Published: 26/07/2018
Immersive and beautifully atmospheric, this internationally bestselling literary thriller of intertwining stories from the late, great Carlos Ruiz Zafon centres on a labyrinthine library of obscure and forgotten titles.
The Shadow of the Wind is a stunning literary thriller in which the discovery of a forgotten book leads to a hunt for an elusive author who may or may not still be alive...
Hidden in the heart of the old city of Barcelona is the 'Cemetery of Lost Books', a labyrinthine library of obscure and forgotten titles that have long gone out of print. To this library, a man brings his 10-year-old son Daniel one cold morning in 1945. Daniel is allowed to choose one book from the shelves and pulls out 'The Shadow of the Wind' by Julian Carax.
But as he grows up, several people seem inordinately interested in his find. Then, one night, as he is wandering the old streets once more, Daniel is approached by a figure who reminds him of a character from the book, a character who turns out to be the devil. This man is tracking down every last copy of Carax's work in order to burn them. What begins as a case of literary curiosity turns into a race to find out the truth behind the life and death of Julian Carax and to save those he left behind...
Publisher: Orion Publishing Co
ISBN: 9781474609883
Number of pages: 544
Weight: 401 g
Dimensions: 194 x 128 x 34 mm
MEDIA REVIEWS
Part gothic mystery, past ribald comedy, part political thriller, part Borgesian parable, and all marvellous - Sunday Times
A hymn of praise to all the joys of reading - Independent
A magical tale - Cecilia Ahern
One of those rare novels that combine brilliant plotting with sublime writing - Sunday Times
A book lover's dream - The Times
Irresistibly readable...Walk down any street in Zafon's Barcelona and you'll glimpse the shades of the past and the secrets of the present - Guardian
Diabolically good - Elle
This gripping novel has the feel of a gothic ghost story complete with crumbling, ivy-covered mansions, gargoyles and dank prison cells...this is just the sort of literary mystery that would have found favour with Wilkie Collins - Daily Mail
A deeply satisfying, rich, full read - Sunday Telegraph
A page-turning exploration of obsession in literature and love - Sunday Express
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 - Guardian
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I bring forth today something very very special and close to my heart. I call this - “the-best-book-that-I-have-ever-read-and-ever-will-read”. It’s a hefty title, I know, but this book exceeds even that title. I’ve... More
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