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Marina, the Shadow of the Wind, the Angel's Game & The Prince of Mist
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First published August 5, 2011
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1666 people want to read
About the author
Carlos Ruiz Zafón
62 books26.8k followersCarlos Ruiz Zafón was a Spanish novelist known for his 2001 novel La sombra del viento (The Shadow of the Wind). The novel sold 15 million copies and was winner of numerous awards; it was included in the list of the one hundred best books in Spanish in the last twenty-five years, made in 2007 by eighty-one Latin American and Spanish writers and critics.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
April 22, 2012
One of my favorite authors. These books are epic, gothic novels that span generations. Very well developed characters, intense plot lines ... oh ... I could go on and on!
My favorite is The Shadow of the Wind - Barcelona, the Cemetary of Forgotten Books, etc., etc.!
The Angel's Game (really, a continuation from The Shadow of the Wind) had a very odd ending. I enjoyed the book up to the end. I wouldn't not read the book, just be prepared for a funky ending!
My favorite is The Shadow of the Wind - Barcelona, the Cemetary of Forgotten Books, etc., etc.!
The Angel's Game (really, a continuation from The Shadow of the Wind) had a very odd ending. I enjoyed the book up to the end. I wouldn't not read the book, just be prepared for a funky ending!
January 13, 2013
The soul of books.
On Carlos Ruiz Zafon’s The Angel’s Game.
Barcelona. For almost a 100 years, it has been Antonio Gaudi and the Sagrada Familia. But more recently, also Carlos Ruiz Zafon, the Spanish bestselling author and his books on books. Zafon envisaged four novels that would be part of a fictional universe, with some of the same characters you meet at different points in their lives. A Harry Potter world for adults. A box of stories with four doors to enter “a labyrinth of fictions that could be explored in many directions”. The central axis is the Cemetery of Forgotten Books in Barcelona, the city where Zafon was born and which he knows like the back of his hand. The first book, The Shadow of the Wind , he called “the nice, good girl in the family”, its prequel, the Angel’s Game “the wicked Gothic stepsister. It’s a book designed to step into the storytelling process and become part of it. In other words, the wicked, Gothic chick wants your blood”. (1)
And so, from almost the first page, you’re drawn into this magical world of Barcelona in the twenties. Where a young boy, David Martin, is growing up. Son to an abusive father, who cannot understand his love for books, and a mother who leaves her family when he’s still very young. He finds love and understanding with Sempere, the old bookshop keeper, who becomes a kind of second father to him and who gives him one of the most precious gifts of his life: an old copy of Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations. From then on, he has only one ambition: to become a writer. A few years later, he is writing a series of Gothic novels, under a pseudonym. And then is approached by a French publisher, Andreas Corelli, who has an assignment for him: he is to write a book that will change the hearts and minds of people who read it. In return for, amongst other things, a lot of money. As David embarks upon the project, strange things begin to happen and – as a reader – you are swept away by the sheer mastery of Zafon’s storytelling skills. A thriller, suffused with a Gothic sauce of crumbling architecture, haunted mansions with creaking doors, mysterious deaths, ghosts, the mist enveloping the back allies of the city. Barcelona becomes alive and reading a Zafon book always makes me want to go and visit this place, for his books are so much more attractive and exciting than a tourist brochure. But as the irony is so abundant at times, you cannot help but feel, there’s much more to it than just an adventure story.
For Zafon is a European author and – like so many of them – still struggling with what World War II did to our hearts and minds. And then, there was also the Spanish Civil War and the Franco regime afterwards. Fascism, and certainly Nazism, explore the same eternal stories as religion does: good or bad, a hero/a villain/and the victim who, precisely because he feels victimized by external forces, needs to believe. "Nothing makes us believe more than fear,(…). When we feel like victims, all our actions and beliefs are legitimized, however questionable they may be. Our opponents, or simply our neighbors, stop sharing common ground with us and become our enemies. We stop being aggressors and become defenders. (…) The first step for believing passionately is fear. Fear of losing our identity, our life, our status, our beliefs. Fear is the gunpowder and hatred is the fuse. Dogma, the final ingredient, is only a lighted match." (…) “It's much easier to hate someone with a recognizable face whom we can blame for everything that makes us uncomfortable. It doesn't have to be an individual character. It can be a nation, a race, a group . . . anything." (2)
Zafon asks the question so many of us have asked over here for the last sixty-seventy years: how was this horror possible? Who’s responsible for these wicked ideologies which can set the world on fire and destroy everything? God or Man? Angel or Devil? The madness of the artist or the fears and weaknesses of ‘normal’ people, like us? To me, one of the reasons the Angel’s Game had to be written was for it to become an antidote to these destructive ideologies and fanatical religions. For it can generate new universes, even second chances . It’s also a unifying force – just like religion and ideology – for as a reader we are asked to ‘step into the process and become part of it’. But it’s a constructive, creative process. One that does not offer certainties while at the same time, leaves us with many ‘truths’.
