Product Description

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #575 in Books
• Published on: 2005-10-05
• Binding: Paperback
• 512 pages

SUNDAY EXPRESS
"A page turning exploration of obsession in literature and love"

Review
"A sensation across Europe... a page-turning mystery.... a coming of age tale.... And it's a hymn of praise to all the joys of reading, stylishly caught in Lucia Graves's entrancing translation." (Boyd Tonkin INDEPENDENT )

"crowd-pleaser in the mode of The Da Vinci Code... Intertwining playful detective caper, compelling political thriller and sweeping historical romance, the narrative coils back beyond the savagery of the civil war to the world of the tainted Spanish aristocracy, before slowly unravelling the dark secrets born of Franco's tyranny. Zafon's novel... leave the reader with a palpable sense of enchantment." (SUNDAY TIMES )

"This week's book barely needs an introduction. Almost every book group I know about had read The Shadow of the Wind... the book is about a boy who becomes obsessed with an author. It is set in Barcelona during a bloody time in Spain's history and there is, as you would expect from a bestseller, plenty of death, murder, love and heroism." (THE TIMES BOOK CLUB )

"It was only The Da Vinci Code that stopped The Shadow of the Wind from hogging the top of the bestseller charts last year... an astounding critical success. There's an intricate plot, a gothic atmosphere and an elusive quest, as well as murders, intrigue and star-crossed lovers." (THE GUARDIAN )

"a wonderful portrait of Barcelona - not the sunny, culture rich and fun loving city break destination that most visitors know - but a shadowy, at times dark and atmospheric picture of the city centre streets in the years following the Spanish Civil War." (LIVING SPAIN )

"This bewitching novel has all the hallmarks of a classic Holy Grail story complete with mystery, mayhem, romance and labyrinthine plotting. What elevates it above all others in the genre is its emotional energy, making it a richly rewarding read." (DAILY MAIL )

"one of the most engaging, funny, moving, lyrical books" (IRISH EXAMINER )

"The best book I've ever read" (AMANDA LAMB WOMAN AND HOME )

"a magical tale of romance" (CECELIA AHERN SUNDAY EXPRESS )

"I couldn't put it down but didn't want to rush is as every sentence is beautifully crafted and every character unique." (SANTA MONTEFIORE EVENING STANDARD )

"A page turning exploration of obsession in literature and love" (SUNDAY EXPRESS )

"a great thriller" (CECELIA AHERN MARIE CLAIRE )

" the main character's deep love for books and their respective, secret libraries" (CECELIA AHERN IRISH TIMES )

'A real page-turner of a mystery that will have you hooked from beginning to end' (SPAINSH MAGAZINE )

SANTA MONTEFIORE, EVENING STANDARD
"I couldn't put it down but didn't want to rush is as every sentence is beautifully crafted and every character unique."

Customer Reviews

A DREAM OF A BOOK
This is such a wonderful book. One of the best modern novels we've read in a long time! We're often a bit skeptical about the Richard and Judy shortlist, but this novel rises above the very average books published nowadays - wondefully written, living breathing characters, a gripping plot and a haunting quality that makes you live in the book and makes it stay with you for a long time afterwards. Highly recommended!

One of the best period novels of recent times
This book gripped me from the page one. The dark and sinister setting of fascist Spain in 1950's Barcelona, gives rise to some fantastic characters that keep you interested right through to the completetion of the story.

Huge disappointment
I realise that I'm among the few who are not impressed by this book. Nevertheless..., how could I be - the writing is so poor I really felt embarassed while reading, the characters and dialogs are stupidly overblown and not believable at all. Metaphors and idioms just made me laugh in the wrong places and the tears were near only times I realised this amateurish prosa received good reviews. My two stars exclusively for the presence of some good ideas in the story. Sadly enough - no ideas can ever unfold when the writing is that bad.