Reviews

The Watcher in the Shadows by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

gdulecki's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.5

Carlos Ruiz Zafón wrote in his intro that this series was written with what he would have liked to read as a young teenager in mind, and I really think he hit the nail on the head with that. I do think I would have absolutely eaten these up as a kid. With where I’m at now in my reading life, this is certainly not what I’m looking for, but I can appreciate it for what it is. I did appreciate the appearance of Andreas Corelli, having read the cemetery of forgotten books series before this it was a nice surprise!

And with that, I have officially read all of Carlos Ruiz Zafón’s works. 

onn43's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

cerysvy's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

raven_vx's review against another edition

emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.75

girh_22's review against another edition

mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

bel_saturnreads's review against another edition

3.0

3'5 STARS

Imagino que algunas personas, como ciertos juguetes, a veces nacen con una tara de origen. De algún modo, eso nos convierte a todos en juguetes rotos.

Último libro de la saga juvenil de Carlos posiblemente de los 3 es el que me ha costado un algo mas o el que "menos" me ha gustado pero es verdad que al final cuando se va revelando todo coge un ritmo y el ambiente y la magia que crea Carlos que te mantiene en vilo con lo que le va a pasar a todos los personajes

Ahora me espera la sombra el viento

inkguma's review against another edition

adventurous funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

El punto fuerte de este libro sin duda es la narración; las descripciones de los entornos o de los acontecimientos me parecen preciosas y amenas y es fácil seguir el hilo. Sin embargo los diálogos me han parecido un poco sosos, impostados, casi sin gracia... demasiado forzados, en general, lo cual hace que los personajes se vuelvan también algo forzados y sin mucho carisma. Pese a todo la historia me ha gustado un montón, es entretenida, mantiene bien el misterio y lo resuelve bien (algo previsible incluso). Está claro que es para un público más juvenil y sin duda es una lectura que recomendaría a este grupo de edad.

lareske's review against another edition

adventurous dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

jakekilroy's review against another edition

4.0

Well, I'm pretty sad to say this is the last of Zafón's works for me to delight through. I've so truly and wonderfully enjoyed everything he put out into the world—some of them being my all-time favorite anythings. Every single book of his brought with it an enticing aura of mystery, imagined with such a rich and rewarding gothic curiosity. Dude was just an old-world storyteller, nailing an atmosphere I never ceased to find alluring. His young adult novels each move through the shadows and sway around the corner of your brain the way a good ghost story would when you yourself were young. Even his novels for adults made me so resolutely gleeful for what they sparked within me. This final outing, an eerie tale set on the coast, filled with forests, cliffs, caves, and a spooky old manor, was the perfect sendoff. What a wonder he was.

amberly1997's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This book was fine but I found it bit dull, the atmosphere and world building was fine but needed to flash out bit more also the writing was fine. The paced of plot was bit slow but the cover of the book was stunning. I liked the characters and I feel at they needed to flash out and the ending was fine