very good - excellent translation. I guessed the "secret" pretty soon into it though which may have been somewhat of a letdown as I continued to read. Did not care for the ending. Dude should have died. ( )

I really enjoyed this book. The mystery of it all, wondering about this mysterious author Carax right along with Daniel. The characters in this book are just wonderful from all the main characters to the characters like the dirty old man in the “asylum/old folk’s home”, characters that have a way of staying with you. The character of Fumero was such a creep/psychopath talk about holding a grudge.
I enjoy books about books and this one was no exception. It is historical fiction in my mind although it is set in the 20th century.
If you enjoyed People of the Book I think you’ll like this one too even though they are very different they have a similar “feel”. ( )

A very good story, but not enough for great literature. The characters were mostly filled out with a good plot that kept you intrigued. Daniel's exploration of the mystery behind Julian Carax is enough to keep your attention, but his personal relationships leave you wondering what is so attractive that others care and love him.

A very good read, but not enough to make one of my favorites. ( )

Maybe it was the translation, or maybe this book was just over-hyped, but I didn't like it much. I found the characters to be rather shallow, and the plot was irritating. ( )

Daniel bor alene med sin far, som har en antikvarboghandel. En dag tager faren Daniel med hen til ”De glemte bøgers kirkegård”, det gør han for at Daniel skal blive ”indviet” som en slags ritual. Der er tusindvis af bøger, og han vælger ”Vindens skygge” af Julian Carax - men i virkeligheden er det måske bogen som udvælger Daniel... ( )

A young boy grows up surrounded by books. Loved the sense of place and time that Zafron seems to have captured ( )

Reviewed by Mr. Kome ( )

I read a lot of books, and usually quickly because it's either a reincarnation of a story I've read before or it's simply not really grabbing my attention. But this book is truly a unique concept and I found myself taking longer than usual to make sure I didn't miss anything. I brought this book everywhere with me because I didn't want to leave it behind in case I had time to read!

It's truly amazing and as soon as I finished it, I gave it to a friend for her to read and I can't wait until she's finished. I just know this book is for everyone!

It has been far too long since I last read a book that I was simply unable to put down, I am so happy I found this.

The plot is complex and full of murder, love, friendship, betrayal and everything in between. At times I did find myself wanting to rush through just to get to the end and know the truth, but it's worth the wait. Some books finish terribly and leave you irritated and feeling robbed o your time, this ending left me satisfied without taking anything away from the long journey I had just been on.

The writing captures your attention, as do the well written characters, each with their distinct voice.

Although there is happiness in this novel, I felt it was still enshrouded with sorrow.

At times the descriptions may become a little repetitive in all their gloominess but I still found that the story was fluid and kept you interested.

I hadn't heard of this book, I happened to read a short blurb which mentioned a 'Cemetery of Forgotten Books' and that idea alone grabbed my attention.

Overall, it isn't going to become a 'classic great' but it is an entertaining read.

Favourite line: There are too many to list, but here is one example - 'My father sighed, hiding behind the sad smile that followed him like a shadow through his life.' ( )

Daniel, der im grauen Barcelona der Franco-Ära aufwächst, betritt zusammen mit seinem Vater eine geheimnisvolle Bibliothek, den "Friedhof der vergessenen Bücher". Hier darf er ein Buch auswählen. "Der Schatten des Windes" ist der Titel, den er sich greift. Der Autor ist ein gewisser Julian Carax. Daniel ist fasziniert von der Geschichte, die er liest. Er macht sich auf die Suche nach dem Autor, möchte mehr wissen über diesen Menschen. Doch was als neugieriges Spiel beginnt, wird rasch zur Bedrohung: Ein Mann mit einer Ledermaske taucht auf. Er ist hinter Daniels Buch her ... ( )

A very captivating, "old-fashioned" mystery, perhaps oriented more towards young adults and teenagers (no downside there). I love books about books and people who love books; I agree that there is something magical about them. At first I was thrilled by the possibility of mixing fiction with real life, but this book wrapped it up in a more mundane manner.

