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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
This book started out as amazingly as [b: The Shadow of the Wind|1232|The Shadow of the Wind (The Cemetery of Forgotten Books, #1)|Carlos Ruiz Zafón|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1344545047s/1232.jpg|3209783], but somewhere along the way the plot took a wrong turn and started to come apart. I'm not entirely sure that I understand the grand conspiracy against the narrator, and I'm not sure that it really matters. All I know is that I was disappointed.
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
The Angel's Game is the second book in Zafon's trilogy, and although it is kind of a prequel to the first book, they are both two different stories with different characters, so you can read the books in any order you wish. The main difference between those books is MAGIC: The Angel's Game has more fantasy elements, so if you are more of a fantasy reader, you can start with this book.
Zafon tells a tale about a young author with a poor and tragic childhood, David Martin. David writes meaningless horror stories under a pen name waiting for his big moment and wishing to publish something truly majestic. Finally he receives an interesting offer from Andreas Korelli, a mysterious publisher from Paris, who wants David to write a book creating his own religion for other people to believe in. Korelli pays generously, but is it all that simple? Hard to stay without spoilers, but by agreeing to work for Korelli, David gets himself into big trouble and his own soul is at stake.
Once again, Zafon shares his thoughts about the hardships of being a writer, the problems of inspiration and whether a writer should wait for it or not, the difference between writing for publishing, writing to earn money and writing for the sake of writing. Every person who ever considered any creative venture seriously can relate to these issues.
Of course, apart from the mysterious fantastic storyline, Zafon could not miss a chance to include some romance - a love triangle in fact. Maybe some readers will disagree, but there definitely was some kind of sparkle between David and Isabella, even though he was almost twice as old and they were sort of friends.
The Angel's Game is a much more dynamic book than The Shadow of The Wind, it's easier to read and the light element of fantasy makes it much more intriguing. Also, those who have read The Shadow of The Wind will get to meet its characters and take a look at them from a different point of view.
Zafon tried to describe the magic of Barcelona in every possible way, and he managed to do it perfectly.
Zafon tells a tale about a young author with a poor and tragic childhood, David Martin. David writes meaningless horror stories under a pen name waiting for his big moment and wishing to publish something truly majestic. Finally he receives an interesting offer from Andreas Korelli, a mysterious publisher from Paris, who wants David to write a book creating his own religion for other people to believe in. Korelli pays generously, but is it all that simple? Hard to stay without spoilers, but by agreeing to work for Korelli, David gets himself into big trouble and his own soul is at stake.
Once again, Zafon shares his thoughts about the hardships of being a writer, the problems of inspiration and whether a writer should wait for it or not, the difference between writing for publishing, writing to earn money and writing for the sake of writing. Every person who ever considered any creative venture seriously can relate to these issues.
Of course, apart from the mysterious fantastic storyline, Zafon could not miss a chance to include some romance - a love triangle in fact. Maybe some readers will disagree, but there definitely was some kind of sparkle between David and Isabella, even though he was almost twice as old and they were sort of friends.
The Angel's Game is a much more dynamic book than The Shadow of The Wind, it's easier to read and the light element of fantasy makes it much more intriguing. Also, those who have read The Shadow of The Wind will get to meet its characters and take a look at them from a different point of view.
Zafon tried to describe the magic of Barcelona in every possible way, and he managed to do it perfectly.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book takes you deep into a mysterious backstreet world in Barcelona in the 1920s. The first 300 pages are a possibly overlong set-up for the mystery-adventure that follows. The story is soaked in magical realism/the supernatural and quite a dense Gothic atmosphere... you'll know if thats your thing. It's very cinematic, although you feel a two hour film could tell the whole story - the book, though, seems overlong. Although I did end up feeling steeped in it, so maybe that length was needed!
Segunda leitura (2022): 4.75 estrelas
Há bastante tempo que tinha o desejo de reler a tetralogia do Cemitério dos Livros Esquecidos, mas desta vez seguindo a ordem cronológica da história, em vez da ordem de publicação dos livros. Isto levou-me a começar pelo 2º livro da coleção, e não podia ter começado melhor.
