Book Review: The Shadow of the Wind

"…this is a story about books."
"About books?"
"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."

Anyone who understands the value of books and how they possess you will absolutely adore The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. I loved it so much I could hardly put it down.

It begins in Barcelona in 1945. The narrator, 10-year old Daniel, is taken by his father to the Cemetery of Forgotton Books, a place where books lost in time live forever. "When a library disappears, or a bookshop closes down, when a book is consigned to oblivion, those of us who know this place, its guardians, make sure that it gets here." Daniel chooses a book to keep -- The Shadow of the Wind by an author named Julian Carax. Daniel is completely enthralled by the book and sets off to find more about the author. Over time, his research reveals someone is seeking out Carax's books and burning them.

The book takes the reader through Daniel's adolescense and into the life of Carax through a myriad of characters. It's a mystery and a love-story that unfolds nicely, but also contains all the other good stuff: politics, humor, hate, torture, and murder. Some of the plot twists are shocking. (One in particular.)

Originally a best-seller in Spain and the surrounding countries, it was translated into English and published in the U.S. to much less fanfare and success. I think the thriller market here has been ruined.

I love how the author captures what books are... That they can have souls. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a creative, fast-paced mystery. Just make sure you have a chunk of time available because you won't want to put this one down for long.

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Track of the Day: "Cherry Red Wine" by Jonny Lang
"I'm taking you to the doctor, woman
Maybe the doctor knows what's going wrong in your head
If you keep drinking that wine, woman
Even the grass on your grave will be cherry red..."