The Shadow of The Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

What happens when you are introduced to a cemetery not of people but of books which houses hoards of forgotten gems from yesteryears? What happens when the book you selected on your impulse becomes a centre of attraction for all sorts of people and they wish to buy it from you even at an inflated rate? What happens when one of the characters in the book comes alive and you find yourself face to face with this character who has no face? What happens when you take an interest in the other works of the author and then you find out that every other book published by that author has been destroyed and that the book you are holding is the last piece of legacy of the forgotten author? And what happens when you find out that by investigating into the life of the author, you have stirred a hornet's nest and you have put the life of those around you in danger?

Excitement, thrill, jubilation, joy, delight, elation, gladness, merriment, exultation, fear, hatred, love, animosity, hostility, sadness, satisfaction are some of the feelings that you would experience if you are confronted with the aforementioned scenarios. And as a reader, you feel the exact same thing.

We accompany Daniel, an adolescent, who upon discovering a book "The Shadow of the Wind" enters into a labyrinth which is part maze, part roller coaster, part spider web and total odyssey. Carlos Ruis Zafon has created a work that encompasses within its narrative several threads of mystery, love, friendship, camaraderie, regrets, naivety, intrigue all held together by resplondent prose and masterful writing. Every single character is exquisitely crafted and splendidly written and this makes you love some of the characters, like Fermin and then hate some more like Fumero. The supporting characters support Daniel with all their strength and might and the main antagonist successfully manages to squirm your insides.

But then there is the abstuseness surrounding the story of Julian Carax, the author of the aforesaid novel 'The Shadow of the Wind' in the book, who is known not to many but unforgotten by those few who knew him. He is an author who is a commercial failure but his books are loved by all those who have consumed his work which in return consumed them. It is tough to find fans of his works but it is even more difficult to find haters among those who have read his book. Despite this, no one seems to know what has become of him and why has he not become a literary sensation? Daniel embarks on a journey to discover the hidden truths about Julian Carax which opens a can of worms. That which was resting silently is now awoken like a Balrog in the mines of Moria and it is now threatening the life of Daniel and those around him.

At the very core of the novel, lies a love story not just of bodies but of bonds beyond the cliches of lovers. The love is the common denominator across the many different forms of relationships that we come across in the novel like that of a father and son, husband and wife, brother and sister, human and another human being, and also of a girl and a boy. Every single one of this love story is a bright key to unlock the casket containing dark secrets. It is while maneuvering through all the veils of darkness that we begin to unravel the layers of secrecy that has been cemented to protect the true legacy of Julian Carax and eventually the story comes to light, vividly.

The truth will shock you indeed.

The Shadow the Wind by Carlos Rafon works is a brilliant concoction of romance, horror, goth, historical fiction, drama, literary fiction, fantasy, mystery, thriller, whodunnit. It is near impossible to categorise the book into any one genre because none of the element outshines the rest.

The book is a reflection of perfection.