GAF Book Club (Dec 2011) - "The Shadow of the Wind" by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

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Cyan

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A secret's worth depends on the people from whom it must be kept.


The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

Barcelona, 1945: A city slowly heals from its war wounds, 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 Julian 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.

"Gabriel Garcia Marquez meets Umberto Eco meets Jorge Luis Borges for a sprawling magic show."

Amazon paperback
Kindle edition

Let's read!


Guidelines:
-For maximum fun and discussion, follow the milestones with the group. But feel free to read at your own pace if you prefer!
-If you read ahead and want to drop some knowledge, that's cool--but please use spoiler tags where appropriate! And be sure to indicate how far ahead the spoiler is. [spoiler]text goes here[/spoiler]
-Unspoilered discussion of anything through the latest milestone is allowed and encouraged. If you’re not caught up, read the thread at your own risk!
-Suggestions for the next book club selection are welcome at any time. We'll vote on the next book once we're finished with this one.


Reading Milestones:
Fri, Dec 2 - Ch 1 - 6
Sun, Dec 4 - Ch 7 - 13
Tue, Dec 6 - Ch 14 - 18
Thu, Dec 8 - Ch 19 - 24
Sat, Dec 10 - Ch 25 - 30
Mon, Dec 12 - Ch 31 - 34
Wed, Dec 14 - Ch 35 - 44
Fri, Dec 16 - Ch 1 - 7
Sun, Dec 18 - Ch 8 - 13
Tue, Dec 20 - Fin


Future Book Club Possibilities:
The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco
Devil In the White City by Erik Larson
If on a winter's night, a traveler by Italo Calvino
Help! A Bear Is Eating Me! by Mykle Hansen
[your recommendation here!]


Previous Book Club Threads:
Blood Meridian: Or the Evening Redness in the West, by Cormac McCarthy (Oct 2011)
The Master and Margarita, by Mikhail Bulgakov (Sep 2011)
The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas (Aug 2011)
Master and Commander, by Patrick O'Brian (July 2011)
The Happiness Project, by Gretchen Rubin (June 2011)
A Visit from the Goon Squad, by Jennifer Egan (May 2011)
The Afghan Campaign, by Steven Pressfield (Apr 2011)
Stranger in a Strange Land, by Robert A. Heinlein (Mar 2011)
Flashman, by George MacDonald Fraser (Feb 2011)
 
Was there a vote this time? I feel like this book has been nominated and lost like four times already. Anyway, I'll be joining in this month.
 
Saw you post it in NaNo thread, Cyan. I'm down.

Why the hell is the kindle version more than 4 dollars pricier than the paperback? This is absurd.

Will check my library before I commit to purchase.

Edit: damn, I have 1 day to get my hands on this .___.
 
_Isaac said:
Was there a vote this time? I feel like this book has been nominated and lost like four times already. Anyway, I'll be joining in this month.
Click to expand...

Maybe it accrued enough karma points?

Dunno if I want to do a reread of this book.

e: I'm more than fine with a bit of dictatorship for the book club.
 
I recently finished it so I won't be joining in. Just wanted to wish everyone who will be participating a great time. It's a fantastic read.
 
This was the first book I bought (with my free credit) when I signed up for Audiobooks and maybe it was the narrator, but I just couldn't get into it. That said, I "read" the first half of it.

I may consider actually reading it this time with my own internal narrator, but I may find it dull again, despite some bright spots.
 
Niblet said:
Saw you post it in NaNo thread, Cyan. I'm down.

Why the hell is the kindle version more than 4 dollars pricier than the paperback? This is absurd.
Click to expand...
Wow, really? I hadn't actually noticed that. God, publishers fuck up so much on ebook pricing. It's nuts.

Will check my library before I commit to purchase.

Edit: damn, I have 1 day to get my hands on this .___.
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Don't worry, you can always catch up. This won't be as fast-paced as NaNo. :P

bengraven said:
I may consider actually reading it this time with my own internal narrator, but I may find it dull again, despite some bright spots.
Click to expand...

