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4.23 AVERAGE
4.23 AVERAGE
All because there are forest fires in eastern Canada, I was able to read this book almost entirely today. Begun a few days ago, I had put the book down only to return to it yesterday when the air quality meter registered 'dangerous.' Today was the second day of remaining indoors due to the particulates in the air along with smoke.
With that said, this book was riveting, and I was immersed in the streets of Barcelona with a familiarity that surprised me. I was certain this was not my first visit to The Cemetery of Forgotten Books and yet I couldn't place my prior visit. This caused me to WhatsApp my friend Helena, who is Catalan and with whom I had several years ago discussed another book about Barcelona during the time of Franco. Neither of us could recall the name of the book, and despite multiple suggestions made by Helena, none of them rang a bell.
I decided to start backtracking in my Goodreads lists. (I wish there was a keywords option for book reviews or at least a genre option so that it would be easy to search one's list of read books when the title isn't on the tip of the tongue.) In any case, I finally found a review for The Labyrinth of the Spirits (The Cemetery of Forgotten Books #4).
Oh my goodness. Turns out that I first read the last book in the series and now, over four years later, the first book. No wonder the Cemetery of Forgotten Books was familiar.
As for this book, it is all absorbing and almost impossible to remove oneself from the pages. It is as if a whirlwind picked me up and dropped me smack dab inside the book landing on the first page and not letting me leave till the very last. For more on the story, without any spoilers, you can read the publisher's blurb on the author's website here.
As for me, I am wiped out! Lots of sitting, indeed too much sitting despite switching seats throughout the day, and my head needs to get clear of Daniel, Julian, Fermin and a host of others.
With that said, this book was riveting, and I was immersed in the streets of Barcelona with a familiarity that surprised me. I was certain this was not my first visit to The Cemetery of Forgotten Books and yet I couldn't place my prior visit. This caused me to WhatsApp my friend Helena, who is Catalan and with whom I had several years ago discussed another book about Barcelona during the time of Franco. Neither of us could recall the name of the book, and despite multiple suggestions made by Helena, none of them rang a bell.
I decided to start backtracking in my Goodreads lists. (I wish there was a keywords option for book reviews or at least a genre option so that it would be easy to search one's list of read books when the title isn't on the tip of the tongue.) In any case, I finally found a review for The Labyrinth of the Spirits (The Cemetery of Forgotten Books #4).
Oh my goodness. Turns out that I first read the last book in the series and now, over four years later, the first book. No wonder the Cemetery of Forgotten Books was familiar.
As for this book, it is all absorbing and almost impossible to remove oneself from the pages. It is as if a whirlwind picked me up and dropped me smack dab inside the book landing on the first page and not letting me leave till the very last. For more on the story, without any spoilers, you can read the publisher's blurb on the author's website here.
As for me, I am wiped out! Lots of sitting, indeed too much sitting despite switching seats throughout the day, and my head needs to get clear of Daniel, Julian, Fermin and a host of others.
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This turned into one of the best books ever, especially for listening (accents and pronunciation of words I would have had to guess at in print).
Currently listening to the LONG book, and enjoying its many twists and turns. Almost as many interwoven stories as the last John Irving book Last Night in Twisted River, and it is also a book about a book, which is always an odd thing to get your head around. It took a little while to get into, and I almost gave up. I think I am simply not used to reading adult literary fiction these days, and the long descriptions, detailed characters and lack of action took some getting used to again. I now cannot imagine how the story will end, and how many more twists are in the works before the end...
Currently listening to the LONG book, and enjoying its many twists and turns. Almost as many interwoven stories as the last John Irving book Last Night in Twisted River, and it is also a book about a book, which is always an odd thing to get your head around. It took a little while to get into, and I almost gave up. I think I am simply not used to reading adult literary fiction these days, and the long descriptions, detailed characters and lack of action took some getting used to again. I now cannot imagine how the story will end, and how many more twists are in the works before the end...
I really enjoyed the vivid sense of place and time this story evokes. I also like the richness of the language and the passion that seemed to be part of every character's daily life.
However, as a mystery it has its flaws. I guessed most of the twists about halfway through. Also, most of the story is uncovered by characters confessing, at length, to the protagonist.
However, as a mystery it has its flaws. I guessed most of the twists about halfway through. Also, most of the story is uncovered by characters confessing, at length, to the protagonist.
happily my friend Tom recommended me *La Sombra del Viento* (The Shadow of the Wind, in English) by Carlos Ruiz Zafón... again first novel by Zafón...
Zafón is from Spain, so I thought it was better to read it in Spanish, but Tom says that the English translation its simply superb... and the best book he read in the last 10 years.
La Sombra del Viento brings you to an interesting time in Barcelona, before and during the Spanish Civil War as the back stage, wrapping you in a symphony of images and stories that revolve about the same vicious spiral, but seen from different angles and slowly evolving and slowly going back... its like trying to bottom up your shirt 100 times, one after the other, and each time you think it is the first time you are doing it... and you know it is not... but its different, not only the shirt but also you.
again the language in the book its what strikes me the most... light, easy to read, engaging, rich in images and new ways of looking into the common things of life, like the rain, the door bell, the tram, a kiss...
one of those books whose pages blend into one page, and you dare to put it aside only when your arms beg for compassion and your eyes ask for amnesty...
Zafón is from Spain, so I thought it was better to read it in Spanish, but Tom says that the English translation its simply superb... and the best book he read in the last 10 years.
La Sombra del Viento brings you to an interesting time in Barcelona, before and during the Spanish Civil War as the back stage, wrapping you in a symphony of images and stories that revolve about the same vicious spiral, but seen from different angles and slowly evolving and slowly going back... its like trying to bottom up your shirt 100 times, one after the other, and each time you think it is the first time you are doing it... and you know it is not... but its different, not only the shirt but also you.
again the language in the book its what strikes me the most... light, easy to read, engaging, rich in images and new ways of looking into the common things of life, like the rain, the door bell, the tram, a kiss...
one of those books whose pages blend into one page, and you dare to put it aside only when your arms beg for compassion and your eyes ask for amnesty...
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated