"One of the best books of 2007!"
"I couldn't put it down. A page turner!"
"It's one of those rare novels that compels the reader to get lost in the story."
No, these aren't quotes from book reviewers. They are my own words.
A friend of mine at work gave this to me, suggesting that I might like it. What an understatement!
The Shadow of the Wind is set in post-WWII Barcelona and is a story about a book and an author, but much more. The characters are so richly developed (and there are so many that, at times, I had to pause to make sure I had it all straight, but finding out what would happen and how all of the many pieces would eventually come together compelled me to go on. It ties in world history, a cultural appreciation for Spain, and the most common of human emotions and experiences.
I was just impressed that the author could 1) come up with the story 2) develop it and 3) keep it straight.
And, there's a map of a walking tour of Barcelona in the event you visit the city and want to visit the sites/places of importance in the book.
As I read this book, one which highlighted the culture not of "great writers," but of "great readers," (which I felt like as I tore my way through), I was transported to another time and place and thrown back to the great books of my youth, when I would lie in bed and just read for 12 hours straight. Those days are, of course, gone, but I found myself going to bed later and later each night, compelled to read "just one more chapter."
Just brilliant.
And here's an offer...first person to comment say "I'll read it and post a review to this post within the next month" ....I'll send it to you.
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