Original title: La Sombra del Viento
translation: Lucia Graves
Why did I choose this book?
It's been on all the booklists for so long, has won so many prizes and has been translated into so many languages; it must be good. So I knew I had to read it sometime. But sometimes when a book is this popular I get a bit reluctant. I don't want to read what everybody else is reading, I want to read something special, something nobody else knows about. But in the end I succumb anyway!
About the author:
This book is written by the Spanish writer Carlos Ruiz Zafón (Barcelona, 25 September 1964). He has written three novels for young adults before this novel, which was published in more than 40 countries and translated into more than 30 languages. It has won numerous awards.
The Story:
Daniel is taken to the Cemetary of Forgotten Books by his father. This is like an orphanage for all the books that nobody wants anymore. Daniel may pick one book and he chooses The Shadow of the Wind by Julian Carax. He is gripped by the story and wants to know more about the writer and any other books he has written. Then he finds out that over the years some mysterious person has been burning all the books by Julian Carax. His might be the last one left! With the help of Fermin he tries to unravel the mystery, layer by layer.
Review:
I loved it. It's as simple as that. The story sucked my right from the very first sentence. It is a book about literature, about love, mystery, tragedy, friendship, death and betrayal. The story is great, and you keep wondering what is going to happen next right till the very end. The characters are very divers, and you feel like you really get to know them. They seem like real persons.
What I really liked is how it tells about the passion for books. I loved the idea of a Cemetary of Forgotten Books. I would love to get lost in it!
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