But it’s also a book on the old theme of Faust: would we sell our soul for things like health, the promise of happiness, money and fame? Or in the end, just to escape fear? How far would we, as individuals, go for – what is a recurrent theme in the book – ‘Great Expectations’ - the fulfilment of our dreams, illusions and passions ? Is salvation and damnation all inside ourselves or is fate always hovering above us, playing games with our lives? As a reader, we are challenged to find those ‘truths’ at different levels. And in doing so, have become part of the soul of the book. For “every book has a soul, the soul of the person who wrote it and of those who read it and dream about it”. (2) That is also a reason why it had to be written.
In any case, I did not bury this book in “the Cemetery of Forgotten Books”. It had a profound influence on me and two consequences. Not only am I dying to visit Barcelona one day, but also I’d love to enter another of those ‘doors’ and get lost in the Zafon labyrinth once more. So, up to number three: The prisoner of Heaven.
(1) Quote from Carlos Ruiz Zafon ‘On the Angel’s Game’
(2) Quotes from ‘The Angel’s Game’
On Carlos Ruiz Zafon’s The Angel’s Game.
Barcelona. For almost a 100 years, it has been Antonio Gaudi and the Sagrada Familia. But more recently, also Carlos Ruiz Zafon, the Spanish bestselling author and his books on books. Zafon envisaged four novels that would be part of a fictional universe, with some of the same characters you meet at different points in their lives. A Harry Potter world for adults. A box of stories with four doors to enter “a labyrinth of fictions that could be explored in many directions”. The central axis is the Cemetery of Forgotten Books in Barcelona, the city where Zafon was born and which he knows like the back of his hand. The first book, The Shadow of the Wind , he called “the nice, good girl in the family”, its prequel, the Angel’s Game “the wicked Gothic stepsister. It’s a book designed to step into the storytelling process and become part of it. In other words, the wicked, Gothic chick wants your blood”. (1)
And so, from almost the first page, you’re drawn into this magical world of Barcelona in the twenties. Where a young boy, David Martin, is growing up. Son to an abusive father, who cannot understand his love for books, and a mother who leaves her family when he’s still very young. He finds love and understanding with Sempere, the old bookshop keeper, who becomes a kind of second father to him and who gives him one of the most precious gifts of his life: an old copy of Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations. From then on, he has only one ambition: to become a writer. A few years later, he is writing a series of Gothic novels, under a pseudonym. And then is approached by a French publisher, Andreas Corelli, who has an assignment for him: he is to write a book that will change the hearts and minds of people who read it. In return for, amongst other things, a lot of money. As David embarks upon the project, strange things begin to happen and – as a reader – you are swept away by the sheer mastery of Zafon’s storytelling skills. A thriller, suffused with a Gothic sauce of crumbling architecture, haunted mansions with creaking doors, mysterious deaths, ghosts, the mist enveloping the back allies of the city. Barcelona becomes alive and reading a Zafon book always makes me want to go and visit this place, for his books are so much more attractive and exciting than a tourist brochure. But as the irony is so abundant at times, you cannot help but feel, there’s much more to it than just an adventure story.
For Zafon is a European author and – like so many of them – still struggling with what World War II did to our hearts and minds. And then, there was also the Spanish Civil War and the Franco regime afterwards. Fascism, and certainly Nazism, explore the same eternal stories as religion does: good or bad, a hero/a villain/and the victim who, precisely because he feels victimized by external forces, needs to believe. "Nothing makes us believe more than fear,(…). When we feel like victims, all our actions and beliefs are legitimized, however questionable they may be. Our opponents, or simply our neighbors, stop sharing common ground with us and become our enemies. We stop being aggressors and become defenders. (…) The first step for believing passionately is fear. Fear of losing our identity, our life, our status, our beliefs. Fear is the gunpowder and hatred is the fuse. Dogma, the final ingredient, is only a lighted match." (…) “It's much easier to hate someone with a recognizable face whom we can blame for everything that makes us uncomfortable. It doesn't have to be an individual character. It can be a nation, a race, a group . . . anything." (2)
Zafon asks the question so many of us have asked over here for the last sixty-seventy years: how was this horror possible? Who’s responsible for these wicked ideologies which can set the world on fire and destroy everything? God or Man? Angel or Devil? The madness of the artist or the fears and weaknesses of ‘normal’ people, like us? To me, one of the reasons the Angel’s Game had to be written was for it to become an antidote to these destructive ideologies and fanatical religions. For it can generate new universes, even second chances . It’s also a unifying force – just like religion and ideology – for as a reader we are asked to ‘step into the process and become part of it’. But it’s a constructive, creative process. One that does not offer certainties while at the same time, leaves us with many ‘truths’.
