Friday 16 August 2019

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (Cemetery of Forgotten Books #1)


Synopsis:

Barcelona, 1945: A city slowly heals in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, and Daniel, an antiquarian book dealer’s son who mourns the loss of his mother, finds solace in a mysterious book entitled The Shadow of the Wind, by one Julián Carax. But when he sets out to find the author’s other works, he makes a shocking discovery: someone has been systematically destroying every copy of every book Carax has written. In fact, Daniel may have the last of Carax’s books in existence. Soon Daniel’s seemingly innocent quest opens a door into one of Barcelona’s darkest secrets--an epic story of murder, madness, and doomed love.

Review:

Once in a while, there is a book that takes your breath away and does not give it back until the last word on the last page. This is one of those books. I could count on fingers of one hand the books that I know I will want to re-read sometime in the future and this one is on the list. It makes me want to go the Barcelona and explore the streets and alleyways that Daniel explored whilst looking for Julian’s past.

Daniel is a very young, motherless boy, when his bookshop owner father takes him to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books. That visit changes his life, and all those around him, forever. Daniel is allowed to take one book home and that book is The Shadow of the Wind by Julian Carax. He devours the book that same night and it leaves in him hunger for more, but mainly it pushes Daniel on the path of finding out everything he could about Julian Carax.

Throughout the treacherous journey of discovery, Daniel makes friends (I absolutely love Fermin – what a character!), enemies and finds love where he least expects it. In the end Daniel’s own story is not that much different from Julian’s own life. The are great differences between the two men, but some things are pulling them together.

I am in love with this book and just sorry it took me so long to pick it off my bookshelf and read. The setting is stunning, descriptions of places have just the right amount of details, characters are believable and more importantly likeable. Daniel’s father, his best friend Fermin, Tomas, Clara and Bea – they are all captured perfectly into Daniel’s story. Just bravo – this is perfect.

Rating: 5/5

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