12 July 2009

Review: The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon book cover
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon was published in 2005 and was very popular in Australia; however, it wasn't until a friend told me recently it was her favourite book of all time, that I finally got around to reading it. My only regret is not reading it sooner.

Set in Barcelona in the 1950s, I was engrossed from the beginning, and desperate to visit the Cemetery of Forgotten Books with the main character and roam the bookshelves until the end of time. I was immediately enthralled by the plot, the writing style and the unfolding drama of the story.

The Shadow of the Wind has all of the elements I love in a book: mystery, intrigue, history, fear, love, hate, family secrets, drama, big old mansions, humour, murder, books, broken dreams and broken hearts. While I was reading it, I woke up every morning looking forward to picking it up again, and I was very sorry when it was finished.

The characters and their stories totally swept me away, and I can confidently say this is the best book I've read in a while. I'd recommend it to anyone!

My rating = *****

Carpe Librum!

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