Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.23 AVERAGE
4.23 AVERAGE
dnf - sometimes a girl doesn't want to read period accurate misogyny every other page.
also getting too preachy on the "dying art of reading", which is a crazy opinion to induce in someone on the books are good site.
also getting too preachy on the "dying art of reading", which is a crazy opinion to induce in someone on the books are good site.
thank you antonio for gifting me such beautiful words!!!
fast-paced
I really didn't want to read this book because I had to read it for school, I don't like reading for school I don't know why but I can't seem to enjoy it as much, but this book was amazing. As a book lover I loved Daniel because his love for the book and the efforts he made during his journey just reminded me of myself. I looks like my twin brother or something, haha!
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
The Shadow of the Wind is one of my 12 by 12 picks, and honestly, if a friend hadn’t recommended it, I probably wouldn’t have reached for it based on the summary. That said, it ended up being such a thoughtful choice for Hispanic Heritage Month.
Carlos Ruiz Zafón’s writing is vivid and lyrical, almost like the city of Barcelona is alive on the page. There are a lot of characters, which made it tricky for me to follow at times, but the way Daniel unraveled the mystery kept me intrigued. As someone who’s grown up with the internet, I couldn’t help but think how wild it would’ve been to track down all those clues in a world without Google.
This is definitely more character-driven than plot-driven, so the pacing felt slower than what I usually reach for. Still, I get why so many readers love this book. The layers, the atmosphere, the way everything slowly ties together… it’s beautifully done! 3.5 Stars from me
Carlos Ruiz Zafón’s writing is vivid and lyrical, almost like the city of Barcelona is alive on the page. There are a lot of characters, which made it tricky for me to follow at times, but the way Daniel unraveled the mystery kept me intrigued. As someone who’s grown up with the internet, I couldn’t help but think how wild it would’ve been to track down all those clues in a world without Google.
This is definitely more character-driven than plot-driven, so the pacing felt slower than what I usually reach for. Still, I get why so many readers love this book. The layers, the atmosphere, the way everything slowly ties together… it’s beautifully done! 3.5 Stars from me
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
4.5/5 stars** One of the most intriguing, unique, mysterious books I have EVER read. Zafon's prose is delicious, which he intersperses with wise and witty quotes galore. You can literally feels the whispers of inspiration from Amor Towles, Umberto Eco, Victor Hugo, Ernest Hemingway, and moments of Stephen King's macabre. The story is masterfully, intricately woven which will keep you up at night wanting to read "just one more chapter".
You have the mysterious villan, the haunted house, the search for lost love, the war, the investigation, murders, romance, cliffhangers, bookstores, the cemetery of lost books, escapes, difficult families, puppy love, the big reveal - this book has it all.
I did take off half a star for some of the corny and sometimes overdone intimacy references. Sometimes, I feel like the author overplayed his hand. While he did try to be romantic, he unfortunately came across as a clumsy teen, and this is the only time where his exceptional language failed him. I had read other reviews that mentioned this as "erotic" which I definitely think was far from that. This novel was not sensual by any means, and I think those parts could easily have been left out. Perhaps it is the Spanish culture of romance?
In any case, I am grateful for allowing myself to be totally engrossed in The Shadow of the Wind. As the author states, as long as you are remembered in some way, that means you are still alive. Considering Zafon died recently from cancer, I am doing my part to keep him alive in my memory.
You have the mysterious villan, the haunted house, the search for lost love, the war, the investigation, murders, romance, cliffhangers, bookstores, the cemetery of lost books, escapes, difficult families, puppy love, the big reveal - this book has it all.
I did take off half a star for some of the corny and sometimes overdone intimacy references. Sometimes, I feel like the author overplayed his hand. While he did try to be romantic, he unfortunately came across as a clumsy teen, and this is the only time where his exceptional language failed him. I had read other reviews that mentioned this as "erotic" which I definitely think was far from that. This novel was not sensual by any means, and I think those parts could easily have been left out. Perhaps it is the Spanish culture of romance?
In any case, I am grateful for allowing myself to be totally engrossed in The Shadow of the Wind. As the author states, as long as you are remembered in some way, that means you are still alive. Considering Zafon died recently from cancer, I am doing my part to keep him alive in my memory.