There are elements of romance and horror in this book. The horror is very "realistic", just a youngsters view of intimidating people and situations. The romance on the other hand was high-flying. The emotions described were so over-the-top. Perhaps Zafón goes for a teenagers wild emotional life, or it's just a gimmick of romance writers. Some of it just felt like it can't really make sense. Also some other "poetic" descriptions, aphorisms and such seemed more like just pretty words.

I liked the structure of the book. In the beginning, the parts on Julián Carax's life were relayed like a parallel storyline, kept appropriately mysterious, and in the end -- Nuria's letter -- the whole thing is gone through very intensely.

All in all, it's a greatly entertaining book. No deeper lessons to be learned here, save perhaps one on storytelling. ( )

While the initial plot seems interesting the story dulls due to poorly written character types and cliched themes. The female characters lack any depth and are portrayed as motherly figures or sexually ruined women incapable of breaking the gender stereotype. Dialogue in this book is rather bland as well. The protagonist Daniel while aging some ten years in the book never develops a broader dialogue then his original ten year old self hindering any meaningful interaction between him and Zafon's other characters. Finally, the 450 page length makes this book excessively slow, while the pace is intended to slowly build suspense it often moves so slow that all interest in the plot is lost. ( )

This is a long rambling tale (much too long and rambling) of Daniel, who discovers a book written by a mysterious man that he attempts to locate. We get every stereotype that can be crammed into 450 pages, which is considerable. The patient, long-suffering widower father, the brash protagonist, the beautiful women who betray him, the evil Inspector Fumaro, the disturbed author.....on and on and on. The backstory of living in Barcelona in the first half of the 20th century was the only redeeming feature of this book. Ho hum. ( )

The overwhelming positive critics convinced me to read this book. However, I cannot share the enthusiasm. It's well written with likeable characters, each one having a unique style and personality. The female characters were a little bit weak though, I interpreted their behaviour as common for the time (1920 - 1950) but this might be wrong. I also liked the mystery around the book Shadow of the Wind and the Barcelona after World War II.After finishing roughly half of the book I began to ask myself what it's all about. The nice surface couldn't hide the missing depth and the plot started to become trivial. Still, I kept on reading. Then the last quarter started and I felt annoyed. The whole mystery turned into a kitschy, mediocre something turning into a big-bang final with a lot of action. Oh my gosh!I am pretty sure that people will like the novel but don't let other convince you that this is high literature. It is not. ( )

The overwhelming positive critics convinced me to read this book. However, I cannot share the enthusiasm. It's well written with likeable characters, each one having a unique style and personality. The female characters were a little bit weak though, I interpreted their behaviour as common for the time (1920 - 1950) but this might be wrong. I also liked the mystery around the book Shadow of the Wind and the Barcelona after World War II.After finishing roughly half of the book I began to ask myself what it's all about. The nice surface couldn't hide the missing depth and the plot started to become trivial. Still, I kept on reading. Then the last quarter started and I felt annoyed. The whole mystery turned into a kitschy, mediocre something turning into a big-bang final with a lot of action. Oh my gosh!I am pretty sure that people will like the novel but don't let other convince you that this is high literature. It is not. ( )

This story occurs in Barcelona and begins in the summer of 1945 when motherless Daniel Sempere is ten years old. His father, an antiquarian bookseller, takes him to the mysterious Cemetery of Forgotten Books, a huge secret library where "every book, every volume you see here, has a soul...of the person who wrote it and of those who read it and lived and dreamed with it. Every time a book changes hands, every time someone runs his eyes down its pages, its spirit grows and strengthens...In this place, books no longer remembered by anyone, books that are lost in time, live forever, waiting for the day when they will reach a new reader's hands....According to tradition, the first time someone visits this place, he must choose a book, whichever he wants, and adopt it, making sure that it will never disappear, that it will always stay alive." (pages 5-6)

