Title: The Shadow of the Wind
Author: Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Age Group: Adult
Synopsis: After being introduced to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books by his father, Daniel Sempere embarks on a coming of age tale which challenges not only who he is but who he’ll become.
The Low Down: I’m a little obsessed with The Shadow of the Wind right now. I began reading it in a hostel years ago in a leave a book, take a book kind of exchange. The only issue was that I didn’t have a book with me that I was willing to part with. That coupled with a slightly adventurous break down in the middle of the jungle unfortunately separated me from The Shadow of the Wind in a way that would have Fermin shaking his head in disappointment. A friend of mine recommended that I check it out and after a few chapters of some wonky deja vu I fell whole heartedly into the story.
You can feel Daniel’s pride, pain, embarrassment, fear, and joy. It has humorous moments but it can also get very dark and delve into some very sadistic characters. It also contains that mysterious edge that reveals just enough clues that, if you’re paying attention, you can figure out what the next twist is just sentences before it unfolds. I can’t count the number of times I gasped, “No!” and exclaimed out loud what I’d just figured out. My husband is very understanding with these outbursts. Thank goodness.
I finished the last four hundred pages in a fevered reading frenzy that I enter when I’m so wrapped up in a plot that I can’t not know what happens. It’s that realm that sucks you in and envelopes all your senses. So much so, that you feel like you’re there, in Barcelona, tracking down the forgotten pieces of the intricate puzzle that is The Shadow of the Wind. At 4 am I put the book down, took that deep breath that I’d been holding for fifty pages or so, and sent up a thankful prayer for the blessing that is coffee.
Quotes from the book will forever be bouncing in my head and the characters have been seared into my heart. We’ll be in Barcelona this summer and my husband’s booked the The Shadow of the Wind tour for us (even though he’s never read it) and reaffirmed why I fell in love with him in the first place.
Story Tips:
- If you have self-control while reading then kudos, skip this tip. For all the rest of us that suffer from reading-frenzy: After you hit 1954: City of Shadows give yourself enough time to finish in peace. You don’t want to be responsible for broken heirlooms or hurt feelings in the event that someone interrupts you.
I need more!
Who wouldn’t? And I have the best news that anyone can receive when they’ve found a new book they love…SEQUELS! The Angel’s Game and The Prisoner of Heaven are the follow ups. Carlos Ruiz Zafon has a few young adult works that I can’t personally recommend, as I haven’t read them yet. However, they’ve been added to the list. I’ll add the reviews as soon as I get a chance.
Favorite Quotes:
“Look, Daniel. Destiny is usually just around the corner. Like a thief, a hooker, or a lottery vendor: its three most common personifications. But what destiny does not do is home visits. You have to go for it yourself.” Fermin pg 233
Add to my library:
UK Amazon:The Shadow Of The Wind
US Amazon:The Shadow of the Wind
looks likes a good read! I will definitely check this one out!