É certo e sabido que Zafón é um escritor exímio, mas O Jogo do Anjo surpreende pelo ambiente gótico, sinistro, decadente e com uma pitada de horror que é pintado sobre uma Barcelona escura e misteriosa. Neste livro, acompanhamos a vida de David Martín, uma personagem principal polarizadora, pela qual tanto sentimos empatia como desprezo e frustração. David é uma personagem complexa, mas bem construída e apelativa. As suas relações interpessoais com Isabella, a família Sempere, Vidal e Cristina são também complexas e interessantes de acompanhar - se umas são uma presença constante e apaziguadora na sua vida conturbada, outras são tumultuosas e, em certa medida, angustiantes. É também neste livro que conhecemos um pouco de Andreas Corelli, uma das personagens mais icónicas da saga e que faz aparições noutros contos do autor.
A literatura e os livros têm um papel fundamental nesta história sobre ambição, solidão, família, amor e sofrimento, que tem também uma forte componente de mistério e paranormal.
Não sendo o livro mais consensual da tetralogia na opinião pública, para mim é sem dúvida um dos melhores da saga. Não posso esperar por revisitar o próximo!
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Primeira leitura (2018): 4.5 estrelas
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Há bastante tempo que tinha o desejo de reler a tetralogia do Cemitério dos Livros Esquecidos, mas desta vez seguindo a ordem cronológica da história, em vez da ordem de publicação dos livros. Isto levou-me a começar pelo 2º livro da coleção, e não podia ter começado melhor.
É certo e sabido que Zafón é um escritor exímio, mas O Jogo do Anjo surpreende pelo ambiente gótico, sinistro, decadente e com uma pitada de horror que é pintado sobre uma Barcelona escura e misteriosa. Neste livro, acompanhamos a vida de David Martín, uma personagem principal polarizadora, pela qual tanto sentimos empatia como desprezo e frustração. David é uma personagem complexa, mas bem construída e apelativa. As suas relações interpessoais com Isabella, a família Sempere, Vidal e Cristina são também complexas e interessantes de acompanhar - se umas são uma presença constante e apaziguadora na sua vida conturbada, outras são tumultuosas e, em certa medida, angustiantes. É também neste livro que conhecemos um pouco de Andreas Corelli, uma das personagens mais icónicas da saga e que faz aparições noutros contos do autor.
A literatura e os livros têm um papel fundamental nesta história sobre ambição, solidão, família, amor e sofrimento, que tem também uma forte componente de mistério e paranormal.
Não sendo o livro mais consensual da tetralogia na opinião pública, para mim é sem dúvida um dos melhores da saga. Não posso esperar por revisitar o próximo!
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Primeira leitura (2018): 4.5 estrelas
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Read this for Wednesday afternoon book club. Did not like it as much as the first book of the series (which I read because I don't like not starting at number 1). Was also confused for awhile, not realizing that this was not a continuation, but a prequel to the first book (not paying enough attention to dates mentioned and not knowing when in history major European events take place).
3.75/5 stars
This prequel to The Shadow of the Wind didn’t capture my attention right from the start as the aforementioned did. It took me quite a while until the twists and turns hooked me in, about 40% or so of the book, and that can be a bit too much for a 600-page novel. After the 40% mark I was taken on the ride of my life, though, and I didn’t want to get off.
Besides the crazy last few chapters and plot twists, the end arrived and I still felt like I had so many unanswered questions, and that irks me quite a bit, which is why I can’t bring myself to give this a full 4 stars.
This prequel to The Shadow of the Wind didn’t capture my attention right from the start as the aforementioned did. It took me quite a while until the twists and turns hooked me in, about 40% or so of the book, and that can be a bit too much for a 600-page novel. After the 40% mark I was taken on the ride of my life, though, and I didn’t want to get off.
Besides the crazy last few chapters and plot twists, the end arrived and I still felt like I had so many unanswered questions, and that irks me quite a bit, which is why I can’t bring myself to give this a full 4 stars.
Debo admitir que no me gustó tanto, creo que el primer libro es tan bueno que esperas que este también lo sea, al final de la historia me aburrió tanto que comencé a leerlo más lento, sólo lo leía porque quería que terminara el final es un poco Lolita, pero sin duda sigo pensando que el autor sabe cómo hacer y contar historias.