The Shadow of the Wind – Book Review

Jul 7th, 2007

by Caribousmom.

“Well this is a story about books.”
“About books?”
“About accursed books, about the man who wrote them, about a character who broke out of the pages of a novel so that he could burn it, about a betrayal and a lost friendship. It’s a story of love, of hatred, and of the dreams that live in the shadow of the wind.”
-From The Shadow of the Wind, page 178-

This book has sat on my “to-be-read” shelf for a long time – and after reading it I wonder how I could have let it linger so long unread.  The Shadow of the Wind is a rich tapestry of writing – a gothic tale of love and mystery, of betrayal and suspense. Zafon’s sense of place never wavers. The reader is pulled into the setting and enveloped in the dark, crumbling mansions and the candlelit hallways of post-war Barcelona.

A few seconds later, the weak current of the lightening system, which had defined the shapes of buildings and windows, faded away. On the flooding sidewalks, the streetlamps blinked, then went out like candles snuffed by the wind. There wasn’t a soul to be seen in the streets, and the darkness of the blackout spread with a fetid smell that rose from the sewers. The night became opaque, impenetrable, as the rain folded the city in its shroud. -From The Shadow of the Wind, page 57-

Zafon captures the reader quickly. When Daniel, a ten year old boy, is brought to a mysterious place called The Cemetery of Books, his father swears him to secrecy  and then explains: “According to tradition, the first time someone visits this place, he must choose a book, whichever one he wants, and adopt it, making sure that it will never disappear, that it will always stay alive. It’s a very important promise. For life,” explained my father. “Today it’s your turn.” 

Daniel chooses a book – or perhaps the book chooses him. It is a book entitled The Shadow of the Wind, written by Julian Carax and it entrances the boy and takes him on a convoluted journey which is swathed in mystery. Who is the man with no face who has set out to destroy every book every written by Julian Carax? What became of the author?

Zafon’s novel is filled with memorable characters – my favorite being Fermin Romero de Torres, a homeless man saved from the gutter by Daniel and his father and who comes with a dark and cryptic history of his own. Fermin’s wonderful philosophy of life, filled with bawdy humor made me laugh out loud at times.

The novel’s plot is twisting – weaving back in time and making unexpected turns. No one is who they seem to be. Characters in Daniel’s found novel become intertwined with people he knows or has known. Zafon keeps the reader guessing with his compelling and dramatic story filled with betrayal, murder, missing people and romance.

The Shadow of the Wind is a giant of a book and a must read for bibliophiles and those who love epics with a gothic flavor.

Highly Recommended.

Posted in: Books, Main Page.

8 Comments

1. Anonymous says:

   July 7, 2007 at 16:17

   I didn’t care for this as much as most reviewers. I think I rated it 3.5/5
   I liked the story well enough, but I didn’t care for the way he portrayed his female characters AT ALL.
2. Anonymous says:

   July 7, 2007 at 17:27

   Michelle: I wasn’t too bothered by the way female characters were portrayed because I felt this was true to the times it was written in and also the culture in Barcelona as well as it being a Gothic novel.
3. Anonymous says:

   July 7, 2007 at 17:57

   This sounds so good! Thanks for the review, putting this on my tbr list.
4. Anonymous says:

   July 7, 2007 at 18:42

   This is one of my favorite books that I have read this year. Glad you enjoyed it too!
   =) Jill
   http://mrstreme.livejournal.com
5. Anonymous says:

   July 7, 2007 at 19:11

   I liked this book, but if you want a gothic-feel book about books, The Thirteenth Tale is wonderful. I actually liked it more than this one.
6. Anonymous says:

   July 7, 2007 at 19:14

   Ah yes – I *did* like that one better (it got 5/5…so a little better than this one which I ended up rating 4.75/5). I love a good Gothic tale of suspense, romance and a little murder thrown into the mix
7. Anonymous says:

   July 12, 2007 at 13:07

   This has been on my shelf for a long time, too, so I really appreciate your review. After reading The Book Thief, I am wanting to prolong that mood for a while and read something else in which books play a central role. Sounds like this will fit the bill!
8. Anonymous says:

   July 13, 2007 at 11:14

   I’m afraid nothing quite compares to The Book Thief! BUT, this is a great book – in the lines of The Thirteenth Tale; a good read that is satisfying. Hope you’ll enjoy it!