I was a little disappointed in this book, mainly because I liked shadow of the wind so much. This one didn't hold together as well. I got the message about how religions are used, but it just seemed a little heavy handed.

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This is the best book I've read all year -- I enjoyed it even more than "Shadow of the Wind". There are some similarities -- we revisit the Cemetery of Forgotten Books once more -- and the story is again designed to appeal to those who love books. The characters are well drawn, Barcelona is so well-described you almost feel like you've been there, and the plot keeps you guessing right up until the final "ah-ha!" moment on the last page. Very highly recommended.

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A wonderful read with the atmospheric, compelling, mysterious feel of "The Shadow of the Wind". Connections to the characters and places of the first book are here, but the story is a different journey altogether. It is a perplexing, supernatural page-turner. It is a very enjoyable read, but I was somewhat disappointed and left pondering the ending.

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It's books like this that remind me why I love books.

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Shadow of the Wind is one of my favorite books, so I could not wait to pick up Zafon's newest. As in SotW, the writing is gorgeous. Zafon's writing is so beautiful and fluid, and the translation was perfection. The story is about David Martin, a young writer who has become increasingly jaded and cynical about the publishing industry. He rents an old house with some of his earnings, and he slowly becomes tangled in the house's past. He is commissioned to write a book by a mysterious boss. He begins to find parallels between the previous house owner and the strange things that are happening to him. And then the death toll begins to rise...

My only qualm with the book was the last part, where it got a little confusing and seemed almost out of place. However, since I so enjoy Zafon's storytelling, I still couldn't put it down. Not quite as good as SotW, but still an enjoyable read, and I look forward to Zafon's next installment.

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Another great story of love, tragedy & intrigue from Carlos ruiz Zafon! Great follow up

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OK, from the perspective of pure literary criticism, this book is overwrought.
However, from my personal perspective: "OMG, it has all the awesome!" ;-)
A worthy followup to Shadow of the Wind, this tale of a young writer with 'great expectations' who is pulled into an infernal contract is wickedly delightful. It's Faust meets pulp fiction.
Its vivid and accurate depictions of Barcelona made me hunger to go back to the city... even if Zafon does claim it's "damned".

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I almost labeled it fantasy. If you start this book, please put aside the time so you can finish it rapidly! I took a week break, and felt lost coming back because of the threads of the plot I hadn't held on to.


It is a fascinating book, worth the time, and it doesn't quite fit where you expect it. The mystical aspects are stronger here than in his first book (The Shadow of the Wind), and that's a negative in my opinion. My wife and I were both somewhat puzzled and dissatisfied with the epilogue/resolution. I enjoyed the characters, the intrigue, and the twisting plot. Overall, recommended.

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A gothic tale - longwinded and engrossing - in which the city of Barcelona is as much a character as the people you meet within its pages. Long but never boring!

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Fave! I had to stop twice on the first page alone to quote to my husband. This is one of those rare books that I needed to get out a highlighter and mark passages. The text is so beautiful, and the story kept me on the edge of my seat. Very "Lovecraftian." I very much enjoyed Zafon's Shadow of the Wind, but this takes the cake! Love!

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Check out the full review at Kritters Ramblings

A piece of literary fiction that takes the reader into the streets of Barcelona and behind the scenes of underground publishing and the newspaper industry. With Daniel Martin as our guide, the author takes the reader along to see Martin grow up and find his true calling as a writer. There are definitely some interesting characters along the way, a few that I fell in love with and wanted more from - Isabella captured my attention!

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