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lydia_books's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Death, and Sexism
Moderate: Grief, Sexual violence, Incest, Pregnancy, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and War
mariegatou's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Moderate: Pregnancy, Police brutality, War, Misogyny, Sexism, Transphobia, Violence, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Sexual violence, Excrement, Death, Lesbophobia, Vomit, Confinement, Homophobia, Incest, and Death of parent
dlrosebyh's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Police brutality, Violence, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Incest, Misogyny, and Homophobia
Minor: Death of parent
crows_in_a_trenchcoat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Death, Miscarriage, Police brutality, Violence, Domestic abuse, and Misogyny
Moderate: Incest and Homophobia
Minor: Lesbophobia and War
bookwormcat's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Medical trauma, Misogyny, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Domestic abuse, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Death, Medical content, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Gun violence, Cursing, Blood, and Body horror
Minor: Incest, War, and Excrement
kell_xavi's review against another edition
2.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Torture, Misogyny, Incest, Violence, Sexual assault, Fire/Fire injury, and Police brutality
Moderate: Miscarriage, Child abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infertility, Pregnancy, War, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Confinement, Hate crime, Religious bigotry, Mental illness, and Classism
Minor: Excrement
chrisljm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
2. the twist almost made me shit myself.
3. “the day was turning out to be longer than The Brothers Karamazov” is so funny.
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Hate crime, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Excrement, Homophobia, Murder, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Violence, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Pregnancy, and Sexism
Moderate: Abandonment, Child abuse, Gore, Incest, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, War, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Gun violence, Infertility, Medical content, Miscarriage, Stalking, Terminal illness, Alcohol, Blood, Emotional abuse, Torture, Cursing, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Ableism, Animal death, Antisemitism, Bullying, Rape, Abortion, Classism, Racial slurs, and Adult/minor relationship
mikarala's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Ultimately I feel like this is a story that follows the conventions of story-telling extremely well, but without any very interesting twists to make it unique.
Moderate: Gaslighting and War
Minor: Forced institutionalization, Rape, and Incest
deedireads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
TL;DR REVIEW:
The Shadow of the Wind is a beautifully told, immersive, wonderfully bibliophilic mystery that takes place in Barcelona in 1945. I loved it.
For you if: You like books that hint at magic.
FULL REVIEW:
Despite the fact that The Shadow of the Wind has been recommended to me time and time again, I went in knowing very little about it except that it was a book about books. Well, it is that, but also so much more, and I (predictably) loved it.
The story takes place in Barcelona in 1945, shortly after the end of wartime. As a child, the main character, Daniel, visits the Cemetary of Forgotten Books with his father, a rare-book seller, and stumbles upon a book called The Shadow of the Wind by Julian Carax. That sets off a chain of events that lasts into Daniel’s young adulthood as he tries to learn more about the mysterious Carax, aided by a few friends and haunted by a chilling figure intent on stopping him.
While I’d say this book is first and foremost a mystery, it really has something for everyone: romance, humor, revenge, doomed love, hints of magic, and (of course) a story centered on books. The storytelling by Zafón and translation by Lucia Graves are just incredible — I was transported and enthralled. It’s not a quick read, but it was immersive, and it was the perfect companion over a few weeks while my life was particularly chaotic. (Also, the audiobook was very well done!).
This is just one book in the Cemetary of Forgotten Books quartet, which apparently can be read in any order. If you’ve read them, let me know which one you think I should read next!
Graphic: Police brutality
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Incest, and Sexual harassment
kinddog2073's review against another edition
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Pedophilia
Minor: Rape, Pedophilia, and Incest