The book that calls to Daniel is "The Shadow of the Wind," by one Julian Carax. After reading it in one night, Daniel tries to find other books by Carax. Daniel learns that the book is quite valuable as all of the other copies, and everything else Carax has written, have been destroyed. Over the next ten years, Daniel is consumed by a compulsion to find the mysterious author and solve the puzzle of what happened to him and his books. Daniel himself describes his quest (page 178) as “about accursed books, about the man who wrote them, about a character who broke out of the pages of a novel so that he could burn it, about a betrayal and a lost friendship. It’s a story of love, of hatred and of the dreams that live in the shadow of the wind.” (And his girlfriend Beatriz teasingly responds, “You talk like the jacket blurb of a Victorian novel.”)

This makes for an incredibly riveting story, full of convolutions and surprises. There are complicated characters and lush language is used to describe Gothic settings and evoke dark moods. Originally written in Spanish by Zafon, translator Lucia Graves did an excellent job. Recommended for a fun yet intriguing read, particularly for bibliophiles. ( )

Julian Carax was once heard to say that we only exist as long as there is someone to remember us. According to all reports Julian Carax had died many years ago, but thanks to a small boy, Julian Carax is about to exist once more amongst the living.

Awoken in the night by the cries of his young son Daniel, a father makes a decision that will change his son's life forever. Daniel is introduced to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, and it is within these numerous dust filled shelves that Daniel discovers Julian Carax, and a mystery that will haunt him and bring danger to everyone he loves.

From the moment Daniel picked up the book The Shadow of the Wind at the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, he became enthralled with the author Julian Carax. The only problem was that no one seemed to know much about how to locate any of his other books, if they still existed, and even less was known about the man himself.

Determined to discover all he can about the man whose books mean so much to him, Daniel embarks on a journey into the past. Hidden beneath secrets and around dark corners, Daniel is slowly able to put together the life of Julian Carax, a life that is not so different from his own, but will he live long enough to see it through to the end of the story.

This is a story about first loves, and true loves, and loves of literature. This is a story about danger, and murder, and wars; a story of secrets and mysteries. In this story madmen roam the streets with all authority and characters escape the confines of their pages to walk amongst their readers. This is a story about The Shadow of the Wind. In this, you will be taken in, unable to escape the mystery that burns within; a brilliant and unforgettable read. ( )

I thought this book was incredible. The mystery, the intrigue. I want to visit the book graveyard. ( )

I enjoyed the plot, a real page turner. The story is Dickensian in it's design, however I was disappointed that Zafon could not reveal the relationship between the characters and their history without resorting to using a manuscript written by one of the main characters to explain it. ( )

I loved this book when I read it and would recommend it to pretty much anyone who loves books and a good story. The only blemish I think is the last chapter. We got it already, they were going to live happily ever after. There was no need to do the sugar coating. Still, I loved it!

Fantastic! Enormously satisfying. ( )

I love Gothic literature. When Daniel was taken into the Cemetery of Forgotten Books by his father, I knew that I would love this book as much as I loved The Angel's Game. My instincts were correct. Daniel selected The Shadow of the wind by Julian Carax during that visit and thus began a love of reading and an unrelenting search for more books by Carax, which were nearly impossible to find because someone was systematically burning all of Carax's books. Daniel is prepared to do whatever is necessary uncover the mystery surrounding this book. He finds that simply by having the book in his possession puts him and those with whom he is close in danger from sources he would never before have imagined.

I think that the Cemetery of Forgotten Books is one of my favorite literary locations. It is a safe harbor for books that may otherwise be forgotten. Who among us would not want to lose ourselves among seemingly endless corridors filled with books that are otherwise lost to the world? Knowing you could save only one book to bring back with you into your life, how would you choose? Once you've made your choice, imagine how much your heart would pound as you read it. What book could be as special to you? Imagine if someone tried to buy it from you. Would you let them? What if someone tried to take it from you by force, if necessary, with the express purpose of destroying it? Would you fight for it? If so, you understand Daniel's character and you'll be invested in his story like no other.

