The Shadow of the Wind

It took me a while to get through this, although at ~486 pages it's not all that long, but I did enjoy it. Set in postwar Spain, it's about Daniel Sempere, a young boy who discovers an obscure book of which few copies remain – because an unknown figure has been seeking out and destroying all copies of it. Sempere's investigation covers years and entails danger to both his person and his personal relationships.

Sempere is likeable, well-meaning if not always sensible; the supporting cast has plenty of charm, especially friend and confidant Fermín Romero de Torres. I am often wary of translated titles, only because I have seen too many translations that butchered the author's voice; I thought Lucia Graves' work here was exemplary. Recommended.

Wonderful, awesome, amazing! I loved it! :D

I read this book after the recommendation of a friend. It's one of the best books I've read in awhile.

The characters and the story immediately take you in, leaving you with a book that's hard to put down.

Finally read this book. Started reading it back in 2007. I only got about 75 pages in and decided it was not for me. Picked it up again and decided to give it more of a chance to draw me in, especially since so many people have recommended it. I am glad I did. I enjoyed the story. Well worth giving it another go.

Lorsque j'ai dit que j'avais commencé à lire “L'Ombre du vent” de l'écrivain espagnol Carlos Ruiz Zafón, nombreux ont été ceux qui m'ont dit qu'ils avaient adoré ce livre et qu'il y avait de fortes chances qu'il en soit de même pour moi. Le résumé en quatrième de couverture me laissait en tout cas espérer de belles choses :

Dans la Barcelone de l'après-guerre civile, par un matin brumeux de 1945, un homme emmène son petit garçon – Daniel Sempere, le narrateur – dans un lieu mystérieux du quartier gothique : le Cimetière des Livres Oubliés. L'enfant est ainsi convié par son père à un étrange rituel qui se transmet de génération en génération : il doit y « adopter » un volume parmi des centaines de milliers. Là, il rencontre le livre qui va changer le cours de sa vie et l'entraîner dans un labyrinthe d'aventures et de secrets « enterrés dans l'âme de la ville » : L'Ombre du vent.

Avec ce tableau historique, roman d'apprentissage évoquant les émois de l'adolescence, récit fantastique où les mystères s'emboîtent comme des poupées russes, Carlos Ruiz Zafón mêle inextricablement la littérature et la vie.”

Still one of my all-time favorites. Although, this time I listened to the first half of the book on audio (because I've wanted my husband to read it for forever and we were road-trippin') and I found that I actually liked this book LESS when I heard someone else's interpretation of these characters. No matter. I switched back to print for the second half, and felt palpable relief at being back with my friends the way I had imagined them in the first place. I still love this book so much.

I loved Fermin (almost, but still not as much as Prabaker in Shantaram). The story is really an ode to books and avid readers. Enjoyable.

OMG! LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! I was crying in the end, and that usually is a good sign ;-)

Carlos Ruiz Zafón has managed to create a wonderful story, and the different narratives give so much more depth and color and flavor to the story... In the end I liked many characters I hated in the beginning, because their choices and actions and thoughts were explained as the same happenings were explained by the different people involved in them... and...

Oh, just read it! :-D

This is an amazing book. I loved it. I started reading as slowly as possible because I enjoyed the prose so much I did not want to miss any imagery. But then I realized I was running out of time and the library would be banging down my door to get a book back with a waiting list a mile long (I know I already waited the mile) so I started reading at break neck speed. I really want to buy this or borrow it again. I felt I missed some things are I was rushing near the end but nevertheless I found it a wonderful work of art. This is a great book with wonderful buildup and suspense. I highly recommend it.

Originally read this for Book Club in Oct. 06. We've just returned from Spain and I'm currently rereading aloud with my husband. I LOVE this book!!