Carlos Ruiz Zafón (1964–2020)

Lugu on jutustatud väga haaravalt, mis võidab kohe esimestel lehekülgedel su südame ja hinge. Lummavad pildid, mis kerkivad silme ette, kui Daniel läheb esimest korda Unustatud Raamatute Surnuaeda - nende vanade raamatute lõhna võib peaaegu tunda; raamatute maailm ja see maailm, kus tegelaste maailmas eksisteerib palju raamatuid ja väärtustakse kõrgelt lugemist ja loomingut; müstiline ja natuke raske maailm, kus arenevad otsekui paralleelselt kaks peaaegu sama saatusega lugu, mis show more lõpuks kokku saavad; põnev ja kriminaalne maailm, kus humoorikat vürtsi lisab tegelane Fermin. Raamat neile, kes sulavad sõna jõus ja saavad iga sõnaga uue vormi - veel parema versiooni iseendast :-)
Selle romaani teeb kindlasti nauditavaks lisaks haaravale ja omapärasele loole ka väga meisterlik ja nauditav tõlge. show less

Spanish Edition Review: (5/5)

This book is one of my all-time favorites. Not only does it have the beautiful scenery descriptions of a classic gothic novel, it also shows the beauty of friendship and grief through the lens of a child.

I first read the Spanish edition in one of my university classes, and we were able to have several deep discussions on it, not only surrounding guesses on what will happen next, but on the character's actions and how they relate to one another. It is a book that show more lives rent free in my head all the time, and it deserves its place there. show less

Daniel Sempere is a young motherless boy who is scared of forgetting what his mother looks like so his father takes him to the Cemetery of Books to select a book that he will look after. The book The Shadow of the Wind by Julian Carax is the start of his journey to find out what happened to the author and discover who it is that is buying all his books and why they are destroying them.

Set in Barcelona after the Civil War it is a dark and entwined tale. A love story but dark and mysterious, show more full of shadows and secrets. Daniel’s character seems rather naive, but strong willed and honest. The plot is intricate and the scene setting very atmospheric. The underlying mystery and interweaving of the characters’ narratives gradually reveal a tale of love and loss.

I particularly liked the character of Fermin, there is a sense of mystery about his past that is only partially revealed. He is honest when necessary, sensible and genuine, the voice of reason, able to gather and assess information from various sources and provide balance and maturity to Daniel. Daniel’s father grieves for his wife and does his best for his son, but they both struggle with their loss. As booksellers they mix with a variety of people but are respected and don’t judge too harshly.

There is a feeling of melancholy that runs throughout the book, which I attributed to the general mood of the period with Spain suffering from the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, with great hardship and misery as well as distrust and suspicion. There is an underlying current of violence, that brutally erupts at times but feels strangely understated, much to my relief. Although there are violent scenes, these are not overly graphic, but do paint a very clear picture.

This is one of those books that unnerved me slightly, but I am not entirely sure why, it might just be that the end did not tie up all the loose ends. There are unanswered questions remaining so I am keen to read the other three books in the series, but not straight away. I feel that, like this book, they are best read leisurely. show less

After reading two previous Carlos Ruiz Zafon books, I looked forward to reading the 800 pages of The Labyrinth of the Spirits. I bought it a couple of months before embarking on a long trip I was planning saved it until then so that I would be able to drown myself in the flow of the beautiful writing for long bursts of time every time I picked it up and then finish the book faster than I ordinarily could get through 800 pages in my regular day to day living. It turned out to be a wise show more plan.
Zafon sweeps readers into his stories quickly and then enthralls and dazzles them with the complexity of his marvelous plots and the mesmerizing beauty of his language. No one writes as beautifully and lyrically as a Spaniard.
The book is marvelously complex, plots within plots, suspenseful episode followed my more suspense yet accompanied by some moments of tenderness and love and even some occasional and wonderful humor. What more could a person want in a book?
The story takes place in Spain at the end of the civil war that brought him to power and the years of his reign of terror. The intrigues of the story rest in the evil, ruthlessness, and violence that those with absolute power wield in order to protect their positions. The plot contains some very grisly and detailed scenes of violence that fully utilize the author’s talent for conveying the pain and suffering of the victims while also exploring the cold-hearted ruthlessness of those applying the torture. It is not a book for children or those easily disturbed by such descriptions.
Just as masterful as Zafon’s capacity for writing suspense and complex plots is his capacity to develop authentic seeming characters, each of which displays characteristics that differentiate one character from another. Each of the villains in the story, and there are many, is unlike the others, displaying different “skills”, motivations, and techniques of their trade, yet each of the villainous characters feels no shame, guilt nor remorse for what they do. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely, yet few books so fully demonstrate to readers exactly what that chinches actually means.
This is a long book. Even the more avid readers among us generally shy away from such lengthy books. I often make my own reading choices influenced by how long the book is, seldom deciding to read books of 500 or more pages. The Labyrinth of the Spirits deserves every second readers invest in savoring its 800 pages. Those who do will probably feel as if they’d like to read everything Zafon has ever written, a feeling which I personally derive from very few authors, but very few authors write this well, tell stories this engaging, or satisfy reader expectations so well. show less