Kathleen J. (cozyreader) reviewed The Angel's Game (Cemetery of Forgotten Books, Bk 2) on + 101 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
I was a little disappointed in this book, mainly because I liked shadow of the wind so much. This one didn't hold together as well. I got the message about how religions are used, but it just seemed a little heavy handed.
Elizabeth B. (Cattriona) -
Helpful Score: 3
This is the best book I've read all year -- I enjoyed it even more than "Shadow of the Wind". There are some similarities -- we revisit the Cemetery of Forgotten Books once more -- and the story is again designed to appeal to those who love books. The characters are well drawn, Barcelona is so well-described you almost feel like you've been there, and the plot keeps you guessing right up until the final "ah-ha!" moment on the last page. Very highly recommended.
SUSAN S. (susieqmillsacoustics) -
Helpful Score: 2
A wonderful read with the atmospheric, compelling, mysterious feel of "The Shadow of the Wind". Connections to the characters and places of the first book are here, but the story is a different journey altogether. It is a perplexing, supernatural page-turner. It is a very enjoyable read, but I was somewhat disappointed and left pondering the ending.
Heather D. (icantswim) -
Helpful Score: 2
It's books like this that remind me why I love books.
Valerie L. (nigheandonn) reviewed The Angel's Game (Cemetery of Forgotten Books, Bk 2) on + 16 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Although this is book #2 in the Cemetery of Forgotten Books trilogy, it's really a prequel to the fabulous Shadow of the Wind. It is as beautifully written as the first book with thought provoking views of love, literature and revenge set in Barcelona in the first half of the 20th century. Barcelona itself is as much a character in the books as any of the protagonists. Both these books are a pleasure to read and I look forward to reading the last book as well.
Erika M. (summrsun16) -
Helpful Score: 1
Shadow of the Wind is one of my favorite books, so I could not wait to pick up Zafon's newest. As in SotW, the writing is gorgeous. Zafon's writing is so beautiful and fluid, and the translation was perfection. The story is about David Martin, a young writer who has become increasingly jaded and cynical about the publishing industry. He rents an old house with some of his earnings, and he slowly becomes tangled in the house's past. He is commissioned to write a book by a mysterious boss. He begins to find parallels between the previous house owner and the strange things that are happening to him. And then the death toll begins to rise...
My only qualm with the book was the last part, where it got a little confusing and seemed almost out of place. However, since I so enjoy Zafon's storytelling, I still couldn't put it down. Not quite as good as SotW, but still an enjoyable read, and I look forward to Zafon's next installment.
My only qualm with the book was the last part, where it got a little confusing and seemed almost out of place. However, since I so enjoy Zafon's storytelling, I still couldn't put it down. Not quite as good as SotW, but still an enjoyable read, and I look forward to Zafon's next installment.
Helpful Score: 1
Not as good as I wanted it to be- I loved LOVED 'Shadow of the Wind' and didn't think this stood up. I'll be interested to see how the other two pull them together.
A wonderful errie tale full of strange happenings and surprising events.
Ronnie E. (ronnie63) reviewed The Angel's Game (Cemetery of Forgotten Books, Bk 2) on + 11 more book reviews
It was a good read, but my favorite of his is The Shadow of the Wind.
Kristin D. (kdurham2813) reviewed The Angel's Game (Cemetery of Forgotten Books, Bk 2) on + 753 more book reviews
Check out the full review at Kritters Ramblings
A piece of literary fiction that takes the reader into the streets of Barcelona and behind the scenes of underground publishing and the newspaper industry. With Daniel Martin as our guide, the author takes the reader along to see Martin grow up and find his true calling as a writer. There are definitely some interesting characters along the way, a few that I fell in love with and wanted more from - Isabella captured my attention!
A piece of literary fiction that takes the reader into the streets of Barcelona and behind the scenes of underground publishing and the newspaper industry. With Daniel Martin as our guide, the author takes the reader along to see Martin grow up and find his true calling as a writer. There are definitely some interesting characters along the way, a few that I fell in love with and wanted more from - Isabella captured my attention!
