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The Shadow of the Wind  By  cover art

The Shadow of the Wind

By: Carlos Ruiz Zafón
Narrated by: Jonathan Davis
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Publisher's summary

Barry Award

Book Sense Book of the Year

Borders Original Voices Award

Gumshoe Award

Horror Guild Award

Joseph-Beth and Davis-Kidd Booksellers Fiction Award

NYPL Books to Remember

Barcelona, 1945: Just after the war, a great world city lies in shadow, nursing its wounds, and a boy named Daniel awakes on his 11th birthday to find that he can no longer remember his mother's face. To console his only child, Daniel's widowed father, an antiquarian book dealer, initiates him into the secret of the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, a library tended by Barcelona's guild of rare-book dealers as a repository for books forgotten by the world, waiting for someone who will care about them again.

Daniel's father coaxes him to choose a volume from the spiraling labyrinth of shelves, one that, it is said, will have a special meaning for him. And Daniel so loves the novel he selects, The Shadow of the Wind by one Julian Carax, that he sets out to find the rest of Carax's work. To his shock, he discovers that someone has been systematically destroying every copy of every book this author has written. In fact, he may have the last one in existence. Before Daniel knows it, his seemingly innocent quest has opened a door into one of Barcelona's darkest secrets, an epic story of murder, magic, madness, and doomed love.

An uncannily absorbing historical mystery, a heart-piercing romance, and a moving homage to the mystical power of books, The Shadow of the Wind is a triumph of the storyteller's art.

Translated by Lucia Graves.

©2001 Carlos Ruiz Zafon; 2004 Lucia Graves (P)2004 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“Anyone who enjoys novels that are scary, erotic, touching, tragic and thrilling should rush right out to the nearest bookstore and pick up The Shadow of the Wind. Really, you should.”—Michael Dirda, The Washington Post

“Gabriel Garcia Marquez meets Umberto Eco meets Jorge Luis Borges for a sprawling magic show.”—The New York Times Book Review

“[T]here is no question that [The Shadow of the Wind] is wondrous. . . [M]asterful, meticulous plotting and extraordinary control over language. . . . The Shadow of the Wind is ultimately a love letter to literature, intended for readers as passionate about storytelling as its young hero.”—Entertainment Weekly

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Since it was published in 1988, The Alchemist has remained a universally relatable work about what it means to find yourself and reach enlightenment. Paulo Coelho’s simple but profound writing style leaves listeners captivated—a style only heightened by the impeccable narrative performance of prolific stage and screen actor Jeremy Irons. If you’re one of the countless fans who’ve fallen in love with this title and find yourself wanting more, we’ve got you covered.

What listeners say about The Shadow of the Wind

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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    3,735
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  • 3 Stars
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Performance
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Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • 4 Stars
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  • 3 Stars
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  • 2 Stars
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  • 1 Stars
    149

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

very good

I took a chance with this one. I bought it because it was a good bargain. I am so glad I did! The story is suspenseful and the reader is entertaining. I love it!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Keeps you on your toes!

An excellent book and so wonderfully performed! The mystery, the different interpretations of love. Showing how you don't always get what you want but what you need. Perspective is everything.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Exceptional.

Loved the characters, story line and rich imagery. Can't wait to purchase the second book. Excellent narration.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

It leaves nothing to the imagination

I enjoyed the story's twists and turns, but finishing the story felt like an accomplishment after all that meticulous spelling-out of motives in the denouement. Also the characters are a bit more... fertile than real life.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

It’s an experience

This book that takes you through several loves, lifetimes and mysteries is emotional and heartfelt. When I first came across it I thought it cumbersome but soon found the magic in this writers emotion.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Something different

I listensed to this because of all the fuss made at the time of the author's death a few years ago. I had never heard of him. It's a bit melodramatic and it reminded me of a book written in the 19th century. Jonathan Davis is excellent as always. It is worth your time to listen to it.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A must-listen

I have not read the other books by Carlos Ruiz, but this is a masterclass in atmosphere an storytelling. I loved this book

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Must read

This is now one of my favorite books. Superb writing. Beautiful narration. Unpredictable plot and well-done conclusion.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

I wish it didn’t have piano playing throughout

This is one of my top five favorite series. The narrator did a great job differentiating the characters, but my god, the piano playing is so inappropriate. They are fighting each-other for the listeners attention and all I can say is thank goodness it isn’t throughout the entire story.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Love the prose & excellent gothic fun

The music, the narrative voice(s), the plot and it's twists, the gothic elements, the luscious prose-- all make for a delightful listening time.

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