Reviews with content warning for Sexual content - The Shadow of the Wind

While the narration was great, this audiobook was very challenging to follow. Lots of characters, narrative changes and sub plot stories (that do eventually come together and make sense). I think the would have been easier to read as a book. Definitely a complex story with an interesting plot, and though it’s part of a series it does feel complete/works as a stand alone.

Content Warnings

christhecardman's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Content Warnings

starklinqs's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

A really interesting book with a beautiful writing style that I think translated well. Whenever I picked this book up, I'd want to keep reading on so it definitely sucked me in. I enjoyed following along with the story a lot. My biggest criticism, however, is that I wish the female characters were written better. It oftentimes felt like they existed as objects of infatuation, or to provide angst for men, but never as their own three-dimensional figures with their own characters or motivations.

Content Warnings

cooldudenick's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark lighthearted mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Content Warnings

meguniqueuser's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? N/A
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.5

Very melodramatic. The main character Daniel is overly emotional and falls in love with almost every woman he meets and they in turn are charmed by him.

Every woman falls madly in love with Julian and is obsessed with him.
The criticisms that are thrown at romantic novels by female authors all apply here.

While the writing is poetic and evocative, the story lacks much meaning. Yet the author upholds the plot like it is the most sacred of texts. Maybe it was the audio I listened to with piano interludes that made it even more overdramatic.

Perhaps if you enjoy gloomy mellow drama you might enjoy this, but I don’t. I especially didn't like that the author describes women as sexual objects, plot devices, or the butt of jokes.

There are so many endings and epilogues, it was worst than the last Lord of the Rings.

Content Warnings

sarahcoller's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

I remembered reading this and loving it... but what I didn't remember was all the profanity and illicit scenes. Usually I abandon books with this kind of content very quickly, but I remembered loving this one and wanted to remember why. I still think it's an absolutely fantastic story --- the perfect modern gothic and super atmospheric. Two stars off for excessive language and profuse sexual content. Otherwise, superb.

Content Warnings

nathalieisg's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

Very intriguing. This book has been the first to throw curveballs at me Ina while and kept me guessing at what was real, who was who and how it would end throughout the whole story. I also particularly loved the European setting and writing style - refreshing after reading mostly American novels all year.

Content Warnings

More...