Fave! I had to stop twice on the first page alone to quote to my husband. This is one of those rare books that I needed to get out a highlighter and mark passages. The text is so beautiful, and the story kept me on the edge of my seat. Very "Lovecraftian." I very much enjoyed Zafon's Shadow of the Wind, but this takes the cake! Love!
Amy B. (BaileysBooks) reviewed The Angel's Game (Cemetery of Forgotten Books, Bk 2) on + 491 more book reviews
This is Book 2 in the Cemetery of Forgotten Books series, even though its events occur in the timeline prior to The Shadow of the Wind.
Let me begin by saying that The Shadow of the Wind is one of my all-time favorite books. I was hesitant to read The Angel's Game because I heard mixed reviews about it and because I knew that nothing could match the haunting beauty of its predecessor. I didn't want to be disappointed. Unfortunately (or perhaps predictably) I was.
Don't get me wrong: most of this book was very, very good. But in the last 50 pages or so, the plot totally collapsed under its own weight. I was left in the dark on so many important points and found myself with far too many unanswered questions. And I'm not talking about the philosophically unanswered questions that leave you pondering the meaning of things (those I am ok with). I am talking about the "Wait...that's IT? What on earth just HAPPENED?!?" kind of unanswered questions that make you think your copy must have been missing more than a few very important pages.
In the end, I think Zafon just tried to do too much. He seemed to have lost his grip on the threads of his own story and everything unraveled as a result. The ending was also needlessly complex, and even Zafon himself seems to have gotten lost in the convoluted maze of this messy plot. There were too many twists and turns, too many dead bodies, too many shifting identities, and too many key plot points that were completely unexplained. It's a shame, really. Zafon had something really great and it ended in absolute and unresolved confusion. I'm still not sure what actually happened, or what it was supposed to mean. Read this book and savor it until the last few chapters, but don't hold out any hope for a satisfying ending. That way, you might not feel quite so disappointed, and I won't have to say "I told you so."
Let me begin by saying that The Shadow of the Wind is one of my all-time favorite books. I was hesitant to read The Angel's Game because I heard mixed reviews about it and because I knew that nothing could match the haunting beauty of its predecessor. I didn't want to be disappointed. Unfortunately (or perhaps predictably) I was.
Don't get me wrong: most of this book was very, very good. But in the last 50 pages or so, the plot totally collapsed under its own weight. I was left in the dark on so many important points and found myself with far too many unanswered questions. And I'm not talking about the philosophically unanswered questions that leave you pondering the meaning of things (those I am ok with). I am talking about the "Wait...that's IT? What on earth just HAPPENED?!?" kind of unanswered questions that make you think your copy must have been missing more than a few very important pages.
In the end, I think Zafon just tried to do too much. He seemed to have lost his grip on the threads of his own story and everything unraveled as a result. The ending was also needlessly complex, and even Zafon himself seems to have gotten lost in the convoluted maze of this messy plot. There were too many twists and turns, too many dead bodies, too many shifting identities, and too many key plot points that were completely unexplained. It's a shame, really. Zafon had something really great and it ended in absolute and unresolved confusion. I'm still not sure what actually happened, or what it was supposed to mean. Read this book and savor it until the last few chapters, but don't hold out any hope for a satisfying ending. That way, you might not feel quite so disappointed, and I won't have to say "I told you so."
A gothic tale - longwinded and engrossing - in which the city of Barcelona is as much a character as the people you meet within its pages. Long but never boring!
Shirley P. (booknookchick) reviewed The Angel's Game (Cemetery of Forgotten Books, Bk 2) on + 117 more book reviews
The Angel's Game is the 2nd of a three book set titled "The Cemetery of Forgotten Books". Each book was written as standalone, interconnected novels. The author describes this series as a Chinese box of fiction, essentially a game with the readers as they step into the shoes of a character. Zafon transports readers to gothic Barcelona in the 1920's and the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, the secret, grand library introduced in The Shadow of the Wind.
Experiences of David Martin, the charming, humorous, young writer early in the book has Inferences to Dickens' Great Expectations. David begins his career writing penny dreadful tales using a pseudonym. As his passion to be a credible published author grows, David accepts a commission from a mysterious French publisher to research and write a book about religion and the entry into Zafon's dark gothic world begins.
