The Shadow of the Wind
Carlos Ruiz Zafón Pages: 487 Published: 2004
The book: Barcelona, 1945. Daniel, age 10, whose father is a bookseller, still misses his mother, who died in 1939.
One morning his father takes him to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books. There, Daniel finds a book by little-known author Julian Carax. Daniel wants to read more by Carax, but the author is a mystery and finding his books almost impossible. Daniel is determined to find out more about him. His search will lead him into treacherous territory; a world of murder, madness, and doomed love.
You might like it because: It’s a wonderful novel, set against the backdrop of the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War. The story’s twists and turns will keep you guessing and turning the page – all 487 of them!
What did other people say?
“Anyone who enjoys novels that are scary, erotic, touching, tragic and thrilling should rush right out to the nearest bookstore and pick up The Shadow of the Wind. Really, you should.” – Michael Dirda, The Washington Post
“Gabriel García Márquez meets Umberto Eco meets Jorge Luis Borges for a sprawling magic show.” – The New York Times Book Review
Awards & Recognition:
A New York Times Best Seller
How quickly will you get into the book?
The book had me at the first line.
You might not like it because:I loved the book for the plot but not so much the writing itself. At various points the story is moved forward or back story is provided by a character narrating what happened in the past or via a letter. It felt, at times, as if the author tried to cram in too many stories and plot twists.
What might you read next?
The author Don Miguel de Cervantes is mentioned early on in the novel. Read his famous Don Quixote.
The story is set in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War. Brush up on your history and read The Battle for Spain:The Spanish Civil War 1936 – 1939 by Anthony Beevor.
Or read another fictional story involving a library, this time a mobile one. Pick up The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett.
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