A review by lyricallit
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

Sigh. I was 1/3 of the way through and was befuddled as to where it was going. I really enjoyed the touches of magical realism but felt that style was abandoned in favor of gothic melodrama. I liked the way certain characters mirrored others in the past and the trope of authorship/stories, as the novel at times became a nesting doll of stories-within-stories.

Ultimately though I got really tired with the portrayal of women. All the women are secondary/tertiary characters who are usually victims who serve to further the mens' plots or to reveal a man's vile abuse. Especially since
MUCH of this heartbreak would have been avoided if Sophie had just  TOLD Julian who his biological father was! So... Cool. Let's just lay the blame there
. I am truly unclear as to the relevance of Clara Barceló to the overall story. She is an objectified fantasy to a teen boy with a savior complex (to "save" or care for a "blind girl"), who ultimately
becomes a bitter hag who can't even be around other women, presumably out of petty jealousy. Truly the book could have left her out completely and still attained its goals, so I am frustrated by what may just be an attempt to get back at a woman who scorned the author? And as for Bea, she is credited by Carax with saving his life and Daniel's but again, not sure how other than being the reason everyone was at the castle that night -- again, merely a convenient plot point.
 
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