The Angel's Game is not restricted to a specific genre. It is a historical thriller, detective mystery, love story, supernatural tale, and occasionally steam punk. Along with many references to classic books and famous writers, Zafon incorporates his love of music in this tale. An unusual treat is the soundtrack he created especially for The Angel's Game which can be played online at https://www.randomhouse.com/ddpg/feature/zafon/music.php.
Experiences of David Martin, the charming, humorous, young writer early in the book has Inferences to Dickens' Great Expectations. David begins his career writing penny dreadful tales using a pseudonym. As his passion to be a credible published author grows, David accepts a commission from a mysterious French publisher to research and write a book about religion and the entry into Zafon's dark gothic world begins.
The Angel's Game is not restricted to a specific genre. It is a historical thriller, detective mystery, love story, supernatural tale, and occasionally steam punk. Along with many references to classic books and famous writers, Zafon incorporates his love of music in this tale. An unusual treat is the soundtrack he created especially for The Angel's Game which can be played online at https://www.randomhouse.com/ddpg/feature/zafon/music.php.
Althea M. (althea) reviewed The Angel's Game (Cemetery of Forgotten Books, Bk 2) on + 774 more book reviews
OK, from the perspective of pure literary criticism, this book is overwrought.
However, from my personal perspective: "OMG, it has all the awesome!" ;-)
A worthy followup to Shadow of the Wind, this tale of a young writer with 'great expectations' who is pulled into an infernal contract is wickedly delightful. It's Faust meets pulp fiction.
Its vivid and accurate depictions of Barcelona made me hunger to go back to the city... even if Zafon does claim it's "damned".
However, from my personal perspective: "OMG, it has all the awesome!" ;-)
A worthy followup to Shadow of the Wind, this tale of a young writer with 'great expectations' who is pulled into an infernal contract is wickedly delightful. It's Faust meets pulp fiction.
Its vivid and accurate depictions of Barcelona made me hunger to go back to the city... even if Zafon does claim it's "damned".
Mara P. (bklyncyclone83) reviewed The Angel's Game (Cemetery of Forgotten Books, Bk 2) on + 4 more book reviews
Another great story of love, tragedy & intrigue from Carlos ruiz Zafon! Great follow up
Set earlier in the Shadow of the Wind universe, Carlos Ruiz Zafón's The Angel's Game is another treat. Written in the same style, lyrical and at times cynically humorous, this prequel is the story of David Martín, a talented writer of humble beginnings who writes sensationalist thrillers for his livelihood instead of true literature from his soul. He is courted by a mysterious French publisher to write an ultimate novel with an offer he can't refuse, only to have the shadows from the past having him question the intentions of his new boss. Against the backdrop of Barcelona, the labyrinthine plot winds through crumbling old houses (including the tower house David inhabits), the Sempere and Sons bookshop, and the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, with another cast of interesting characters. However, things are not explained to the same satisfying degree at the end in this novel about books and the people who love them.
Aron H. (aron) - , reviewed The Angel's Game (Cemetery of Forgotten Books, Bk 2) on + 13 more book reviews
I almost labeled it fantasy. If you start this book, please put aside the time so you can finish it rapidly! I took a week break, and felt lost coming back because of the threads of the plot I hadn't held on to.
It is a fascinating book, worth the time, and it doesn't quite fit where you expect it. The mystical aspects are stronger here than in his first book (The Shadow of the Wind), and that's a negative in my opinion. My wife and I were both somewhat puzzled and dissatisfied with the epilogue/resolution. I enjoyed the characters, the intrigue, and the twisting plot. Overall, recommended.
It is a fascinating book, worth the time, and it doesn't quite fit where you expect it. The mystical aspects are stronger here than in his first book (The Shadow of the Wind), and that's a negative in my opinion. My wife and I were both somewhat puzzled and dissatisfied with the epilogue/resolution. I enjoyed the characters, the intrigue, and the twisting plot. Overall, recommended.
John O. (buzzby) -
The undisputed master of Barcelona noir.
