A true Gothic Tale.....The intricately woven story takes you along on a young boy’s quest to learn more about the author of a mysterious book. Zafon tells a totally captivating and exhilarating tale full of amazing, full-bodied characters and hair-raising moments. This is one of those “can’t-put-the-book-down reads”. Loved It!

This international novel (it has sold in more than 20 countries and been number one on the Spanish best-seller list), newly translated into English, has books and storytelling--and a single, physical book- as its topic. In post-World War II Barcelona, young Daniel is taken by his bookseller father to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, a sanctuary where books are guarded from oblivion. Told to choose one book to protect, he selects The Shadow of the Wind, by Julian Carax. He reads it, loves it, and soon learns it is both very valuable and very much in danger because someone is determinedly burning every copy of every book written by Carax It is full of unusual characters, and strong in its sense of place. Daniel's initiation into the mysteries of adulthood is given the same weight as the mystery of the book-burner. Part detective story, part boy's adventure, part romance, fantasy, and gothic horror, the plot is urged on by foreshadowing and nail-nibbling tension, with a surprising outcome.

This book is writing at its best, even with such a dark subject matter. I would read this author again and again....

A friend raved about it. I read about a third of it, but didn't get into it. Wasn't a book I couldn't put down. Decided to stop reading.

This book was really awesome! I loved reading it, and I will probably have to re-read it at some point because I was interrupted by midterms and a busy schedule. I think Zafon writes really well, though I think that something is lost reading the book in translation(originally written in Spanish). For instance, sometimes the descriptions seemed a bit melodramatic or contrived. This book combines elements of magical realism with fantasy to create a very interesting novel about Spain during the Civil War and one boy's quest to find out the secret behind a mysterious author whose books keep being burned by a "fiery figure." The book was very honest especially about matters of friendship and love-not at all sentimental. I also thought Zafon's characterization was superb especially that of Fermin and Nuria Monfort. The only problem I had with the book was that it mostly "lived in the past." There was not much action in the present and much of it was uncovering the past. I suppose this was necessary given the plot but it still seemed a little it like a "sitting and thinking" book where the main characters sit around and talk or think about the past rather than action happening in the present. All in all, I recommend this book for those that are looking for something different, something mysterious and enjoy a bit of magic between the pages.

Amazing. Isherwood writes with subtlety and flair. Touching, hilarious, painful, very interesting.

This is Mark McNay’s first novel and clearly draws on first hand knowledge of the day to day grind of a certain working class life where a full belly, a warm fire and a good woman is perfection. It fits within a British tradition of “kitchen sink realism” kicked of by John Osbourne’s “Look back in Anger” in the 50’s that looks at the dreams and anger of the working class man and woman. Think of Alan Sillitoe’s Saturday night and Sunday morning or the film work to the current day of Ken Loach and Mike Leigh, both of whom continue to create powerful films unafraid of tackling head on current social problems.

The story follows a day in the life of Sean working in a chicken packing factory**, who discovers that his Brother Archie has come out of jail early ( in for violence and drugs related crime). This sets up a chain of events with tragic consequences as Sean has spent most of a money clip he was banking for his brother. He desperately struggles during the course of the day to borrow the money from family and from the firm. The novel also by flashbacks reveals Sean’s and Archie’s childhood and life up to the events of the day. Sean is no angel; he gambles, takes a more or less willing part as a pick up in his brother’s drug’s network and will use his fists. But unlike his brother does with his family needs in mind- his own and that of his uncle and aunt who gave him a home when his father left and mother died. And it’s for his family that he has to fight for as the day develops.

The story unfolds through a lot of dialogue and switches between first and third person perspectives rather then description although we get’s Sean’s flights of imagination for colour. The dialogue is written in Glaswegian but it doesn’t jar and often it’s in the silences between characters that speak more. The speech patterns (expect sentences where F**k can be a noun, verb, adjective and have several meanings from love to hate! and the mundane events of the day convey tenderness, violence and humour in scene after scene with warm believable characters.

It’s remarkable that the author started a creative writing course in his late forties in 1999 which lead to this award winning (Arts Foundation New Fiction 2007) novel. Hope for all us yet! It is by no means perfect, as the ending is a little flat and the characterisation of Archie teeters on the edge of caricature but it’s an easy page turner and I can’t wait for the Ken Loach channel four adaptation that surely must be in pre production talks as you read this!


** and you may want to rethink eating cheap value chicken after reading the book!