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donnawr1's review against another edition
4.0
Carlos Ruiz Zafon was a wonderful writer and Lucia Graves, his translator, was so skilled as to keep the magic in the English. I absolutely loved The Shadow of the Wind (book #1 in the series) and although I'm not much of a series person, I wanted to start the others just to get more enjoyment from his writing. There are so many elements in common between the two books. They are set in historical Barcelona (although this one is before the civil war, while the first is after the civil war) and the Sempere bookstore and Cemetery of Forgotten books play key roles in both. Both have young men growing into adulthood, writers, mysterious figures in the night and an atmosphere in Barcelona that is gloomy and menacing. There are forbidden loves and abandoned mansions with histories that influence the present. Reading pleasure. At one point about 1/3 of the way through I wondered if the ending was going to be very similar to Shadow of the Wind, but was pleased to see it immediately veer off after I thought that with a satisfying and unexpected ending. Like most, I still preferred the first book, but this was also thoroughly enjoyable and I look forward to checking out the rest of the series just for his wonderful words and imagination.
danelleeb's review against another edition
3.0
David Martin, an author of penny dreadfuls, is furiously putting out story after story in hopes of securing a chance to publish an actual book and become as well known as his mentor, Pedro Vidal. Lacking the means to get ahead in his career (money, connections), he jumps at the chance offered to him by a strange and unknown publisher. David, at his wit's end, accepts the offer, though it really is too good to be true.
After accepting the publisher's proposal, David visits the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, where he is drawn to a specific volume. He studies it while he writes in the dilapidated old mansion he rents and begins to see the shadows surrounding him. As he makes the connections, all he is tied to is taken away from him.
Marvelously written, it was a story that paled a bit in comparison to its predecessor ([b: The Shadow of the Wind|1232|The Shadow of the Wind (The Cemetery of Forgotten Books, #1)|Carlos Ruiz Zafón|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1344545047s/1232.jpg|3209783]). It started to lag for me in the end, where it should really have picked up and sprinted, and I found myself reading just to finish reading.
After accepting the publisher's proposal, David visits the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, where he is drawn to a specific volume. He studies it while he writes in the dilapidated old mansion he rents and begins to see the shadows surrounding him. As he makes the connections, all he is tied to is taken away from him.
Marvelously written, it was a story that paled a bit in comparison to its predecessor ([b: The Shadow of the Wind|1232|The Shadow of the Wind (The Cemetery of Forgotten Books, #1)|Carlos Ruiz Zafón|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1344545047s/1232.jpg|3209783]). It started to lag for me in the end, where it should really have picked up and sprinted, and I found myself reading just to finish reading.
onetrooluff's review against another edition
2.0
Hmm, what to say about this? The writing style reminds me the most of [b:The Historian|10692|The Historian|Elizabeth Kostova|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170833655s/10692.jpg|3061272] by Elizabeth Kostova. It stays jusssst on the good side of pretentious.
However, while I enjoyed the first third of the book, the rest of it felt like it dragged on far too long. The main character, who to me was completely unsympathetic, takes way too long to figure out and resolve what's happening to him. It's pretty obvious very early on, and I spend the rest of teh book waiting for Martin to get it.
Perhaps worst of all, there wasn't really much I could identify as a "climax" and the denouement took an excruciating number of pages.
Overall, I'm still glad I read it, but I'm also glad it's over.
However, while I enjoyed the first third of the book, the rest of it felt like it dragged on far too long. The main character, who to me was completely unsympathetic, takes way too long to figure out and resolve what's happening to him. It's pretty obvious very early on, and I spend the rest of teh book waiting for Martin to get it.
Perhaps worst of all, there wasn't really much I could identify as a "climax" and the denouement took an excruciating number of pages.
Overall, I'm still glad I read it, but I'm also glad it's over.
dnsmonique's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
tasmanian_bibliophile's review against another edition
4.0
‘A writer never forgets the first time he accepted a few coins or a word of praise in exchange for a story.’
Set in Barcelona during the 1920s and 1930s, and unfolding over three acts, this novel follows a young author, David Martín. While the story touches on David’s disadvantaged and difficult childhood, it is mainly focussed on different stages of his career as a writer. The Semperes and their bookshop also features and Señor Sempere introduces David to ‘Great Expectations’, which he tries to save from his father.
‘Next time you want to save a book, save it properly; don’t risk your life. Just let me know and I’ll take you to a secret place where books never die, and nobody can destroy them.’
In a previously abandoned mansion in the heart of Barcelona, David Martín makes his living writing melodramas under a pseudonym. He has a publishing deal which exploits him and while he hopes to achieve literary success under his own name, his novel receives scathing reviews.
David’s life is full of complex relationships. David’s patron is Pedro Vidal, and he is attracted to Cristina, the daughter of Vidal’s chauffeur. Isabella, a young admirer of David’s work is also important.
The house itself has a role in this story, David becomes ill and learns that he does not have long to live. But then, his meeting with French editor Andreas Corelli changes his life.
‘Are you not tempted to create a story for which men and women would live and die, for which they would be capable of allowing themselves to be killed, of sacrificing and condemning themselves, of handing over their soul? What greater challenge for your career than to create a story so powerful that it transcends fiction and becomes a revealed truth?’
This is a prequel to ‘The Shadow of the Wind’ and in some ways is much darker. The story has several different and intricate strands and while I was not always sure where it was headed, I could not put it down. The third book in the series awaits my attention.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
lordsavatar's review against another edition
5.0
Good book, a bit convoluted at times, but I really like [a:Carlos Ruiz Zafón|815|Carlos Ruiz Zafón|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1601032197p2/815.jpg] writing style (even though there's sometimes an abundance of all the dark clouds etc.). Torn between 4 and 5, so 4.5 :)
nalia1991's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
darcywjpg's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
2.75
vivatomatoes's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
slow-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
3.5
vernorexiia's review against another edition
5.0
L'unica cosa che mi è dispiaciuto di questo libro è che non è durato abbastanza. Libro magnifico, ricco di suspence, non riuscivo a smettere di leggere