The Shadow of the Wind: The Cemetery of Forgotten Books 1 - Hardcover

· "If you thought the gothic novel died with the 19th century, this will change your mind¿ in Zafon's hands, every scene seems to come from an early Orson Wells movie¿ one gorgeous read." (STEPHEN KING)

For the first time in 20 years or so as a book reviewer, I am tempted to dust off the old superlatives and even to employ some particularly vulgar cliches from the repetoire of publishers' blurbs. My colleagues may be shocked, but I don't care, I can't help myself, here goes. The Shadow of the Wind is a triumph of the storyteller's art. I couldn't put it down. Enchanting, hilarious and heartbreaking, this book will change your life." (DAILY TELEGRAPH)

Zafon's book is tremendously enjoyable... his story is impressively well-rounded. Humour, horror, politics and romance are skilfully deployed and.. the overall effect is hugely satisfying. Zafon, a former screenwriter, is particularly good at contrast and pacing: the book's 400 pages whip past with incredible speed. (SUNDAY TELEGRAPH)

¿ what makes this novel so irresistibly readable is the emotional energy generated by the ups and downs of a big and varied cast of memorable characters¿. His conviction of the importance of literature in real life comes shining through¿ Walk down any street in Zafon¿s Barcelona and you¿ll glimpse the shades of the past and the secrets of the present, inscribed alike in the city¿s material fabric and the lives of its citizens." (Michael Kerrigan GUARDIAN)

Gripping and instantly atmospheric, this literary mystery opens in the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, a maze-like library of obscure tomes hidden away in Barcelona's Old City, where the hero, Daniel, is taken as a boy...But he little realises the evil which it will unleash and the devastating impact it will have on his life." (MAIL ON SUNDAY YOU MAGAZINE)

'For the bibliophiles there can be few more enticing-sounding places than the 'Cemetery of Forgotten Books'...'The Shadow of the Wind' has been a publishing phenomenon in Spain and throughout Europe... Combining all the best elements of crime fiction with an investigation of the power of literature to shape our lives and imaginations, it is one of the most original and compelling stories of the past decade." (NICK RENNISON WATERSTONES QUARTERLY)

"a potent mix: a coming-of-age story set in Barcelona's post-war years, an edge of fantasy, a tragic love story, and a labyrinth of mystery." (Ben Page THE BOOKSELLER.)

Zafon makes sure there's a robust serving of amor, and enough magic, murder and madness to keep even the most reluctant reader engrossed. Diabolically good. (ELLE MAGAZINE)

everything about The Shadow of the Wind is smooth. The language purrs along, while the plot twists and unravels with a languid grace... Zafon's novel is atmospheric, beguiling and thoroughly readable. (OBSERVER)

Set in the author's native Barcelona in the years after the Spanish Civil War, this gripping novel has the feel of a gothic ghost story, complete with crumbling, ivy-covered mansions, gargoyles and dank prison cells.... this is just the sort of literary mystery that would have found favour with Wilkie Collins. (DAILY MAIL)