Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon 5 Stars - unique, complex and hard to explain

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Shadow of the Wind is an unusual book. This is the kind of book which may cause the reader to question over and over - do I like this book? In turns I found it dark, disturbing, uplifting, frustrating, puzzling, concerning, etc. etc. But, in the final analysis, I found it to be so unique and atmospheric as to be a book I could not put down, and a book I know I will never forget.

How to explain it.... On the day 10 year-old Spaniard Daniel awakens to the horrible sense that he can no longer remember the face of his dead mother, his father takes him to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books. He tells him this is a secret he must not reveal to anyone else and this trip changes Daniel's life. Daniel is told he is to select a book within the stacks which is to become his private mission - this book will be the one he personally will protect. Daniel selects The Shadow of the Wind by Julian Carax.

Daniel falls in love with Shadow of the Wind and begins a quest to locate other books by Carax. But, he is stunned to find the several titles written by Carax are difficult to locate. Someone has been systematically buying or stealing all copies in order to burn them. And, there is a great mystery surrounding Julian Carax himself. Is he alive? Did he die in Paris? Was he murdered in Barcelona? What became of the woman he loved? Who wanted him dead?

Shadow of the Wind is a book of great atmosphere - almost Gothic in nature. Set to the greatest extent in Barcelona, we experience the underbelly of this city during a time of great upheaval - the Spanish revolution and World War II. There are many characters and each has their story and their secrets. Initially, Daniel's search is simply to learn more about the author and to locate more of his titles to read. But, soon his quest becomes an obsession and Daniel finds it is a dangerous game he is playing. With his father suffering from grief, Daniel finds himself turning to others for assistance and information. Some are honorable, some he can trust, yet others are playing their own game. I am not going to get into names and descriptions of characters here because there are just too many and the relationships are so complex.

The twists and turns, the lies, the violence, the physical danger, the mysteries, the plots, the subplots, all make The Shadow of the Wind a sometimes frustrating read, but it is always interesting. The language is so rich and the story so involved. On one or two occasions you will jump up in your chair and say "WTH?" or "OMG".

There are many sexual references, and a few sex scenes, but none are graphic. The treatment of women in the book is difficult to experience, but seems very true to the era, which is the 1940's and 1950's. The evil and violence can be jarring, but the story has a sub-theme regarding madness and revenge that requires these kinds of scenes.

As a reader, I often seek the author's objective in writing the story. Is there a message or a lesson? I don't know if there is one in Shadow of the Wind. This is more of an it is what it is type of book. The language, the characters, the atmosphere, the mysteries, the romances - these are what this book is all about. This is also the first book in the series and I guess I can't wait to get my hands on the next.

For any of you who tend to read the end of the book first, that would be a major mistake. The beauty in this title is in the unfolding of the story, the complexity of the characters, and in the shifts and surprises along the way. This is a very rich book that kept me fascinated throughout.

Highly recommended for patient readers who are able to appreciate the slow yet relentless unfolding of a complex story.

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