Jooooooiiiin Uuuusssss.
 
_Isaac said:
Was there a vote this time? I feel like this book has been nominated and lost like four times already. Anyway, I'll be joining in this month.
Click to expand...

No there wasn't. Fight the cyanship-

:P

It works out better this way, and gets the thread rolling over, which is the main thing really.
 
Finished ASOIAF recently and didn't know what else to read. Saw this thread from the what you reading thread and decided to give it a shot.... now I'm 70% done! Quite an enjoyable read so far... there's no break in the flow so you just keep going and going

Thanks GAF!
 
Haha, I can already feel this one settling its hooks into me. A great beginning.

Books about books always feel a little self-indulgent. Though in a different way, or with a different flavor, than the much more common books about struggling writers. But man--I always love them.
 
Cyan said:
Wow, really? I hadn't actually noticed that. God, publishers fuck up so much on ebook pricing. It's nuts.


Don't worry, you can always catch up. This won't be as fast-paced as NaNo. :P



Jooooooiiiin Uuuusssss.
Click to expand...

Maybe a bit later. I won't spoil anything.

You've reached the library by now of course? My favorite part of the novel...after such a serious novel, we suddenly have a moment of almost fantasy, though grounded in reality. I want to go there.
 
Ah, young love resulting in broken hearts. Funny, Daniel's youthful obsession with an older woman reminds me of someone I know...

So we meet some more of the cast, in Fermin and Tomas. So far everything seems to be setting up well. I've enjoyed the visits to the cemetary of books the most, I think. Though Fermin and his silver tongue is also quite amusing.

I'm wondering what the part name meant. "True to Character". If there's some significance there, I missed it.

Some great lines:
"... if you decide you want to learn how to rob a bank, or to set one up, which is much the same thing..."
"Mr. Aguilar belonged to that race of privileged minds who are always right."
 
This book certainly has a lot of setup. Yet more new characters, new places, new ideas.

And the amusing moment with Tomas' sister. "Damn, that girl fine!" *she turns around* "Oh shi--!" Great line from that part: "I realized how easily you can lose all animosity toward someone you've deemed your enemy as soon as that person stops behaving as such." Odd but true.

More stories within stories, here. The letter. The tale of Julian Carax's mother. Ghost stories. People telling each other things, passing them on, twisting them around.

People do tell a lot of stories.
 
Stories and stories and yet more stories! Daniel has told the entirety of the first part of the book to at least two people, and now we're getting stories told to priests, no less. Never lie to the priest!

Still enjoying it, and I like the structure, with the juxtaposition of Daniel growing up and examining the mystery of Carax.

I wonder what the significance is of Daniel's looking a lot like Carax?

Great bit of dialogue:
"I've heard [Stalin]'s been suffering badly from prostate trouble ever since he swallowed the pip of a loquat, and now he can only pee if someone hums 'The Internationale' for him."
"Fascist propaganda. The comrade pees like a bull. The Volga might envy such a flow."
 
Milestone - Ch 25 - 30

And yet more stories.

Fermin and his machinations are, I gotta say, my favorite part of the book. Daniel growing up and learning about love is great and all, but Fermin is the heart. He's great fun.

Great line of dialogue:
"What's that smell?"
"We've arrived."
 
Events seem to be progressing more quickly now. Several more stories within stories here. It just keeps going, doesn't it?

So, since no one else appears to be reading (or to want to talk about it), any suggestions for next month's book? New year, fresh start!
 
Finished the book. Loved it, though I had a few complaints.

Probably do a full review in the next day or two.
 
You know I actually AM reading this. I'm just not going to read it this fast. I'll have it finished in a year or so. It's great so far though.
 
Cyan said:
Finished the book. Loved it, though I had a few complaints.

Probably do a full review in the next day or two.
Click to expand...

