The Prince of Mist by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

A mysterious house harbors an unimaginable secret. . . . It’s wartime, and the Carver family decides to leave the capital where they live and move to a small coastal village where they’ve recently bought a home. But from the minute they cross the threshold, strange things begin to happen. In that mysterious house there still lurks the spirit of Jacob, the previous owners’ son, who died by drowning. With the help of their new friend Roland, Max and Alicia Carver begin to explore the suspicious circumstances of that death and discover the existence of a mysterious being called The Prince of Mist—a diabolical character who has returned from the shadows to collect on a debt from the past. Soon the three friends find themselves caught up in an adventure of sunken ships and an enchanted stone garden, which will change their lives forever.

Shortly after I finished The Prisoner of Heaven I came across The Prince of Mist at Half Price Books. It's the first novel Zafon published and since I was still on a high from his latest, I snatched it up. The Prince of Mist is a young adult thriller and while it made for a quick, fun read I think I would have enjoyed it more if had I read it when I was younger. It felt a bit too juvenile for my taste. There were definitely parts of the short novel that creeped me out, and Zafon did a good job pulling me into the story from the start, but having read his adult novels, this one felt a little too basic and a little too transparent by comparison.

On the positive front, I will say that Zafon brought a strong sense of place to the forefront of the novel, just as he does in his adult works. The beach house, complete with a cemetery of stone figures, the sunken ship in the bay and the lighthouse overlooking the area made for an eerie and memorable landscape. He also included a few twists to keep it interesting. Plain and simple, this is a fun little read. I just prefer Zafon's adult stuff better. Recommended, to my 12-year-old self.

Publisher: Weidenfield & Nicolson, 1993

The Prisoner of Heaven by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

If you haven't read Carlos Ruiz Zafon yet, you should soon. Let me tell you, you're in for a treat. The Prisoner of Heaven is the third novel in the Cemetery of Forgotten Books series, but don't let that deter you from picking it up immediately. One of my favorite things about this particular series is that the books don't have to be read in succession. The plot of each book in connected in a circular way, linking people and details across generations and back again. As it is described in the introduction to the novel, "Each individual installment in the Cemetery of Forgotten Books series can be read in any order, enabling the reader to explores the labyrinth of stories along different paths which, when woven together, lead into the heart of the narrative."

I will say that The Shadow of the Wind still remains my favorite of Zafon's books, but his two follow-ups are truly fantastic reads. I'm not going to go into too much detail of these books because it really is best to go into them knowing very little. What I will say is that the series is a true testament to books themselves and all the magic they hold; it's about the human desire to understand their past and to make sense of the world in which they live. It highlights the strengths of friendship and family, but also examines the darker side of human nature and the evil of which we are capable. 

I do have one complaint about this book; I wanted it to be longer. Compared to the first two books in the series, this one was notably shorter, at just under 300 pages. However, I'm excited to report that the conclusion of The Prisoner of Heaven is left somewhat open-ended, which gives me much hope there will be more from Zafon, and hopefully soon.

Publisher: Harper Collins, 2012 

The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

I've mentioned before how much I loved Shadow of the Wind, Zafon's first novel translated into English. The prequel, The Angel's Game (which was published after Shadow of the Wind) is equally as compelling, albeit much darker. What makes the The Angel's Game so good is the story, which isn't to say it's not well-written because it is. But for me it was the story that sucked me in. Chapter by chapter I just wanted to know what would happen next.

We meet David Martin when is a struggling writer living in Barcelona circa 1917. Within the first page Martin states, "A writer never forgets the first time he accepted a few coins or a word of praise in exchange for a story... A writer is condemned to remember that moment, because from then on he is doomed and his soul has a price." As the story unfolds, Martin is commissioned to write a book for a mysterious publisher of religious texts and eventually realizes that by accepting this work he has in fact put a price on his soul.

Like I said, the story itself will suck you in. Zafon is an amazing story teller. His novel is filled with intrigue, suspense and murder (which make it a great summer read) but also offers much more than that. The Angel's Game speaks to the power of literature and it's importance. We are taken to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books where Martin says, "This place is a mystery. A sanctuary. Every book, every volume you see, has a soul. The soul of the person who wrote it and the soul of those who read it and lived and dreamed with it. Every time a book changes hands, every time someone runs his eyes down its pages, its spirit grows and strengthens. In this place, books no longer remembered by anyone, books that are lost in time, live forever, waiting for the day when they will reach a new reader's hands, a new spirit...". If you are a reader who loves the idea of books - a reader who loves the smell and the feel of books and the notion that they can offer everything from understanding to compassion to an entirely new outlook of the world - then you will like this book. There were also many literary allusions throughout the novel, from Great Expectations to Jane Eyre, which, as a book lover, I really enjoyed.

I also want to mention that this book offers a strong sense of place, by which I mean the city of Barcelona is almost like a character itself. The backdrop of this city adds a lot to the novel, both in terms of beauty, uniqueness and mystery. As far as places go, this seems like a great one.

All in all I really liked this book. However, I think I liked The Shadow of the Wind more. So, if you haven't read either I suggest you start with the ladder. Each offer two unique story lines that focus on two different yet connected generations, but one isn't necessary to understand the other.

The New York Times also did a nice review of the book that you can read here. I enjoyed the ending, when they say, "The pleasures of “The Angel’s Game” are guilty ones. As he did in “The Shadow of the Wind,” Ruiz Zafón provides, along with sex and death, a nice slide show of old Barcelona, a handful of affectionate riffs on favorite books (among them that other, very different mysterious- benefactor tale “Great Expectations”) and a pervasive sense of the childish joy of credulity — of surrendering to a story and letting it take you where it will, whatever the consequences."

Publisher: Weidenfeld & Nicolson

Year of First Edition: 2009

Tornados and The Angel's Game

I would just like to say that as I am finishing the last 50 pages of The Angel's Game - right as everything is proving itself to be evil and tormented, and I am deliciously consumed in the devilish plot - a crazy thunderstorm rolls through, followed by tornado sirens, followed by my power going out.

Here I am finishing this book, flashlight in hand surrounded by candlelight, sitting in my basement hoping my roof and I don't get sucked into oblivion. What a perfect way to finish this ominous novel.

Friends Made Of Paper and Ink

Reading now: The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon


"Even then my only friends were made of paper and ink. At school I had learned to read and write long before the other children. Where my school friends saw notches of ink on incomprehensible pages, I saw light, streets, and people. Words and the mystery of their hidden science fascinated me, and I saw in them a key with which I could unlock a boundless world, a safe haven from that home, those streets, and those troubled days in which I could sense that only a limited fortune awaited me."

So far this book is proving to be equally as good as Shadow of the Wind. Like Zafon's earlier work, this too is a book about books and brings us back to the "cemetery of forgotten books". Ohhh it's just so good! If you are a reader who loves the idea of books - a reader who loves the smell and the feel of books and the notion that they can offer everything from understanding to compassion to an entirely new outlook of the world - then you will like this book.

If you're here from the hop, welcome! Take off your coat and stay awhile.

New Books!

The Angel's Game - Carlos Ruiz Zafon: I loved loved loved Shadow of the Wind and Angel's Game is it's prequel. Can't wait!

Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson: I read Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in college and really liked it. Treasure Island should be a fun summer read.