The Shadow of the Wind

Written by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Narrated by Jonathan Davis

"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

“Wondrous...masterful...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, Editor's Choice

“This is one gorgeous read.” —Stephen King

"I still remember the day my father took me to the Cemetary of Forgotten Books for the first time..."

Barcelona, 1945: A city slowly heals in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, and Daniel, an antiquarian book dealer’s son who mourns the loss of his mother, finds solace in a mysterious book entitled The Shadow of the Wind, by one Julián Carax. But when he sets out to find the author’s other works, he makes a shocking discovery: someone has been systematically destroying every copy of every book Carax has written. In fact, Daniel may have the last of Carax’s books in existence. Soon Daniel’s seemingly innocent quest opens a door into one of Barcelona’s darkest secrets—an epic story of murder, madness, and doomed love.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Audio
• Release date: Jan 1, 2005
• ISBN: 9780786558186

Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Carlos Ruiz Zafón is the author of eight novels, including the internationally bestselling and critically acclaimed Cemetery of Forgotten Books series: The Shadow of the Wind, The Angel’s Game, The Prisoner of Heaven, and The Labyrinth of the Spirits. His work, which also includes prizewinning young adult novels, has been translated into more than fifty languages and published around the world, garnering numerous awards and reaching millions of readers. He lives in Los Angeles.

Reviews for The Shadow of the Wind

[karricarpenter · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The piano music was distracting and ruined the narrative. I liked the story and writing.

[stereooten · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Saved in the library of my heart because my girlfriend recommended it to me ❤️ (Translated from Spanish)

[Ailed Rguez · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This story begins with a good book, and like every time a book manages to captivate you, one just wants to relive that experience and thus tends to look for more from the author. Imagine Daniel’s frustration when he cannot find anything by the author or any of his novels because they seem to have mysteriously disappeared little by little, just like the author many years ago.
This search leads him to unearth ghosts from the past, and he quickly realizes that he might be involved in something much bigger and more dangerous than he expected.
As I read this book, the pages flew by like water, and I became very attached to the characters, especially Fermín, who constantly made me laugh and whose great loyalty and commitment I value. As they say, a book that has it all and leaves you wanting to go to the cemetery of forgotten books to see what treasure you might find. (Translated from Spanish)

[ModeTornuss · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Nothing that hasn't already been written about this novel. A tribute to the written word. Literary essence in its purest form. (reading 2023). (Translated from Spanish)

[ModeTornus · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Nothing that hasn't already been written about this novel. A tribute to the written word. Literary essence in its purest form. (Translated from Spanish)

[osko · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A very good story, with a good narrative, allows you to get to know the characters and imagine those places. (Translated from Spanish)

[JulCarv · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Love, hate, envy, and revenge seem to repeat themselves in the life of young Daniel; a book has chosen him as its guardian and its author, an unknown man with the last name Carax, possesses a lamentable story filled with love, hate, envy, and revenge, and must take responsibility for the damage caused in his life and that of young Daniel.
An entertaining novel, it filled me, captivated me, and I digested it with great emotion and dedication.
First book of the Cemetery of Forgotten Books trilogy. (Translated from Spanish)

[MarceMar · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great book! The way it captures and envelops you in each scenario and story is spectacular. I love how everything connects and the loose ends come together, giving meaning to everything. The perfect book for those who enjoy mystery and gossip ? (Translated from Spanish)

[IvnMartlon · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

First book of a sequel, full of adventure and intrigue that always leaves you craving to continue reading. In a pleasant way but with great detail in all the events, it makes you feel a mix of love and hate towards all the characters. It introduces the characters in a sometimes accidental manner, as if one were to bump into a stranger on the street. Fabulous beginning and a fabulous book for a great saga. (Translated from Spanish)

[ClaudiaLo · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

How does one recover after reading a novel like that? Perfect! It left me speechless; it's a marvel, it has magic from the first to the last page. Suspense, romance, friendship, it has everything, and the characters inspire warmth, tenderness, and bravery. Brilliant! 10 out of 10! (Translated from Spanish)

[Fatisr93 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Both The Shadow of the Wind and the rest of the books in this saga (The Angel's Game, The Labyrinth of the Spirits, and The Prisoner of Heaven) have been magical and unforgettable books for me. Carlos Ruiz Zafón had a very fluid, easy, and beautiful way of writing, and his intertwined stories and characters made it very easy to love the world he created, its context, the city of Barcelona, and the Sempere family. (Translated from Spanish)

[MarianoMorettini · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent narration. The story, the setting, the characters, all very well achieved.
"Bea says that the art of reading is dying very slowly, that it is an intimate ritual, that a book is a mirror and that we can only find in it what we already carry within us, that when we read we put in our mind and soul, and those are goods that are becoming scarcer every day." (Translated from Spanish)

[Warcela · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Since I started the book, I began to suspect: "I think I have unknowingly enrolled in an impossible saga to interrupt." Now that I have finished it, after avoiding at all costs for it to end and unable to put it down until the last page, I will say this: The Shadow of the Wind is everything a good book is. I loved it. A marathon of emotions, amidst impossible hypotheses and theories that made me travel to that 20th-century Barcelona and feel like I had become a character in Zafón's story. Of course, all my reading plans for the month are being reassessed to now include what followed from this title... (Translated from Spanish)

[Esmyrna · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The pages slip through your fingers like water; it's a pleasant read, easy to follow the thread of the story. In the end, it leaves you with a nice feeling that everything will be alright, the cycle of life begins anew, and a father and son walk together. I'll start the second one right now. (Translated from Spanish)

[jpkarax · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An unparalleled narrative, I wouldn't know which genre to place it in since throughout the story it encompasses all, thriller, romantic novel, historical novel, suspense, etc. (Translated from Spanish)

[lejoca14 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I must admit that I was unfamiliar with Ruiz Zafón, despite the fact that his name caught my attention since I resumed the habit of reading.

