The Angel's Game

By: Carlos Ruiz Zafón

Narrated by: Dan Stevens

Length: 15 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

In an abandoned mansion at the heart of Barcelona, a young man, David Martin, makes his living by writing sensationalist novels under a pseudonym. The survivor of a troubled childhood, he has taken refuge in the world of books and spends his nights spinning baroque tales about the city's underworld.

But perhaps his dark imaginings are not as strange as they seem, for in a locked room deep within the house lie photographs and letters hinting at the mysterious death of the previous owner.

Like a slow poison, the history of the place seeps into his bones as he struggles with an impossible love. Close to despair, David receives a letter from a reclusive French editor, Andreas Corelli, who makes him the offer of a lifetime. He is to write a book unlike anything that has ever existed, a book with the power to change hearts and minds. In return, he will receive a fortune, and perhaps more. But as David begins the work, he realizes that there is a connection between his haunting book and the shadows that surround his home.

Once again, Zafon takes us into a dark, gothic universe first seen in the Shadow of the Wind and creates a breathtaking adventure of intrigue, romance, and tragedy. Through a dizzingly constructed labyrinth of secrets, the magic of books, passion, and friendship blend into a masterful story.

©2009 Carlos Ruiz Zafon (P)2009 Random House

Critic reviews

"The plot resolves in a rush, for the author finds himself with many a loose end to tie up, but once it sinks in, the result is more than satisfying. Zafón delivers a warning about the dangers of obsession, mixed with an obvious passion for literature and the printed word; his book is also a song of love for Barcelona with all its creaking floorboards and hidden subbasements. A nice fit with the current craze for learned mysteries and for spooks of both the spying and the spectral kind." ( Kirkus Reviews)

Enchanting

Listened to this after being captivated by Shadow of the Wind, the 1st of 4 books in this series. The story sequence became a bit confusing at times (mostly intentional, I believe), but not to the extent I wanted to stop listening and rewind. Count me a Zafon fan - so glad there are still 2 novels in the Labyrinth series I'm looking forward to reading or listening to!

Hidden Gem

This book is written so beautifully. It is a great addition to the series Cemetery of Forgotten Books. It’s a series I recommend to EVERYONE.

Epilogue ruined the story for me

Great atmosphere, mystery, intrigue, characters, and story..and then there is that troublesome epilogue.
The book had an interesting,
haunting yet memorable ending but for some reason the editor or author didn’t think it was enough. The epilogue is not just a dark ending, but decided everyone you care about in the book will suffer and live in agony. Every dot of light is blacked out, all hope eliminated. Why? Seriously, why?

Entertaining but odd.

I'd say I was in the 10th hour of this audiobook and joked that I still wasn't sure what it was about. It was entertaining, dark and intriguing but somewhat confusing. I thought I knew where it was going, but ultimately didn't. Kept me entertained but I wouldn't say I highly recommend it and was glad to move on to something else.

Inconsistent story line

I think Carlos Ruiz Zafon is one of the best writers. I have been relistening to the first two books of the series. Once again, I was enthralled to be in the world of Barcelona and the mystery Zafon weaves into his stories. Because this was a second read, I was astonished to realize the story was inconsistent in the death of a major character from Shadow of the Wind, who actually survives to old age as written in Shadow. There were also minor differences from the first book to the second book in the treatment of what happens to characters there. I suppose this happens, but it is disconcerting especially when the stories are read closely together.

The reason for the review is the narrator. Why oh why does Mr. Stevens choose do do a less than successful imitation of Cary Grant. His other voices are nice, but this faux Cary is just so distracting I was pulled from the story each time. I remember this was the same reaction I had to this voice the last time I listened. With a great narrator in Davies, I cannot understand why anyone else would be used for this series.

Good read

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Anyone who has been to Barcelona will appreciate how well the author describes the city in early 20th century.

What did you like best about this story?

The story, though complex, was not difficult to follow (easier than in the Shadow of the Wind) and kept my interest throughout.

What about Dan Stevens’s performance did you like?

Dan Stevens's wonderful, deep voice was perfect for conveying the dark side of this mystery while bringing out the sensitivity of the main character.

Amazing

Carlos Ruiz Zafon is a true artist of words and continues to never disappoint. He touches hearts with every word here writes. Read it.

Great plot!

As I approached the end of this novel I couldn't guess at the ended. Counlnt put it down.

A wonderful book

The author creates a setting that makes you eager to continue listening to the very end,

Good reading, excellent entertainment!

The plot is a spiral of time, action and emotions, un an ever accelerating pace. Recommended!