The Shadow of the Wind: The Cemetery of Forgotten Books 1, Book 1

Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Apr 2009 · Hachette UK

About this ebook

THE MODERN CLASSIC: OVER 20 MILLION COPIES SOLD

A Sunday Times bestseller and a Richard & Judy book club pick

'The real deal: one gorgeous read' Stephen King

'This book will change your life. An instant classic' Daily Telegraph

'A book lover's dream' The Times

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...

'Marvellous' Sunday Times

'A hymn of praise to all the joys of reading' Independent

'Gripping and instantly atmospheric' Mail on Sunday

'Irresistibly readable' Guardian

'Diabolically good' Elle

Ratings and reviews

the characters are witty and well rounded. The translation does a great job at eluding to the mental stage of the main character as they grow. The twist is quite easy to decipher very early on but it does not make it any less enjoyable.

This book was one of my first dips into world of Adult novels. As it was the first it does hold a special place in my heart in that I don't think I could find a book no matter how amazing it be that could take that special place. I found the character of Daniel Sempere to be a very endearing character. I found it amazing how even though Daniel Sempere is the main character Julian Carax also i found intriguing as if i was Daniel myself reading into his life. This book is unequivocally one of the best books I have read and will forever stay as my number one choice recommendation to anyone wanting to discover a sense excitement and mystery.

I haven't been a big fan of this type of books before, but this is a great book that really pulls you in. It's very well written and I love how the story is told. Might come of as slow in the beginning if you're impatient, but the verbal imagery is amazing and it's never boring.

About the author

CARLOS RUIZ ZAFÓN (1964-2020) was the author of eight novels, including the internationally bestselling and critically acclaimed Cemetery of Forgotten Books series: THE SHADOW OF THE WIND, THE ANGEL'S GAME, THE PRISONER OF HEAVEN and THE LABYRINTH OF THE SPIRITS.
His work, which also includes prizewinning young adult novels, has been translated into more than fifty languages and published around the world, garnering numerous awards and reaching millions of readers.