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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