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4.23 AVERAGE
4.23 AVERAGE
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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:
Yes
No sé si toda época pasada fue mejor, pero me hizo sentir nostálgico de algo que nunca conocí gracias a una ambientación increíble y un ritmo incensante.
Despite recommendations from three trusted friends, I could not get into this book.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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
I very rarely pick up random books to try, but browsing through my university library's leisure collection made me want to take a book out. Just a random book. I'd seen this one everywhere, and people had been raving about it all over this site, so I thought 'Lets give it a go'.
All I really knew going into it that it was a book about a book. The premise sounded a lot like 'The Book Thief' to me, a book I thoroughly enjoyed and hence gave it 5 stars. What I didn't expect was for it to be a myriad of genres, flowing together to make a beautifully woven tale. There was elements of mystery, romance, horror, humour, and many more, which really added depth and character to the story.
Set in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, a 10-year-old Daniel finds a book that consumes his life for the next 10 years. His growing up and his hunt for the author is one story, the second, interwoven one, is the story of the author, Julian's, past, filled with intrigue.
There were many things I loved about this book: how Daniel was slightly flawed, the various characters that were as equally regarded as Daniel in the narrative, and Daniel's own life having remarkable similarities to that of Julian Carax's. It creates a very full narrative, one that I couldn't put down.
I think the one thing that frustrated me with the novel was how the mysteries and intrigues were rather easily and systematically wrapped up in Nuria's narrative section, but regardless, the plot twists within it lessened my frustration at it.
Overall, I would recommend this to anyone who is just looking for a book to read, with no real preference on genre. It covers everything, and is very very addictive. I even debated whether or not to go to the cinema because I wanted to finish it so badly.
Favourite Quote: The day was turning out to be longer than The Brothers Karamazov. (Who doesn't love a bit of Russian Lit humour?!)
All I really knew going into it that it was a book about a book. The premise sounded a lot like 'The Book Thief' to me, a book I thoroughly enjoyed and hence gave it 5 stars. What I didn't expect was for it to be a myriad of genres, flowing together to make a beautifully woven tale. There was elements of mystery, romance, horror, humour, and many more, which really added depth and character to the story.
Set in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, a 10-year-old Daniel finds a book that consumes his life for the next 10 years. His growing up and his hunt for the author is one story, the second, interwoven one, is the story of the author, Julian's, past, filled with intrigue.
There were many things I loved about this book: how Daniel was slightly flawed, the various characters that were as equally regarded as Daniel in the narrative, and Daniel's own life having remarkable similarities to that of Julian Carax's. It creates a very full narrative, one that I couldn't put down.
I think the one thing that frustrated me with the novel was how the mysteries and intrigues were rather easily and systematically wrapped up in Nuria's narrative section, but regardless, the plot twists within it lessened my frustration at it.
Overall, I would recommend this to anyone who is just looking for a book to read, with no real preference on genre. It covers everything, and is very very addictive. I even debated whether or not to go to the cinema because I wanted to finish it so badly.
Favourite Quote: The day was turning out to be longer than The Brothers Karamazov. (Who doesn't love a bit of Russian Lit humour?!)
Books aren’t written like “The Shadow of the Wind” anymore, but Carlos Ruiz Zafon managed to write one. This is a big, sweeping, epic novel filled with the Gothic, romances, horrors, mysteries, the supernatural (possibly), family, war and other high tragedies. This book does take its time, but I think therein lies its appeal. The story of Daniel and his father, and how a novel he finds buried in the Cemetery of Forgotten Books (I want to go there yes please), is a beautiful story on the importance of literature and the impact of the art of writing and fiction has on our lives.
Simply amazing. The writing style feels like it shouldn't work to establish tension, but it does so well. I admit to seeing a few main plot points coming, but the biggest ones were surprises. An excellent book.