My only real complaint with the book was how quickly it ended compared to the pace that it went about setting everything up.

It's one of those books you wish you could forget everything about it so you can unravel it for a second time.

As for the next book, how about something on the lighter side?

I have "Help! A Bear Is Eating Me!" by Mykle Hansen lying around and need to read it.
 
_Isaac said:
You know I actually AM reading this. I'm just not going to read it this fast. I'll have it finished in a year or so. It's great so far though.
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Glad you're enjoying it! I don't think I could stand finishing a book so slowly. Honestly, with some of these it's been painful enough taking 20+ days to read them!

Ceebs said:
My only real complaint with the book was how quickly it ended compared to the pace that it went about setting everything up.
Click to expand...
Same. That and how so much of the resolution was delivered in someone else's story-within-a-story.

I have "Help! A Bear Is Eating Me!" by Mykle Hansen lying around and need to read it.
Click to expand...
Ok, well that's an interesting title. Let's look and see what this is all about...
Marv Pushkin is a jerk. He is a greedy, drug-addicted, nature-hating, member of middle-management who cheats on his wife. He is also pinned beneath his SUV, loaded up with pain-killers, while a bear is eating him alive.
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I said goddamn.


Well, I would be up for something a little lighter as well. I'll add this to the OP list. Any other suggestions would be welcome as well.

Hmm. I could maybe do with a Catch-22 reread...
 
;_;

I got the book like 4 days ago, but I just started reading it today - I couldn't tear myself away from A Game of Thrones (first time reading). Tomorrow is the the finish date, I see T_T . I failed. I'll plow through the book by the weekend!
 
Ceebs said:
So is there a book for January? Or is the book club dead from lack of participation?
Click to expand...

Looking like the latter. Not a whole lot of participation, and it's more work than you'd think, running the thing. Of course anyone is welcome to cotinue it if they like.
 
Cyan said:
Looking like the latter. Not a whole lot of participation, and it's more work than you'd think, running the thing. Of course anyone is welcome to cotinue it if they like.
Click to expand...

Some dictatorships fall sooner rather than later.

Are you not planning to do the next month?
 
I was thinking A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers. Heard a lot of divergent opinions; I wouldn't mind testing the waters myself and getting out of this spiralling sci-fi addiction I've found myself in.

If your blessing is absolute, Cyan, I'll make the thread tomorrow.
 
Tim the Wiz said:
I was thinking A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers. Heard a lot of divergent opinions; I wouldn't mind testing the waters myself and getting out of this spiralling sci-fi addiction I've found myself in.

If your blessing is absolute, Cyan, I'll make the thread tomorrow.
Click to expand...

ha ha! one dictatorship followed by another!

Preferred Cyanship myself.

Yes, cause of Catch 22 suggestion
 
Well, I actually bought Catch-22 sometime last year. (Last year? It certainly feels weird saying that.) It's gathering dust on my bookshelf right now. I don't mind being a benevolent dictator and going with that novel, especially since it's so convenient.
 
I suppose you or cyan ought to draw up a list, maybe even the op list, and people can vote whatever they like...

I'm not much of a book club reader, so I'm likely not the best person to be included in such matters. I was just stirring the pot, because normally cyan puts up a list to vote, but because of nanowrimo, he had to do what was best for the thread I think, and just choose a book. I actually think he did the right thing as well. :P

There are a few regulars, such as nakedsushi and the like... maybe wait for their opinion?
 
Tim the Wiz said:
I was thinking A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers. Heard a lot of divergent opinions; I wouldn't mind testing the waters myself and getting out of this spiralling sci-fi addiction I've found myself in.

If your blessing is absolute, Cyan, I'll make the thread tomorrow.
Click to expand...

Certainly! Please feel free to go forward on a new thread.

I'd say go with the book you prefer rather than waiting for consensus, since we're already into the new month. Though it is true that gaining consensus seems to result in more participants. ;)
 
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