BOOK: The Shadow of The Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

481 pages and you have to read each page to get the storyline correctly, because this is a book with main plot, sub plots, sub-sub plots, where each character played important role in building up an intricate, very mazelike content.

i was hooked from the first paragraph as the author described the dawn of early summer in Barcelona in 1945 as "dawn poured over Rambla de Santa Monica in wreath of liquid copper". Oh! i wished, i had his clarity in giving description. Reading those line made me SEE those street as if i was there. No matter how bizzare this might sound to you, he transported me to places, introduced me to people with different characters. This book is, magic.

The summary of the book is simple. a boy read a book and wanted to read another book by that author. His dad was a second hand book dealer and through acquaintances, found out the author had written several books but, mysteriously dissapeared. The boy's copy might be the last in existance. His quest to unravel the mysteries trapped him in a very complex situation, where his own life might be condemn to despair. The boy who started off to seek the truth, returned a man with changed perspective of truth.

Dont be decieved by my super simplified summary. The book is a must read. If i could read in Spanish, i'd read the original. Lucia Graves made an excellent English translation (she even gave different english accent to the man who spoke different Spanish accent)--which is for me neat and seriously funny. Ruiz Zafon was lucky to have her.

i'd give the book 4.75/5

i dont usually go and check author's fan website. but, this is the link for Carlos Ruiz Zafon's. this is the second book i borrow from this lady