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4.23 AVERAGE
4.23 AVERAGE
A great thriller, with an awesome setting. Kinda like a Quay Brothers live action film.
Esto fue un novelon, de esos de tv pero con mas clase. Me gusto mucho, la historia esta tan bien tramada y al final todo encaja, me siento feliz. Lo recomiendo totalmente.
Reconozco que me costo un poco agarrarle el gusto, pues en algunas cosas, como partes de la descripción o la manera en que están representadas las mujeres no encajaba o a veces era tedioso. Pero eso sucedió solo en la primera parte, después la historia te absorbe tanto que dentro de su complejidad todo tiene sentido.
Los personajes son maravillosos, todos están tan bien creados que es imposible no agarrarles cariño. Y cada movimiento tiene sentido, pues todo esta encajado para que en las ultimas 100 paginas devoremos el libro sin contemplación.
Me encanta como el autor fue capaz de involucrar tantas historias dentro de una sola y darle la importancia a cada una, pasado, presente, todo a los ojos de un mismo personaje. Y la importancia que toma la vida de un autor y de los libros, las palabras, las plumas, las editoriales, todo ese mundo que involucra a un escritor. La novela esta plagada de intriga y misterio, pero también hay partes que me dieron terror, risa, ganas de llorar, tristeza, alegría.
Siento que conocí España y Barcelona a manos del autor en esos primeros años del siglo XX y como vivía la sociedad, todavía tan refugiada en creencias y costumbres impulsada también por las clases sociales.
Reconozco que me costo un poco agarrarle el gusto, pues en algunas cosas, como partes de la descripción o la manera en que están representadas las mujeres no encajaba o a veces era tedioso. Pero eso sucedió solo en la primera parte, después la historia te absorbe tanto que dentro de su complejidad todo tiene sentido.
Los personajes son maravillosos, todos están tan bien creados que es imposible no agarrarles cariño. Y cada movimiento tiene sentido, pues todo esta encajado para que en las ultimas 100 paginas devoremos el libro sin contemplación.
Me encanta como el autor fue capaz de involucrar tantas historias dentro de una sola y darle la importancia a cada una, pasado, presente, todo a los ojos de un mismo personaje. Y la importancia que toma la vida de un autor y de los libros, las palabras, las plumas, las editoriales, todo ese mundo que involucra a un escritor. La novela esta plagada de intriga y misterio, pero también hay partes que me dieron terror, risa, ganas de llorar, tristeza, alegría.
Siento que conocí España y Barcelona a manos del autor en esos primeros años del siglo XX y como vivía la sociedad, todavía tan refugiada en creencias y costumbres impulsada también por las clases sociales.
Gripping
Spanish author, set in Barcelona during the Spanish civil war. A young boy goes to the graveyard of books and finds a book that is the only one left of its printing. The story evolves of the boy trying to figure out what happened to the author. Great ending but I don't want to spoil it. Worth a read.
Spanish author, set in Barcelona during the Spanish civil war. A young boy goes to the graveyard of books and finds a book that is the only one left of its printing. The story evolves of the boy trying to figure out what happened to the author. Great ending but I don't want to spoil it. Worth a read.
8,75-9/10
Cómo me gusta cuando los libros te hacen sentir cositas.
Cómo me gusta cuando los libros te hacen sentir cositas.
"History doesn't repeat itself, but it often rhymes" - Mark Twain
This book is a beautiful examination of two parallel lives with wildly different outcomes. My favorite parts of the book are where it focuses on the city itself and how the environment can affect the tone and mood of the scenes. The characters themselves were engaging and relatable and the author does a great job of writing a compelling mystery with likable characters, surprising twists, and an overall very engaging flow.
This book is a beautiful examination of two parallel lives with wildly different outcomes. My favorite parts of the book are where it focuses on the city itself and how the environment can affect the tone and mood of the scenes. The characters themselves were engaging and relatable and the author does a great job of writing a compelling mystery with likable characters, surprising twists, and an overall very engaging flow.
3.3 *possible spoiler* Audio Book Version
This is a hard one to critique because I have mixed feelings. I liked it more than I disliked it. The story was very slow-paced. It was interesting enough to keep me present but I was always wondering when things were "going to happen." (I had this same feeling when I read Goldfinch by D. Tartt, which I liked.) The prose is beautiful but I can see why other reviews complained that it was too flowery. Many also seemed to think a kid his age wouldn't speak or behave so maturely. Eh, I've met some pretty precocious tykes. I can also understand why some folks had a hard time with all the loose ends being tied up conveniently in one letter at the end of the novel. Not as convenient as the "waking up from a dream" trope but I get it. I was fine with most of that stuff though. It took a little getting used to, but I was even ok with the cheesy ass piano music that plays every time the kid feels some feels.
This is a hard one to critique because I have mixed feelings. I liked it more than I disliked it. The story was very slow-paced. It was interesting enough to keep me present but I was always wondering when things were "going to happen." (I had this same feeling when I read Goldfinch by D. Tartt, which I liked.) The prose is beautiful but I can see why other reviews complained that it was too flowery. Many also seemed to think a kid his age wouldn't speak or behave so maturely. Eh, I've met some pretty precocious tykes. I can also understand why some folks had a hard time with all the loose ends being tied up conveniently in one letter at the end of the novel. Not as convenient as the "waking up from a dream" trope but I get it. I was fine with most of that stuff though. It took a little getting used to, but I was even ok with the cheesy ass piano music that plays every time the kid feels some feels.
Really well written. The story is a bit slow in the middle but the ending helps to explain why. Very well told story. Complex but somehow reasonable.
It took me almost nine years (admittedly it sat on my Kindle unopened for most of that time), but I finished it!
It was like watching a Spanish movie, subtitled in English, on a TV in a shop window while standing in the rain.
The characters were interesting, the plot was decent, but I have never read a book with so much of the story told through info-dumping by characters or letters - long, long monologues and letters at that. The ending saved it to some extent - the last 10% was quite gripping - or perhaps it was simply my delight at being in sight of the finish line at last.
A literary classic. Hmm.
It was like watching a Spanish movie, subtitled in English, on a TV in a shop window while standing in the rain.
The characters were interesting, the plot was decent, but I have never read a book with so much of the story told through info-dumping by characters or letters - long, long monologues and letters at that. The ending saved it to some extent - the last 10% was quite gripping - or perhaps it was simply my delight at being in sight of the finish line at last.
A literary classic. Hmm.
One of the best books I have read in a long time. Complex, descriptive and compelling. Zafon paints an haunting picture of Barcelona. The mystery unfolds slowly until the last pages of the book.
I loved this book! Everything an egghead wants out of a literary suspense/thriller - which, too an egghead, isn't an oxymoron.