The Shadow of the Wind

By: Carlos Ruiz Zafón

Narrated by: Jonathan Davis

Length: 18 hrs and 5 mins

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

Voice acting and storyline are outstanding

Voice acting and storyline are outstanding. Loved every moment. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

Amazing but the music is loud

The book is amazing. Lots of plot twists and exciting. The characters are flawed as in real life and the storyline will keep you on your toes. Jonathan Davis is amazing as a narrator. My only problem is the music . It sometimes is so loud you barely hear the words. That’s why I marked it 4 stars for performance.

A genuine pleasure.

A friend of mine recommended this book. I will be ever thankful. I fully fell into this world Carlos Zafon created. He writes beautifully and what a unique story. I am excited to continue reading the series. As for the audiobook, the narrator was perfect. The music however was unbearable.

Beautiful, haunting, complex story

This is one of those rare page-turners that I didn’t want to end. There were so many layers - at times I wasn’t sure if I was reading a book or a book about a book - and it was almost a surprise who the actual author was by the end. But it wasn’t frustrating; it was a lovely and fully engaging read. For those who’ve been to “Barthelona,” this is especially enjoyable.

One of the best books ever

THE SHADOW OF THE WIND, which I reread frequently, is a magnificent story and the audible version more than does it justice. Not being skilled in Spanish, the audible version is ever so helpful in making each Spanish word more meaningful. The narrator does a marvelous job in capturing the voices of each character. I often wish and hope that somewhere there is indeed a Cemetery of Forgotten Books. All books written by its author, Carlos Ruiz Zafón, are excellent but this one stands head and shoulders above. I think a love of books helps in the enjoyment of the story, but the mystery and suspense strongly enhance it. The world lost a treasure with the much too early death of Zafón.

Must Read Book

This book has become a favorite 😍. Much Love To This Book. Well read more of this author.

Awesome narration

This is a complicated story but so worth all the effort. You have to pay attention while listening. I sort of got tripped up on following some of the Spanish names. The ending does an excellent job of wrapping up the stories of the characters.
Daniel, as a small boy, is taken to a secret place called the Cemetery of Forgotten Books where he is to choose one book to protect. Daniel adopts The Shadow of the Wind by Julian Carax. Daniel strives to find out more about Carax and learns their lives in many ways parallel each other. It is a wonderful story with many interesting characters. Highly recommend.

If your looking for a book to captivate you, this is it…

This book is wonderful. Lots of layers of wonderful. Surprising, unexpected humor, hidden goodness in unlikely people, it is a beautiful story. I love it.

A Pleasant Surprise

The reading was fabulous! There were times that I thought I didn’t love the book but in the end I am so glad to have experienced it. It is worth the time. A beautiful and intriguing story!

After changes…we are more or less the same-PS

Fifteen years after writing an essay in Spanish Lit on this book, I accidentally picked it on Audible as I liked the title but forgot I’d read it—I’m glad. It’s a trip to Spain and through time that comments on human nature without becoming bogged down in too far to our faults, but using human desires as a guidepost to an adventurous tale executed with a sense of humor and seasoned with a little irony.