But it’s also a book on the old theme of Faust: would we sell our soul for things like health, the promise of happiness, money and fame? Or in the end, just to escape fear? How far would we, as individuals, go for – what is a recurrent theme in the book – ‘Great Expectations’ - the fulfilment of our dreams, illusions and passions ? Is salvation and damnation all inside ourselves or is fate always hovering above us, playing games with our lives? As a reader, we are challenged to find those ‘truths’ at different levels. And in doing so, have become part of the soul of the book. For “every book has a soul, the soul of the person who wrote it and of those who read it and dream about it”. (2) That is also a reason why it had to be written.
In any case, I did not bury this book in “the Cemetery of Forgotten Books”. It had a profound influence on me and two consequences. Not only am I dying to visit Barcelona one day, but also I’d love to enter another of those ‘doors’ and get lost in the Zafon labyrinth once more. So, up to number three: The prisoner of Heaven.
(1) Quote from Carlos Ruiz Zafon ‘On the Angel’s Game’
(2) Quotes from ‘The Angel’s Game’
September 25, 2012
Shadow of the Wind is my favorite book ever. Love this series, love when I read an interview with Carlos that said something to the effect of "even though this is a series, you can read it in any order, seeing characters in different times of their lives." Love, love, love.
January 12, 2012
these books are absolutely great. mystery, Gothic atmosphere, thrilling action, complex characters, love, and marvelous places (Barcelona, The Cemetery of Forgotten Books).
June 11, 2013
one of three books with the same characters and story arc. The reviews said that it didn't matter which order you read the books and i suppose that's true.The order of the books will determine your experience but they are all written in such a way that the end can either be a cliffhanger or a satisfying conclusion.
Interesting concept that succeeds at a certain level
Interesting concept that succeeds at a certain level
June 12, 2012
I read this books in spanish and fell in love with the narrative and fantastic gothic world that the author paints with his words. If you enjoy suspense and clever story lines, look for any of his stories and you won't regret it.
May 7, 2013
Read this book several times. I don't do that very often. I laughed, I cried and I loved this book like a friend. I will read this book again because it frankly calls my name with mystery, love just so well written. It is vivid and honest and exotic and so many other things. I recommend this as a hidden gem that many don't know about and I hope others enjoy this book as well. It's right up there with: Como Agua para Chocolate.
November 26, 2012
I'm a fan of Carlos Ruiz Zafon. Although I didn't think that Angel's Game matched the heights of The Shadow of the Wind, it was still a good read. And in The Prince Of Mist one can see how the author's style as developed.
The story is well-developed, if aimed at a slightly younger audience, and the atmosphere that Zafon creates so well in all of his books, and possibly his strongest point, is here in abundance. If there is a criticism to be made it is that some of the language, often surrounding sibling bickering (the sentiment of which is carried off very well) is a little twee, at times cliched. This has to be considered in the context of a debut novel, however.
The story is well-developed, if aimed at a slightly younger audience, and the atmosphere that Zafon creates so well in all of his books, and possibly his strongest point, is here in abundance. If there is a criticism to be made it is that some of the language, often surrounding sibling bickering (the sentiment of which is carried off very well) is a little twee, at times cliched. This has to be considered in the context of a debut novel, however.
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December 6, 2013Read Shadow of the Wind and then Angel's Game.... It was the same lovely writing but the story fell a little short for me. Shadow of the Wind was perfection that moved me if not physically but spiritually to Barcelona during their civil war.... and I really want to find a library like that... a repository of all books held sacred. There should be one.
May 22, 2013
I adored this collection, it made me think that Zafon is probably the best contemporary writer apart from Jeffrey Eugenides. I haven't cried over a book for a long time, but Marina did that for me. One of the most beautiful love stories of the last centuries.
September 13, 2012
Pure genius, this author has an amazing way with words, all three books are beautifully written.
April 8, 2020
Amazing. A book series that transports you. You will not be able to put down this series of books. The language will transport you and create an obsession.
November 19, 2012
An amazing series. His descriptive prowess always transports me to Barcelona with ease.
January 17, 2013
One of the most fabulous authors to read. The descriptions really suck you into the story. Once I've started reading one of his books, I know I'll be lost to the world for hours.
November 5, 2012
Dit eerste deel - De schaduw van de wind - van een cyclus heb ik met veel plezier gelezen.
