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Original Essays | December 12, 2009

Alexander McCall Smith: IMG The Courage of Others



I have recently written a novel about life in England during the Second World War. I felt some concern before I tackled this theme — the War... Continue »
  1. $16.76 Sale Hardcover add to wish list

    La's Orchestra Saves the World

    Alexander McCall Smith

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28 International Warehouse Literature- A to Z

The Shadow of the Wind

by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

The Shadow of the Wind Cover
  1. This particular item is stocked in a Partner Warehouse and will ship separately from other items in your shopping cart.

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"The Shadow of the Wind has an innocence that doesn't prevent it from being thoroughly enthralling; at heart, the novel is a story of star-crossed lovers, bold young heroes, their lovably eccentric sidekicks and a cruel, dastardly villain. There are no fiendishly clever twists or secret codes, but Ruiz Zafón doesn't need them. He sweeps you along with the sheer riverine force of his sincerity and passion." Laura Miller, Salon.com (read the entire Salon.com review)

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

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 'La Sombra del Viento' 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 La Sombra del Viento, 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. A page-turning exploration of obsession in literature and love, and the places that obsession can lead.

Review:

"Ruiz Zafón strives for a literary tone....Yet the colorful cast of characters, the gothic turns and the straining for effect only give the book the feel of para-literature or the Hollywood version of a great 19th-century novel." Publishers Weekly

What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 1 comment:
kcmagu, August 31, 2008 (view all comments by kcmagu)
I was mesmerized by this book, completely entranced by both a heart-felt story that grasps you from the first few pages and the description of Barcelona. The city itself seems to breathe this tale of intrigue, romance, adventure, danger, cruelty of life and the beauty and pain of human relations.
A 500 page book that reads as fast as a magazine article. The characters make you laugh cry, smile and curse.
I couldn't help but smile thinking that I too had a similar experience as the young boy Daniel - having plucked this amazing book from a random shelf at Powell's - read the book for complete understanding of this last statement!
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Product Details

ISBN:
9780753819319
Author:
Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Publisher:
ORION PUBLISHING CO
Binding:
MASS MARKET

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