a masterful tale about the magic of books and the darkest corners of the human soul."
Here's the synopsis from the back of the book--I don't want to spoil anything, because this is really good.
"In an abandoned mansion at the heart of Barcelona, a young man, David Martin, makes his living by writing sensationalist novels under a pseudonym. The survivor of a troubled childhood, he spends his nights spinning baroque tales about the city's underworld. But perhaps his dark imaginings are not as strange as they seem, for in a locked room deep within the house lie photographs and letters hinting at an unsolved mystery.
Like a slow poison, the history of the place and an impossible love bring David close to despair. But then he receives a letter from a reclusive French editor, Andreas Corelli, who makes him the offer of a lifetime. He is to write a book unlike any other - a book with the power to change hearts and minds. In return, he will receive a fortune, perhaps more. But as David begins the work, he realzies that there is a connection between this haunting book and the shadows that surround his home.
Set in the turbulent 1920s, The Angel's Game takes us back to the gothic universe of the Cemetery of Forgotten Books and the Sempere & Sons bookshop, in a masterful tale about the magic of books and the darkest corners of the human soul."
daniellesteenrod's review
5.0
“This is a story about books. About accursed books, about the man who wrote them, about a character who broke out of the pages of a novel so that he could burn it, about a betrayal of a lost friendship. It’s a story of love, of hatred, and of the dreams that live in the shadow of the wind.”
–Carlos Ruiz Zafon, The Shadow of the Wind
The opening scene begins with our main character, Daniel, and his father visiting the Cemetery of Forgotten Books. Reading this scene, I knew straight away that I was going to fall in love with this story. I also knew that I wished I could read Spanish just so I could read this in its native form. The writing enraptured me. Carlos Ruiz Zafon can write, let me tell you. Just from reading this scene, I knew I was going to need a notebook to write down all the beautiful quotes. I got chills reading this scene. Not even exaggerating. It has to be one of the best openings to a book that I have ever read. I’m seriously in love with this story. This may be more of me just going on about how much I love this book than an actual critical review. I just don’t have the words to describe how spectacular this book is. I am speechless. The Shadow of the Wind may just be my favorite book of all-time. “Clara Barcelo stole my heart, breath, and my sleep.” This book did the same for me.
This book starts off slowly. It is not a fast-paced book, but it is so worth the read. It centers around the mysterious novelist, Julian Carax, who no one seems to know what really happened to him, or why all of his novels have been sought out and burned. Daniel finds Carax’s novel, The Shadow and the Wind in the Cemetery of Forgotten Books and falls in love with it and protects it from the book-burning entity. His love for this book leads him to delve into the mystery of Julian Carax, intertwining their lives forever.
There are so many quotes from this book that I just need to share. These were my favorites:
“In this place, books no longer remembered by anyone, books that are lost in time, live forever, waiting for the day when they will reach a new reader’s hands. In the shop we buy and sell them, but in truth books have no owner. Every book you see here has been somebody’s best friend.”
“A secret’s worth depends on the people from whom it must be kept.”
“We exist as long as somebody remembers us.”
“The moment you stop to think about whether you love someone, you’ve already stopped loving that person forever.”
“Books are mirrors: you only see in them what you already have inside you.”
“What destiny does not do is home visits. You have to go for it.”
“Those who really love, love in silence, with deeds and not with words.”
“Fools talk, cowards are silent, wise men listen.”
“Making money isn’t hard in itself. What’s hard is to earn it by doing something worth devoting one’s life to.”
“One loves truly only once in a lifetime … even if one isn’t aware of it.”
“A story is a letter the author writes to himself.”
“So long as we are remembered, we remain alive.”
If this review doesn’t convince you to read this book, I don’t know what will. Please. Read this book! You will not regret it.
