Hidden in the heart of the old city of Barcelona is the 'cemetery of lost books', a labyrinthine library of obscure and forgotten titles that have long gone out of print. To this library, a man brings his 10-year-old son Daniel one cold morning in 1945. Daniel is allowed to choose one book from the shelves and pulls out 'La Sombra del Viento' by Julian Carax. But as he grows up, several people seem inordinately interested in his find. Then, one night, as he is wandering the old streets once more, Daniel is approached by a ...
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Hidden in the heart of the old city of Barcelona is the 'cemetery of lost books', a labyrinthine library of obscure and forgotten titles that have long gone out of print. To this library, a man brings his 10-year-old son Daniel one cold morning in 1945. Daniel is allowed to choose one book from the shelves and pulls out 'La Sombra del Viento' by Julian Carax. But as he grows up, several people seem inordinately interested in his find. Then, one night, as he is wandering the old streets once more, Daniel is approached by a figure who reminds him of a character from La Sombra del Viento, a character who turns out to be the devil. This man is tracking down every last copy of Carax's work in order to burn them. What begins as a case of literary curiosity turns into a race to find out the truth behind the life and death of Julian Carax and to save those he left behind. A page-turning exploration of obsession in literature and love, and the places that obsession can lead.
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This is simply the best book I've ever read!
First, you get all the mystery of the cemetery of forgotten books and old Barcelona, you learn its streets and places so it seems you are transported to Barcelona yourself and follow Daniel in all his investigations. It first seems to be a fantasy genre, but you then grow to understand that there could not be anything more real than this story. This is a book that you'll never want to say good bye to, but make sure that as much people read it as possible. This book changed the way I see literature now, it brought something new, new feelings and emotions, love and sympathy for poor characters of the story and hate for their enemies. It is so inspiring, it seems like you've lived their life, you've been there, you know and understand how they feel. It could not have been better! Highly recommend to all of you, any age, this is classic!
