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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
this was so wonderful. scary ass zombie puppets, so much mystery flushed out by a loootott of monologue (but not too much!!), and sweet, precious, youthful romance!!! the plot was so easy to devour and all the imagery of Barcelona ugh so lovely (,: my one qualm was every 17 year old girl being borderline sexualized.
“Often, when they weren't aware of it, I'd watch Germán and Marina bantering playfully, reading, or facing each other silently across the chessboard. To feel the invisible bond that joined them, the self-contained world they had built far from everything and everyone, was like being under a magical spell. An enchantment that sometimes I feared might break with my presence. There were days when, as I walked back to school, I felt like the happiest person in the world simply because I was able to share it.”
“Often, when they weren't aware of it, I'd watch Germán and Marina bantering playfully, reading, or facing each other silently across the chessboard. To feel the invisible bond that joined them, the self-contained world they had built far from everything and everyone, was like being under a magical spell. An enchantment that sometimes I feared might break with my presence. There were days when, as I walked back to school, I felt like the happiest person in the world simply because I was able to share it.”
Zafón nunca decepciona.
Llevaba años sin leer un libro suyo y ha sido una inmersión total en sus palabras, como volver a un lugar de confianza.
La facilidad con la que te adentras en las novelas del autor no deja de sorprenderme, porque no es que tengan algo muy especial, muchas escenas son previsibles de hecho, pero el conjunto de todo, los diálogos, la ambientación, el carisma de los personajes... son historias, cuentos, que se quedan grabados a fuego.
Llevaba años sin leer un libro suyo y ha sido una inmersión total en sus palabras, como volver a un lugar de confianza.
La facilidad con la que te adentras en las novelas del autor no deja de sorprenderme, porque no es que tengan algo muy especial, muchas escenas son previsibles de hecho, pero el conjunto de todo, los diálogos, la ambientación, el carisma de los personajes... son historias, cuentos, que se quedan grabados a fuego.
This review will be based on my reading of the English translation of the book by Lucia Graves.
Holy cow, I could not put this book down once I got into it. I picked it up as a quick, entertaining read (since it is a YA novel and only about 300 pages long) and because I love Gothic literature, and while it did take me some time to really become invested in the story and the characters, the language and imagery hooked me immediately and will, I think, stay with me for quite a long time.
Things I Liked
1. Prose: As with his other books, Zafon creates beautiful prose that is descriptive and poetic. It’s metaphor-laden and sublime in a way that sucks the reader into the world of the novel while expressing ideas succinctly yet powerfully. The sentence length it a bit short and choppy at times, but I’m guessing it’s because Zafon is writing for a younger audience, so he’s avoiding longer sentences. But even so, his writing is stunning.
2. Genre: I love Gothic novels, and this YA book does a lot of homage to the genre with its trademark conventions such as creepy abandoned houses, dark figures, tragic heroines, etc. The tone also lends an air of mystery and darkness to the book, and I wasn’t sure at times if something supernatural was happening or not.
3. Imagery: Holy crap some things in this book were scary. Dark shadows, sickening smells. Black butterflies everywhere. Disembodied hands reaching out from the darkness. Life-sized wooden puppets missing eyes or feet or arms. And that’s not even the worst of it. By the time I found out what was going on, I couldn’t put the book down because the imagery itself was that gripping. CHILLING.
Things I Didn’t Like
1. Pace: Although the prose itself is beautiful, I felt the pace moved way too fast to the point where I missed important details entirely. Maybe this is due to the genre - YA novels tend to move a bit quicker than “adult fiction,” but even so, I wished Zafon had taken the time to build up his plot with more care.
2. Organization: The main plot of the novel is interspersed with a lot of explanation of character backstories, and a lot of those backstories are presented in way that is just a character relating a condensed account of his/her life. Backstories aren’t the problem here. Rather, the way they were presented was irksome. I’d rather more focus be on the main plot than to have the narrative rely on a series of interviews or info dumps to fill in bits of history.
Recommendations: Definitely check this book out if you're a fan of Gothic fiction, horror, and suspense. You might also like this novel if you liked Frankenstein or the novelization of Crimson Peak by Nancy Holder.
Holy cow, I could not put this book down once I got into it. I picked it up as a quick, entertaining read (since it is a YA novel and only about 300 pages long) and because I love Gothic literature, and while it did take me some time to really become invested in the story and the characters, the language and imagery hooked me immediately and will, I think, stay with me for quite a long time.
Things I Liked
1. Prose: As with his other books, Zafon creates beautiful prose that is descriptive and poetic. It’s metaphor-laden and sublime in a way that sucks the reader into the world of the novel while expressing ideas succinctly yet powerfully. The sentence length it a bit short and choppy at times, but I’m guessing it’s because Zafon is writing for a younger audience, so he’s avoiding longer sentences. But even so, his writing is stunning.
2. Genre: I love Gothic novels, and this YA book does a lot of homage to the genre with its trademark conventions such as creepy abandoned houses, dark figures, tragic heroines, etc. The tone also lends an air of mystery and darkness to the book, and I wasn’t sure at times if something supernatural was happening or not.
3. Imagery: Holy crap some things in this book were scary. Dark shadows, sickening smells. Black butterflies everywhere. Disembodied hands reaching out from the darkness. Life-sized wooden puppets missing eyes or feet or arms. And that’s not even the worst of it. By the time I found out what was going on, I couldn’t put the book down because the imagery itself was that gripping. CHILLING.
Things I Didn’t Like
1. Pace: Although the prose itself is beautiful, I felt the pace moved way too fast to the point where I missed important details entirely. Maybe this is due to the genre - YA novels tend to move a bit quicker than “adult fiction,” but even so, I wished Zafon had taken the time to build up his plot with more care.
2. Organization: The main plot of the novel is interspersed with a lot of explanation of character backstories, and a lot of those backstories are presented in way that is just a character relating a condensed account of his/her life. Backstories aren’t the problem here. Rather, the way they were presented was irksome. I’d rather more focus be on the main plot than to have the narrative rely on a series of interviews or info dumps to fill in bits of history.
Recommendations: Definitely check this book out if you're a fan of Gothic fiction, horror, and suspense. You might also like this novel if you liked Frankenstein or the novelization of Crimson Peak by Nancy Holder.
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-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
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
When this story started it felt a bit like Carlos Ruiz Zafon was trying too hard with the superflous sentences but after about 20 odd pages this seem to disappear and his way with words flowed on the page, like it always does. i was transported to the alleyways of Barcelona and felt that i was with Marina and Oscar on the adventure with them. I have read a few of his books and i think for me this is one that will stay with me for a while. The pace speed along and there were a few things i didn't see coming and it was with great sadness and a few tears in my eyes that i finished this book too soon. It has made me want to go back and re-read shadow of the wind! If your not sure about reading this, i say read it and get pulled in to the world of marionettes, a forgotten world of barcelona and everything inbetween.
ale sie poplakalam na koncu, to bylo swietne, chętnie siegnę po inne dzieła tego autora
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Enjoyment 10/10
Concept 10/10
Execution 10/10
Writing 10/10
Plot & Logic 7/10
Pacing & Structure 9/10
Atmosphere 10/10
Characters 10/10
Intrigue 10/10
Rating: 4.82/5
Concept 10/10
Execution 10/10
Writing 10/10
Plot & Logic 7/10
Pacing & Structure 9/10
Atmosphere 10/10
Characters 10/10
Intrigue 10/10
Rating: 4.82/5