This book. Wow. I loved it…but I also struggled with it. It is long (500 pages), beautifully written but occasionally somewhat long-winded. Published in 2001 it received acclaim in Europe before being translated into English in 2004. Here is my book review The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafron.

Young Daniel and his father run an antique bookstore in Barcelona during a time when Spain and the city is reeling from war. Daniel has lost his mother, and in his grief he finds solace in a mysterious book – The Shadow of the Wind – discovered in The Cemetery of Forgotten Books (a series also by Carlos Ruiz Zafron).

Daniel becomes obsessed with finding the missing author of The Shadow of the Wind, despite all the danger that seems to surround the mystery. The missing author, Julian Carax, has seemingly disappeared from the face of the earth, and simultaneously all of Carax novels have also disappeared…some through unsolved arson’s throughout Barcelona.

As young Daniel finds himself deeper into a dangerous and intriguing mystery, he stumbles on a cast of fantastic characters, some helpful and others menacing and murderous. Daniel begins to unravel a very dark story of passion, love, friendship, madness and murder.

Who will live to tell the tale? Thank you for reading my book review The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafron.

****Four stars for The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafron.

See last week’s book review The House of Eve by Sadequ Johnson.

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