Marina

by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

We all have a secret buried under lock and key in the attic of our soul. This is mine . . .

In May 1980, 15-year-old Óscar Drai suddenly vanishes from his boarding school in the old quarter of Barcelona. For seven days and nights no one knows his whereabouts . . .

His story begins in the heart of old Barcelona, when he meets Marina and her father German Blau, a portrait painter. Marina takes Óscar to a cemetery and at 10 am, a coach pulled by horses appears. From it descends a woman dressed in black, her face shrouded, wearing gloves, holding a single rose. She walks over to a gravestone that bears no name, only the mysterious emblem of a black butterfly with open wings.

When Óscar and Marina decide to follow her they begin a journey that will take them to the heights of a forgotten, post-war Barcelona, a world of aristocrats and actresses, inventors and tycoons; and a dark secret that lies waiting in the mysterious labyrinth beneath the city streets.

Audiobook read by Daniel Weyman.

Audible Audio

Published September 26, 2013

About the author

Carlos 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.

Reviews

[Stephanie Pereboom · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was unable to find the non-Audible version here on Goodreads, but I read the actual book, instead of the Audible. This is the first book I have read by this author. The book was given to me as a gift with a high recommendation. It did not disappoint. It’s the first book I’ve read this quickly in a long time. This book had suspense, mystery, a little bit of thriller/horror, but not so much that it was gruesome, and a little bit of a love story. I recommend this for young adults and adults alike.

[Pauline Van der Velde · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zoals alle boeken van Carlos Ruiz Zafon kan je ze niet anders dan in 1 adem uitlezen. Zijn beeldende verhaal stijl, het spannende verhaal, je wordt er in meegesleurd. Ik heb al heel wat van zijn verhalen gelezen. Behalve de verhalen over het labyrinth van boeken. Daar moet ik nog aan beginnen. Het beste voor het laatste bewaard.