What can I say... it completely filled my soul, each chapter perfectly complements this work, which makes it difficult for me to categorize it into just one genre. A story that captivates the reader from the beginning with its love for books. It has suspense, mystery, and romance. Its characters are very well defined. The images it evokes, like the cemetery of forgotten books (as a reader, I would love for this place to exist).

I will be eternally grateful to the reading group that allowed me to discover this fabulous author. Now, let's go for the Tetralogy ?

I conclude with this quote:
Julián once wrote that coincidences are the scars of destiny. There are no coincidences, Daniel. We are puppets of our unconsciousness. (Translated from Spanish)

[AdinaMilu · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This novel has surprised me a lot. I mean, I already had high expectations, I was expecting a great novel, and I have read a great novel with a capital letter. The description and evolution of the characters is incredible. The different fates of the characters intertwine perfectly... (Translated from Spanish)

[VictorioCt · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The truth behind so much mystery was always there, in plain sight, between the lines screaming and exploding, but the masterful way in which the author creates and wraps the story is that of someone with a lot of experience and genius. It is undoubtedly one of the favorite books of the year by far.

Thank you for such a valuable gift! (Translated from Spanish)

[Melancolía7 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Impressive, addictive, it captures you and scratches your heart and soul. Whenever I'm asked about my favorite book, I always mention "The Shadow of the Wind." (Translated from Spanish)

[EduardoCruz · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

COMPLETELY RECOMMENDED

A book that flows like water, a rich, real story, with the complexity of reality but without being overwhelming. The stories that develop parallel to the main plot add up and help generate hypotheses throughout each section.

While the plot is presented from the early parts of the book, it is by no means a linear story; with twists (some frankly unexpected for me, others where I was right) that make you reconsider your hypotheses and, in several cases, force you to search for and generate new ones.

A great, great work by Zafón. This is the first book I've read by him and I am amazed! 10/10!! (Translated from Spanish)

[CasGarcia · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I liked it, yes, but I didn't love it; it's a bit tedious for my taste. Still, I got attached to one character in particular because that guy made me laugh and laugh all the time.

The plot handled by the author is really good; he really knew how to do it, haha. What came next felt a bit predictable to me, but it remains a good book. (Translated from Spanish)

[Marilyn.Monroe · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What to say about Zafón..... A marvel. (Translated from Spanish)

[diegogt0 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Since I saw that cover for the first time, I was curious about the possibility of someday reading the book, but I never imagined that when the moment would finally come, I would write what I present here. It's no surprise the amount of positive criticism and the fans this title has, as it must be one of the best books written in Spanish, and it will be in my top 20 ranking of the best.
We all have a bit of the characters in us—book lovers, restorers, discoverers of eccentricities, lovers of writing, dreamers—and Ruiz Zafón created a masterful work that brings together all our passions in a magnificent piece. As he himself says: "Every book, every tome you see, has a soul. The soul of the one who wrote it, and the soul of those who read it, lived it, and dreamed with it."
I will miss staying up late to quickly turn page by page and discover what adventure, one by one, unfolds. (Translated from Spanish)

[Fernandomf · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Magnificent, very well written and with a plot that hooks you from the very first moment, this is the first book I have read by this author and I truly liked it a lot. (Translated from Spanish)

[JessGH93 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Although this author is very descriptive, this novel has a plot and a mystery that are very engaging, making you unable to stop reading at any moment. (Translated from Spanish)

[Bryangeles · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

How nostalgic and empty. The feeling left by this book is incredible. It has a well-connected and well-justified story, both the plot and the characters. A true gem of a book, and I feel fortunate to have read it. Fermín is one of the best characters you can find. Nothing more to say, highly recommended. (Translated from Spanish)

[Jennifer Naveiras · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Yes, and it will always be one of my favorite books. The others in the saga are good, but none can surpass this one. (Translated from Spanish)

[Danielgarcialan65 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Shadow of the Wind is a classic of modern literature that has also become a bestseller with over ten million copies sold worldwide. But it is not just one story, but many that intertwine and captivate you from the very beginning, not letting you go until the end. Set in a Gothic and fantastic post-civil war Barcelona through the eyes of a young boy, Daniel Sempere. There are several brilliant characters, especially for me the eternal optimist Fermin. Highly recommendable. (Translated from Spanish)

[Private3motion · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My favorite book since I discovered it... ?? (Translated from Spanish)

[johanabooks · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I had wanted to read this book for a long time. I didn't think I would find a literary gem. The Shadow of the Wind speaks about identity, about finding oneself, it talks about love, friendship, and how people can become so evil towards one another. There are so many literary genres in this single book, which makes the reading experience more enjoyable; it never feels heavy, and I appreciate that. One day, Daniel is taken by his father to a place, a place where books "rest" called the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, where our protagonist, at his father's request, chooses a "cursed" book that will lead him to discover the secret that surrounds this book. This book is a love letter to books, to literature. Zafón's writing makes the reading so exquisite and enjoyable; he is a genius. It makes up a tetralogy that I am very eager to continue. Wonderful book and wonderful author.
P.S.: Fermín is one of my favorite characters ? (Translated from Spanish)