Book Review: The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

I intended to read Zafon's, The Shadow of the Wind, since its 2004 release in the US. Since then: too much drama, far too little reading. My book club brought it back to my attention and we'll discuss it at our next meeting.

The story is a misty blend of mystery, romance and self-discovery. Daniel, our hero, is attracted by chance to a hidden tome in the cemetery of forgotten books, the title, The Shadow of the Wind. He is bestowed the honor of becoming the book's patron, its savior, if you will. He falls in love with it. Zafon details Daniel's search for the history of the book and its author, Julian Carax. The tale is haunting (sometimes literally) and complex and its revelations are unpredictable.

I found the book slow to invade, initially, as my mind was wrapped in my own novel, but, in time, I was hooked by the nostalgic feel and Zafon's gift with the written language. His words (as translated by Lucia Graves) flow and swirl like the mist and the fog surrounding his lurking antagonist.

Read it by a roaring fire and arrange for a solid rainy day. That's where the book wants to be read.


Next Book: Endymion Spring by Matthew Skelton