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A review by librosamo
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
5.0
5 stars. What can I possibly say about this book? Nothing that would add to the numerous things that others have already said.
That said, you need to read this book.
The way the author masterfully weaves together multiple plot strands into a cohesive story that doesn't discard any of those threads is simply amazing. I can admit that about 25-30% of the way through, I was struggling to see why some things were mentioned and why the book was slow in building up anything. However, once you hit a certain point in the book, everything begins to make sense and you can see the cohesion taking place. The plot isn't terribly ingenious and can be a bit predictable if you're paying attention, but I found I didn't mind at all.
The author's writing is masterful in a way that you don't see very often. His ability to write lyrically and descriptively without it being over the top is beautiful. There were times where I marked passages, sentences, even phrases, because of how gorgeous he expressed things.
Just a warning, though: this book will tear out your heart.
“Once, in my father's bookshop, I heard a regular customer say that few things leave a deeper mark on a reader than the first book that finds its way into his heart. Those first images, the echo of words we think we have left behind, accompany us throughout our lives and sculpt a palace in our memory to which, sooner or later — no matter how many books we read, how many worlds we discover, or how much we learn or forget — we will return.”
That said, you need to read this book.
The way the author masterfully weaves together multiple plot strands into a cohesive story that doesn't discard any of those threads is simply amazing. I can admit that about 25-30% of the way through, I was struggling to see why some things were mentioned and why the book was slow in building up anything. However, once you hit a certain point in the book, everything begins to make sense and you can see the cohesion taking place. The plot isn't terribly ingenious and can be a bit predictable if you're paying attention, but I found I didn't mind at all.
The author's writing is masterful in a way that you don't see very often. His ability to write lyrically and descriptively without it being over the top is beautiful. There were times where I marked passages, sentences, even phrases, because of how gorgeous he expressed things.
Just a warning, though: this book will tear out your heart.
“Once, in my father's bookshop, I heard a regular customer say that few things leave a deeper mark on a reader than the first book that finds its way into his heart. Those first images, the echo of words we think we have left behind, accompany us throughout our lives and sculpt a palace in our memory to which, sooner or later — no matter how many books we read, how many worlds we discover, or how much we learn or forget — we will return.”