Genre: Mystery, Historical Fiction
Author: Carlos Ruiz Zafón
Year Published: 2001
TWs: Substances, Death, SA
Rating: 4/5
My trip to Spain last June was magical. It was filled with golden sand beaches, incredible architecture and mouth-watering churros con chocolate. I fell head over heels for the vibrant culture in Spain as well as the delicious tapas found around every corner.
My favourite visits though, were the bookstores! When I came across a mystery centred around books that takes place in the streets of Barcelona, I had to pick it up! ¿Estás listo? ¡Vamos!
“It occurred to me that their very presence was testimony to the moral emptiness of the universe and the mechanical brutality with which it destroys the parts it no longer needs.”
Synopsis (spoiler-free, always)
In 1945 Barcelona, Daniel Sempere dreams of being a writer while working alongside his father in his humble bookshop. One day, Daniel’s father takes him to the elusive Cemetery of Forgotten Books, a library whose shelves are donned by, you guessed it, forgotten books. When Daniel has to pick a book to guard forever, he picks up a novel by the mysterious author, Julian Carax.
Enraptured by the book, he sets out to find more works by Carax only to find out someone has made it their mission to destroy all his books by any means necessary. As Daniel digs deeper into Carax’s past, dark and scandalous secrets are revealed. However, Daniel soon realises that powerful people in the city will do anything to keep the truth about Carax and his sinister death hidden.
“Death does that: it makes everyone feel sentimental. When we stand in front of a coffin, we see only what is good, or what we want to see.”
My Thoughts
I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by this book. When I began, I expected an action-packed thriller filled with more fight scenes than the mystery. However, this book was so much more than that. Yes, it did have its fair share of showdowns with the bad guys but it also had mystery, drama and depth. I’m also glad to see that Daniel didn’t just magically solve the mystery but questioned and worked with others, making it more realistic. Another aspect I really liked was the historical setting. The author managed to weave in the nuances of wartime Barcelona with the story perfectly and it made for a very immersive experience.
The only complaint I had was that it was slow at times and some details were unnecessary. For example, whenever a new character or building was introduced, there were 2-3 pages devoted to their backstory. Speaking of characters, I had two favourites. One was Fermin, the street-dweller turned master bookkeeper, who kept the story light-hearted with his (at times) inappropriate comments. The second was Inspector Fumero because no mystery is complete without a vengeful detective, hell-bent on making life harder.
It also struck me how this book seemed slightly similar to ‘The Book Thief’ but I won’t spoil the book by telling you why. If you want an intriguing but also insightful read, I would definitely recommend this book!
Happy Reading!
About the Author
- The Prince of Mist
- The Angel’s Game
- The Prisoner of Heaven
Find more on his Goodreads page!
Very insightful review
Makes me wanna go for the book immediately
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