Hidden in the heart of the old city of Barcelona is the 'Cemetery of Lost Books', a labyrinthine library of obscure and forgotten titles that have long gone out of print. To this library, a man brings his 10-year-old son Daniel one cold morning in 1945. Daniel is allowed to choose one book from the shelves and pulls out 'The Shadow of the Wind' by Julian Carax.
But as he grows up, several people seem inordinately interested in his find. Then, one night, as he is wandering the old streets once more, Daniel is approached by a figure who reminds him of a character from the book, a character who turns out to be the devil. This man is tracking down every last copy of Carax's work in order to burn them.
What begins as a case of literary curiosity turns into a race to find out the truth behind the life and death of Julian Carax and to save those he left behind . . .
Staff Choice: Damla
Incredibly atmospheric, deliciously gripping, and disorientingly submersive, this is a beautifully written mystery about passion, obsession, betrayal, friendship, regret, and family. It really hooked me as soon as I started it, and it was impossible to put down until I finished it.
With complex characters, unexpected plot twists, and a past that loops and mirrors itself through generations, this is an unforgettable book that embodies the transformative power of reading.
Staff Choice: Iris
First things first: I adore books about books. So when Daniel, the protagonist of this book (whose father runs an antiquarian bookshop in Barcelona), was taken to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books and told to salvage one book of which he would be a guardian of sorts, I knew I wasn't going to get much sleep that night. In fact, this was the first book ever that I remember reading through the night, and I'd honestly recommend the experience to everyone. It. Is. SO. Good.
Staff Choice: Emma
A moving portrait of the helpless and tragic existence of mankind. Yet displaying the ethereal power of our passion for love and want for life. A thrillingly charged story of characters with wondering souls that prefer the beautiful chronicles of the mind and literature to the physical world at their feet. However the line between compassion and bitterness is thin and not everyone proves capable of healing their wounds. A dark corner is often turned instead. I can not put it any better than that this work is absolutely breathtaking.