The Shadow of the Wind | Carlos Ruiz Zafón

The Shadow of the Wind | Carlos Ruiz Zafón | Brilliant..addicting..superbly written

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The Shadow of the ...

	The Shadow of the Wind Carlos Ruiz Zafón Penguin (Non-Classics), 2005 - 487 pages average customer review:based on 512 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Barcelona, 1945?A great world city lies shrouded in secrets after the war, and a boy mourning the loss of his mother finds solace in his love for an extraordinary book called The Shadow of the Wind, by an author named Julian Carax. When the boy searches for Carax?s other books, it begins to dawn on him, to his horror, that someone has been systematically destroying every copy of every book the man has ever written. Soon the boy realizes that The Shadow of the Wind is as dangerous to own as it is impossible to forget, for the mystery of its author?s identity holds the key to an epic story of murder, madness, and doomed love that someone will go to any lengths to keep secret.

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simply the best

A must read... what a book! one of the best i read so far.

I think the translator did a fantastic job.

I devoured this book, could not put it down. stoped a couple of times to re read some paragraphs, to linger and enjoy the art of writing...

HIGHLY recommended

Brilliant..addicting..superbly written

"There are worse prisons than words"

This book has been on my Amazon recommended list for some time but I never got around to reading it. A co worker of mine had it sitting in his drawer so I figured I'd give it a shot.

I read it in two days, reading till my eyes hurt.

It's difficult to classify this book. Historical fiction? Mystery? Suspence? All that and more.

The book takes place in Spain, in the mid 1900's. A young boy, who's father owns a book shop takes him to a place of lost books. Daniel picks out a book to keep as his own and is so captivated, he reads it in a single night never putting it down. He's captivated by the world the author has created. It's not until he starts to track down more works by the mysterious author that the real story begins.

Over the course of Daniel's search (the main story is told over the course of a decade or so) for the mysterious author Julian Carax, he uncovers a tragic tale of love, loss, betrayal and revenge. In addition, the further he digs into this pit of mystery, the more he notices parallells between his own life's path and that of the very man he's seeking.

In a way, this book reminds me of The Historian (if you haven't read it, you should stop reading my review now and get yourself a copy..it's THAT good) in that much of the story is revealed by way of the past. In the historian it's primarily letters discovered by the protagonist whereas in this book, it's personal accounts; memories.

The unique hook of this book is that it's a book about a LOVE of books in a way. The main character has a love of literature, he works in a bookstore his father owns, and the mystery starts off with a book that's gone forgotten by the world. This makes him instantly identifiable to any would be readers because if we didn't love to read, we wouldn't be reading this book in the first place, right?

Twists and turns abound, and the characters are a joy to read, especially a special friend whom Daniel meets during the course of the story. I won't spoil it but this friend of Daniel's is absolutely hysterical, without even trying to be which makes it all the funnier.

Zafron is a superb writer, detailing the events and locations in the book with flair and descriptiveness without being tedious.

This book is utterly fantastic. And any fan of literature, no matter what genre, should give it a shot. Don't let it sit in your Amazon recommendations list for months like I did!

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Utterly Amazing Book!

It is not very often that you can read something and believe it to be a completely original concept - until now. Fabulously written. Truly a "must read".

Truly great storytelling

A second-hand bookseller takes his young son, Daniel, to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, a secret library that preserves volumes that would otherwise be lost forever. This event will result in a years-long quest for more information about an elusive author who mysterious life parallels young Daniel's in many ways.

Carlos Luis Zafon's novel is big, gorgeous storytelling, full of passion. The many characters have fascinating backstories that intertwine in unexpected ways, resulting in a very rich plot. Fermin, a profane but courageous homeless former spy who become a loyal ally of Daniel, is one of my favorites, both for his great love of life and for the many hilarious comments he makes during the course of the story. This is a masterwork of Gothic melodrama that revolves around the world of books and writing, an irresistible milieu for anyone who cherishes reading.

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A Must Read

This is by far and away the best book I have read in years. The prose is so beautiful and sensory that I became engrossed in the story and couldn't put it down. Since I read this book (almost 2 years ago) I continue to check the shelves every time I'm in the bookstore for a new novel by this author.

reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

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