Ik werd al meteen aangesproken door het zeer kleurrijke taalgebruik van Carlos Ruiz Zafon en toen ik eenmaal goed in het verhaal zat werd ik ook gegrepen door de spanningsboog tussen de personages onderling en tussen heden en verleden.
Tot het eind toe bleef deze spanning bestaan en ik ben dan ook zeer gemotiveerd om aan het volgende deel uit deze cyclus te beginnen.
Het spel van de engel ligt klaar naast mijn leesstoel.
Ik werd al meteen aangesproken door het zeer kleurrijke taalgebruik van Carlos Ruiz Zafon en toen ik eenmaal goed in het verhaal zat werd ik ook gegrepen door de spanningsboog tussen de personages onderling en tussen heden en verleden.
Tot het eind toe bleef deze spanning bestaan en ik ben dan ook zeer gemotiveerd om aan het volgende deel uit deze cyclus te beginnen.
Het spel van de engel ligt klaar naast mijn leesstoel.
October 24, 2013
I loved the "Shadow of the Wind" and highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good historical mystery/romance. This is top-notch literature set in Franco's fascist Barcelona . It reminded me of the film "Pan's Labyrinth ", which I also love because of it's spooky ambience and foreboding. The characters are very interesting and I won't soon forget them. I look forward to reading more from Mr. Zafon soon.
November 23, 2012
Intriguing books and author. I read them all except Marina, and I was quite mesmerized by them - especially the Shadow of the Wind. I would definitely recommend them, and I'm looking forward to reading his latest book; The Prisoner of Heaven, which is the successor to the Shadow of the Wind and Angel's Game:
September 3, 2013
Good writer, mysterious is the brand of Zafon, I like first the Shadow of the Wind, it was just great fresh, mysterious and unexpected at the end. The other I liked but I found it a little bit similar. I would like to understand the obsession of Zafon with fire, all his novel have fire on them. Good!
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March 10, 2015This whole set/series is so well crafted. The characters are related through all three of the novels. Yet each is it's own individual story. Zafon writes with such beauty, imparting wisdom and such waves of emotion in the reader. I'm sad to see this series end. It left me wondering somewhat...but left room for me to decide the ending for myself. I loved, loved these books!!!!!
March 29, 2015
I don't know if I'll ever finish this book. A promising idea, but ends up being nothing more than 500 pages of drivel. The plot doesn't really make sense and the entire book seems forced. I do not recommend this.
UPDATE: I gave up on this book with 50 pages to go. I gave it a fair chance and I could take no more, I couldn't force myself to read those last pages.
UPDATE: I gave up on this book with 50 pages to go. I gave it a fair chance and I could take no more, I couldn't force myself to read those last pages.
January 3, 2016
Leer Marina ha sido un viaje al pasado de una ciudad que apenas distingo, llena de misterio e intriga, un pequeño toque de terror que hizo de la lectura más interesante.
El final tan inesperadamente intenso y sentimental llego a conmoverme de tal manera que me encuentro sorprendido de que haya encontrado una obra tan profunda.
El final tan inesperadamente intenso y sentimental llego a conmoverme de tal manera que me encuentro sorprendido de que haya encontrado una obra tan profunda.
June 4, 2012
Read the Prince of the Mist and was not as impressed as I thought I'd be. Admittedly I may have missed some things since I read it in the original Spanish and didn't have a dictionary with me. But my arguments with it were more plot-oriented than stylistic.
October 10, 2012
Love these books, and the author is so talented. The only one I have not read yet is Marina. But, the others are rich in detail and magnetically draw you into each story. Surprisingly, the Prince of Mist was written as a young adult novel, but it was a wonderful tale, and I enjoyed reading it.
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December 3, 2012Bought a French Pocket Book edition of Le Prince de la Brume--partly because of curiosity about Zafon and partly because the book itself was beautiful and compact. And party because I had a long layover in Paris CDG. Worth it!
February 11, 2013
Wow. Can't recall ever reading a book like this. Sinister but compelling. I happened to listen to it on CD, the person who read kept a very strong variety of accents and such for each character. Enjoyed his voice a lot.
June 11, 2013
Amazing writer.. He transmits so many emotions through his words, I would recommend Marina, which is in my opinion the best book ever written, I believe it's being published in English around September or October, so keep a lookout for this great book!
August 30, 2013
Shadow of the wind is one of those books i will read over and over again.Zafon takes us back to a Barcelona that i could never have imagined.Absolutly brilliant novel from an absolutly brilliant mind.
June 6, 2012
Great read
December 19, 2014
Interesting...
November 1, 2012
Need to get the Prince of Mist
Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews