- “In the shop we buy and sell them, but in truth books have no owner. Every book you see here has been somebody’s best friend.”
- “There are few reasons for telling the truth, but for lying, the number is infinite.”
These profundities are indicative of the narrative of this Spanish novel, the tone and rhythm of what I believe to be a riveting storyteller. I confess that I was initially drawn to the story simply because it is set in one of my favorite cities, but the author does not romanticize the precarious mood and legitimate peril of post-Civil War Barcelona. However, in spite of the atmospheric and beguiling language, and inventive melding of genres, the denouement and concluding full chronicle of events are awkward and lacking in the magic the earlier chapters promise.
On his tenth birthday, Daniel Sempere is gifted with a book of his choosing from the Cemetery of Forgotten Books. He finds The Shadow of the Wind by Julian Carax, and is immediately enthralled with the novel and more so by the enigmatic author. Daniel’s search to find other works by Carax, which coincides with the emotions and growing pains of his adolescent years, is shrouded in mystery, intrigue and danger. As layer after layer of the puzzle is unraveled, past and present intertwine, revealing a parallel between the lives of the Daniel and Julian. Must Daniel resign himself to the same fate as his obsession?
No comments:
Post a Comment