The Shadow of the Wind

What a novel!  From what I understand, this is Carlos Ruiz Zafon's first novel for adults.  For anyone wanting a taste of Spanish literature, for anyone who likes a touch of the Gothic novel, for anyone who likes a mystery, this is the novel for you!

A little bit on the hefty side, this novel takes you through forty or so years with the main character Daniel Sempere, through a search for himself, through the work of an all but disappeared author.  Set in post-Spanish Civil War Barcelona, the reader is taken through its streets and neighborhoods as though strolling through Street View in Google Earth.  One of the things I liked best about this book is that the reader gets immersed in the story and is hardly able to put the book down.  It is not an easy read, the reader has to do a little work, but not too much, just enough to play the sleuth along with Daniel.

This book is full of rich well-developed characters.  My favorite Fermin, a rehabilitated street person who's approach to life and wisdom are second to none.  Humour, tragedy, action, mystery, murder and dark versus the light are features that will keep up your interest and develop your admiration for the author of this staggeringly beautiful read.

Bonne journée,

Stella