–Carlos Ruiz Zafon, The Shadow of the Wind
The opening scene begins with our main character, Daniel, and his father visiting the Cemetery of Forgotten Books. Reading this scene, I knew straight away that I was going to fall in love with this story. I also knew that I wished I could read Spanish just so I could read this in its native form. The writing enraptured me. Carlos Ruiz Zafon can write, let me tell you. Just from reading this scene, I knew I was going to need a notebook to write down all the beautiful quotes. I got chills reading this scene. Not even exaggerating. It has to be one of the best openings to a book that I have ever read. I’m seriously in love with this story. This may be more of me just going on about how much I love this book than an actual critical review. I just don’t have the words to describe how spectacular this book is. I am speechless. The Shadow of the Wind may just be my favorite book of all-time. “Clara Barcelo stole my heart, breath, and my sleep.” This book did the same for me.
This book starts off slowly. It is not a fast-paced book, but it is so worth the read. It centers around the mysterious novelist, Julian Carax, who no one seems to know what really happened to him, or why all of his novels have been sought out and burned. Daniel finds Carax’s novel, The Shadow and the Wind in the Cemetery of Forgotten Books and falls in love with it and protects it from the book-burning entity. His love for this book leads him to delve into the mystery of Julian Carax, intertwining their lives forever.
There are so many quotes from this book that I just need to share. These were my favorites:
“In this place, books no longer remembered by anyone, books that are lost in time, live forever, waiting for the day when they will reach a new reader’s hands. In the shop we buy and sell them, but in truth books have no owner. Every book you see here has been somebody’s best friend.”
“A secret’s worth depends on the people from whom it must be kept.”
“We exist as long as somebody remembers us.”
“The moment you stop to think about whether you love someone, you’ve already stopped loving that person forever.”
“Books are mirrors: you only see in them what you already have inside you.”
“What destiny does not do is home visits. You have to go for it.”
“Those who really love, love in silence, with deeds and not with words.”
“Fools talk, cowards are silent, wise men listen.”
“Making money isn’t hard in itself. What’s hard is to earn it by doing something worth devoting one’s life to.”
“One loves truly only once in a lifetime … even if one isn’t aware of it.”
“A story is a letter the author writes to himself.”
“So long as we are remembered, we remain alive.”
If this review doesn’t convince you to read this book, I don’t know what will. Please. Read this book! You will not regret it.
ellenreading_theend's review
3.0
It took me forever to read this book -- mostly due to life circumstances, not the book. I did feel it started a bit slowly, and it took me a while to get into the book, but I never considered stopping. I was very invested in the characters and the mysteries. I sped through the last 1/4, and really enjoyed the "twists." They felt like they developed naturally and the author didn't just add them in for shock value. Zafon created a wonderful, atmospheric read populated with marvelous, human characters. I don't know that I'll be picking up the sequels -- I feel like the ending was pretty great and can't be improved upon, but maybe in a couple years.
vonjpoknjigah's review
4.0
This was one of the weirdest books I have ever read. But weird in the good way. Maybe here and there a little bit over the top but otherwise beautifully written and exciting till the end. I loved the story in the story in the story and the emotional vibe of this book, it put me in all kinds of moods and sometimes I almost felt heart broken. Since I am such a book lover I can not overlook the literature theme in this novel, showing us how the love of books and literature can connect people. Carlos Ruiz Zafon manages to bring books to life by explaining their souls. The importance of a book to its author and the affect it has on its readers is portrayed so well and the book itself shows you that feeling, because it draws you into the world of post war Spain and the mysteries of Julian Carax.
mrnfls's review
3.0
Η ιστορία του Χουλιάν ξετυλίγεται όταν ο ήρωας ανακαλύπτει ένα ξεχασμένο βιβλίο στο Κοιμητήριο των Λησμονημένων Βιβλίων. Με μαστοριά ο Θαφόν κτίζει τους χαρακτήρες του στην Βαρκελώνη των αρχών του 20 αιώνα μέσα από μια
διήγηση τόσο ζωντανή και και με τις ιστορίες των κεντρικών προσώπων του βιβλίου τόσο παράλληλες πλεγμένες.
3,5/4
διήγηση τόσο ζωντανή και και με τις ιστορίες των κεντρικών προσώπων του βιβλίου τόσο παράλληλες πλεγμένες.
3,5/4
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