I started this trilogy with "Shadow of the Wind" which drew me in with it's imagery and gothic plot. By contrast this book fell flat, particularly because I loved Fermin in "Shadow", but felt he lacked the robustness of character in this book. Odd, considering he was a main character here, rather than a sidekick. It read more like a gumshoe detective novel than "Shadow" and that is not a genre I enjoy. I stumbled upon "The Angel's Game" in a thrift store and bought it, so I'll finish reading the trilogy. I'm hoping Zafon maintains the lyrical artistry of the first book