The Cemetery of Lost Books discussion

I'm currently reading The Labyrinth of the Spirits (great so far). I've read the previous books way before so I decided to review them just to refresh my memories of the exceptional characters the whole series has.

The Angel's Game (page 464)

'I'm looking for Maria Antonia Sanahuja,' I said.
'Are you the doctor?' he asked.

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The Prisoner of Heaven (page 75)

In the real world, Number 12 had been Dr Roman Sanahuja, head of General Medicine at Barcelona Hospital Clinico, an honourable man, cured of ideological delusions, whose conscience and refusal to denounce his friends has sent him to the castle.

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Is Dr Roman Sanahuja the doctor mentioned in The Angel's Game? If that's the case then is he related to Maria Antonia Sanahuja aka Irene Sabino? I mean Irene Sabino is only a stage name given by Jaco so I'm assuming Maria Antonia Sanahuja is her real name.

But then, The Angel's Game was written by David Martin during his imprisonment in Montjuic Castle plus he has schizophrenia so the events in the book are questionable. Maybe he got the reality and fiction mixed up and unintentionally used Sanahuja's surname as one of his characters in The Angel's Game. In The Prisoner of Heaven both of them got really close since Valls ordered Dr Roman Sanahuja to take care of David Martin.

Anyway Carlos Ruiz Zafon is truly a genius. RIP master storyteller.

He always kept us guessing. Each time I read one of the books, it brings up more questions like this. RIP. He will be missed.

Badger wrote: "He always kept us guessing. Each time I read one of the books, it brings up more questions like this. RIP. He will be missed."

TRUE! In my opinion, the characters in the whole series, even the supporting characters, are equally meticulous. Even the setting itself, Barcelona, is as much a character of the series as any of the characters there. Hope I'll find more "easter eggs" :D

Check out the pictures at the top of this group. Click on Photos. See the text I clipped regarding Daniel's name. Mistake? Intentional?
Badger

Badger wrote: "Check out the pictures at the top of this group. Click on Photos. See the text I clipped regarding Daniel's name. Mistake? Intentional?
Badger"

Hey Badger! I checked the photo you've mentioned and I immediately went to my room and reviewed my The Shadow of the Wind book.

I found it on page 271----the part when Daniel received his military draft letter. In my edition, it is Daniel Sempere though.

MY GUESS: Editing error

MAYBE

I think during the time when Zafon was writing The Shadow of the Wind, he originally planned to introduce David Martin's character there and reveal his true relationship with the Semperes later on, to make way for The Angel's Game which I also think he already planned to write as a somewhat "plain prequel" (just to show how David Martin and the Semperes' relationship started).

HOWEVER, he dismissed the idea later on because maybe he told himself 'why not scrap the original idea and make it more suspenseful? It would be a great opportunity to expand and build up the story?' So Zafon and his team edited the book but unfortunately, they missed out editing the Daniel Sempere Martin part in the book. Hence, it was really just an editing error.

It would make sense because the Spanish editions were the original/first versions to be published right? So that means the translated versions are the updated ones I think? lol.

I'm currently reading The Labyrinth of the Spirits and I've noticed a few grammatical errors so it is possible.

Badger wrote: "He always kept us guessing. Each time I read one of the books, it brings up more questions like this. RIP. He will be missed."

Another "foreshadowing" in The Shadow of the Wind *pun intended* that I've come to realize:

The Shadow of the Wind (page 52)

I crouched down against the door and took the Carax from the inside of my jacket. I opened it and reread the first sentence that had entranced me years before.

That summer it rained every day, and although many said it was God's wrath because the villagers had opened a casino next to the church, I knew it was my fault, and mine alone, for I had learned to lie and my lips still retained the last words spoken by my mother on her deathbed: 'I never loved the man I married but another who, I was told, had been killed in the war; look for him and tell him my last thoughts were for him, for he is your father.'

It seems like the characters represent Isabella and Daniel right?

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Now that I think about it, there's a lot of parallelism between the life of Julian Carax and Daniel Sempere wow


1. both have interesting relationships with their dads
2. both lost their moms in different ways
3. both of them fell in love with their best friend's sister
4. both were enthralled by books
5. and lastly, they are both illegitimate child

Royce wrote: "Badger wrote: "He always kept us guessing. Each time I read one of the books, it brings up more questions like this. RIP. He will be missed."

Another "foreshadowing" in The Shadow of the Wind *pun..."

Yes, I am back, and beyond shock over Zafon’s passing.

Royce, I wore out my first copy of Shadow. My copy just has Daniel Sempere. If I recall, that is ‘truth’?

Remember, Penelope is also his half sister!

Sue wrote: "Royce wrote: "Badger wrote: "He always kept us guessing. Each time I read one of the books, it brings up more questions like this. RIP. He will be missed."

Another "foreshadowing" in The Shadow of..."

Hi Sue! Yes, my copy also says Daniel Sempere but it seems that the first editions that were published, which were the Spanish versions, has Daniel Sempere Martin in them.

(Actually I'm not really sure if all the Spanish versions has Daniel Sempere Martin in them hehehe but if they have, my guess about the addition of 'Martin' would still be the same---editing error)

Yes! That plot twist about Carax and Penelope's real relationship was so unexpected and good. I think that's the only part of Carax's life that doesn't parallel Daniel Sempere's life lol

I found another easter egg!

The Angel's Game (page 499)

For the sender's name I wrote Mr Rochester, knowing that if the letter did reach her hands, Isabella would know who it was from.

In The Angel's Game's epilogue, David Martin wrote to Isabella to know whether she was all right or whether she was still alive.
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The Labyrinth of the Spirits (page 269)

She went over to the bookshelf where she kept some of her best-loved books, most of which she'd read and reread a few times. Four years had gone by since Alicia had revisited her favorite among them all, Jane Eyre.

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Mr. Rochester is the Byronic hero in Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre---The favorite book of Alicia Gris <3.

Royce wrote: "Badger wrote: "Check out the pictures at the top of this group. Click on Photos. See the text I clipped regarding Daniel's name. Mistake? Intentional?
Badger"

Hey Badger! I checked the photo you'v..."

Royce,
Yes, I thought might have been what happened too; an error or omission in editing. It seems like a big thing to have missed, though.

I think there may be some timeline inconsistencies. I recently reread Prisoner of Heaven again and I took notes on the timeline of events. I will reread Labyrinth again soon and see if I see anything.

I just finished reading The Labyrinth of the Spirits and I wish I could turn back time so that I could relive the moment I first read the three previous books of this series.

Julian Sempere's book is published by Editions de la Lumiere. This was also the name of the publishing house that Andreas Corelli owned in The Angel's Game. Wow.

Andreas Corelli is an enigma. I love how Zafon kind of made him like a religious figure. I doubted his existence after reading The Angel's Game and The Prisoner of Heaven but when I read the part of the story that said someone helped David Martin escape from his two executors, I start questioning again if he's real or not (before reading the final book I thought it was Julian Carax who helped David Martin lol or that maybe David Martin also has dissociative identity disorder aside from schizophrenia). Andreas Corelli is a mystery and in my opinion, it should remain like that.

Royce wrote: "I just finished reading The Labyrinth of the Spirits and I wish I could turn back time so that I could relive the moment I first read the three previous books of this series.

Julian Sempere's boo..."

Yes, maybe he was always meant to be a mystery. I will read Labyrinth again soon. I am putting together a timeline of key events. I will share it with everyone when I do.