Shadow of the Wind

Page-turners, though enjoyable, are rarely literary works of art. Plots advance much too quickly (that’s why they are page-turners) at the expense of writing that makes for a masterpiece like Carlos Ruiz Zafon’s exquisite novel, Shadow of the Wind.

This book is art in its deepest sense. Indeed the plot captivates our interest, but it unfolds slowly.  Woven between the passages of the plot’s relentless advancement is continuous, rich character development that makes you remember the key players long after you finish the book.

As is often the case in describing most great literary novels, a summary of the plot fails to do justice to the magnitude of the book’s allure, but here’s an overview.

Set in Barcelona in the 1920s through the 1950s, the action begins in the 1950s when 10 year-old Daniel is taken by his father, a bookseller, to a mystical place called the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, where books are guarded from oblivion. Told to choose one book to protect, Daniel selects a novel by an obscure writer, Julian Carax. Captivated, he devours the book overnight,  becoming obsessed with finding more books by Carax and learning about the author’s background. This obsession continues throughout the next eight years in episodes laced with intrigue: a mysterious person is burning every Carax book he can find and ominously warns Daniel to stop his quest, while a sadistic policeman makes bone-chilling threats on young Daniel’s life if he continues his exploration.

Carax has vanished and is presumed  dead,  but Daniel’s pursuit of the truth is relentless. His eight year adventure is marked by his coming of age, by the challenges of family relationships, by broken friendships and new, unlikely alliances.  His dogged pursuit of the key to unlock the Carax mystery takes him on many unexpected paths and introduces him to a cast of characters that little by little, leads him to the answers he seeks nearly at the cost of his own life.

The quality of the writing (and its expert translation) makes you feel that you have become personally acquainted with these fictional characters. As I read the book, I marveled at the complex, evocative prose that slows down the reading pace, enabling the reader to drink everything in so that it can be properly appreciated and enjoyed.