Although Daniel is the main character and I enjoyed him very much, I loved Fermín Romero de Torres. Fermín is the vagab0nd that Daniel saved from the street. He is quirky and unreliable. He could be Daniel's salvation or Achilles heal. He adds laughter mixed with anxiety. Fermín is the reason why I could never watch a film adaption of this book. If his character was marred in any way, I would be crushed. He is one of my all-time favorite secondary characters in literature. Off the top of my head, I cannot think of any other character to match his place in my reader's heart. He makes me glad to be human.

If ever there was a Gothic author who appealed to book enthusiasts, it is Carols Ruiz Zafón. Both The Angel's Game and The Shadow of the Wind are gripping Gothic mysteries. Where David from The Angel's Game is an author, Daniel is a reader. For both, there is danger in every corner. The peril in which they find themselves because of reading and writing amplifies the importance of both in this world. If such things were without power, they would never be at risk from characters like Fumero or Andreas Corelli. So, if I ever make my way to Barcelona, I will see the Barcelona of Daniel and David. I, a woman who doesn't normally give in to the supernatural or fantastical, will keep alert for the Cemetery of Forgotten Books. If I find it, I may never return. ( )

I thought this book was quite weak. Maybe I didn't get it. ( )

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon was mesmerizing. Zafon spins a tale in which books by deceased author Julian Carax appear to be disappearing around the world. A boy ensnared by a book he's read by this author, seeks to learn more about the author's life and if possible, to find more of his books to read. Into his young life enters a cast of characters who shape his life as he grows to adulthood along with a sinister policeman and a hooded man without facial features.

The author brings the characters to life and you're eager to share in their joys, their sorrows, their pain, their fear and their excitement. I would love to meet and count someone like Fermin as a close friend. He is one of the best developed characters in this book. I wasn't too fond of Daniel, our young boy in the book and I wished he had more of a backbone but he redeemed himself in the end, and I forgave him the instances of cowardice he displayed.

I had guessed who the hooded person was before I was halfway through the book, but that didn't spoil the way the story and intrigue unfolded. There was a sustained air of suspense throughout the story to keep one's heart thumping strongly....making one wish one had an eye that could run ahead of the other, to get a peek at what's around the proverbial corner. ( )

I had never heard of this amazing book by Spanish author Carlos Ruiz Zafon until a few weeks ago; now I see people reading it everywhere I go! It is an intriguing, complex, and very well-written mystery.

In 1945, Barcelona is still struggling with the after effects of both the Spanish Civil War and World War II. Daniel, a ten-year old boy and the son of a bookseller, misses his long-dead mother. When he wakes one morning and cannot remember her face, he is devastated. Daniel's father takes him that very day to The Cemetery of Forgotten Books, a mysterious building with an equally mysterious but wise caretaker. Daniel learns that since this is his first visit to this place, he is to remove one book, adopt it, and ensure its survival. After wandering the huge labyrinth that is this building, Daniel chooses a novel, The Shadow of the Wind, by Juilan Carax.

Daniel reads his chosen book, and is captivated by both the book and its author. A wealthy bookseller offers to buy it from Daniel, but he takes his responsibility seriously. While trying to find more of Carax's books, Daniel learns that he is not alone. Someone is determined to find all remaining copies of all of Carax's novels and destroy them all.

This is the central mystery of the book. This is also a coming-of-age novel. Daniel falls in love, wanders the streets of Barcelona, keeps secrets from his father. It takes Daniel years to unravel the mystery of Julian Carax. Along the way, we meet many interesting characters.

The Shadow of the Wind was written in Spanish, so of course I read it in translation. It was a very skillful translation; the novel read as if it were written in English. I whole-heartedly recommend this book! ( )