Amy B. (BaileysBooks) reviewed The Angel's Game (Cemetery of Forgotten Books, Bk 2) on + 491 more book reviews
This is Book 2 in the Cemetery of Forgotten Books series, even though its events occur in the timeline prior to The Shadow of the Wind.
Let me begin by saying that The Shadow of the Wind is one of my all-time favorite books. I was hesitant to read The Angel's Game because I heard mixed reviews about it and because I knew that nothing could match the haunting beauty of its predecessor. I didn't want to be disappointed. Unfortunately (or perhaps predictably) I was.
Don't get me wrong: most of this book was very, very good. But in the last 50 pages or so, the plot totally collapsed under its own weight. I was left in the dark on so many important points and found myself with far too many unanswered questions. And I'm not talking about the philosophically unanswered questions that leave you pondering the meaning of things (those I am ok with). I am talking about the "Wait...that's IT? What on earth just HAPPENED?!?" kind of unanswered questions that make you think your copy must have been missing more than a few very important pages.
In the end, I think Zafon just tried to do too much. He seemed to have lost his grip on the threads of his own story and everything unraveled as a result. The ending was also needlessly complex, and even Zafon himself seems to have gotten lost in the convoluted maze of this messy plot. There were too many twists and turns, too many dead bodies, too many shifting identities, and too many key plot points that were completely unexplained. It's a shame, really. Zafon had something really great and it ended in absolute and unresolved confusion. I'm still not sure what actually happened, or what it was supposed to mean. Read this book and savor it until the last few chapters, but don't hold out any hope for a satisfying ending. That way, you might not feel quite so disappointed, and I won't have to say "I told you so."
Let me begin by saying that The Shadow of the Wind is one of my all-time favorite books. I was hesitant to read The Angel's Game because I heard mixed reviews about it and because I knew that nothing could match the haunting beauty of its predecessor. I didn't want to be disappointed. Unfortunately (or perhaps predictably) I was.
Don't get me wrong: most of this book was very, very good. But in the last 50 pages or so, the plot totally collapsed under its own weight. I was left in the dark on so many important points and found myself with far too many unanswered questions. And I'm not talking about the philosophically unanswered questions that leave you pondering the meaning of things (those I am ok with). I am talking about the "Wait...that's IT? What on earth just HAPPENED?!?" kind of unanswered questions that make you think your copy must have been missing more than a few very important pages.
In the end, I think Zafon just tried to do too much. He seemed to have lost his grip on the threads of his own story and everything unraveled as a result. The ending was also needlessly complex, and even Zafon himself seems to have gotten lost in the convoluted maze of this messy plot. There were too many twists and turns, too many dead bodies, too many shifting identities, and too many key plot points that were completely unexplained. It's a shame, really. Zafon had something really great and it ended in absolute and unresolved confusion. I'm still not sure what actually happened, or what it was supposed to mean. Read this book and savor it until the last few chapters, but don't hold out any hope for a satisfying ending. That way, you might not feel quite so disappointed, and I won't have to say "I told you so."
I am reading a library loaner and so far I'm enjoying this book, the story is enthralling. I woke up in the middle of the night this week, I grabbed the book hoping it would put me to sleep and it kept me reading until it was time to get up for work. (On page 110 of 531, 11/14/2013).
I will update my rating when I am done.
I will update my rating when I am done.
Cheryl (boomerbooklover) -
Not really much connection to first book (Shadow of the Wind). This was more far-fetched, but fast moving/easy to read.
Karen S. (MKSbooklady) reviewed The Angel's Game (Cemetery of Forgotten Books, Bk 2) on + 997 more book reviews
Another fascinating book by Mr. Zafon-a great story told by a great story teller.
Bren (Breninithaca) reviewed The Angel's Game (Cemetery of Forgotten Books, Bk 2) on + 377 more book reviews
Once again Zafon has written another breathtaking book which left me disappointed in the ending. He is a fabulous writer but somehow in this book, as well as in The Shadow of the Wind (for which this book is a sort of prequel), the last 50 pages or so just don't live up to the expectations created by the previous 450 pages. It's like he doesn't know how to end the stories after they have gone on for so long, so he just ties up his loose ends too fast and any which way, and fails to leave one feeling like the book ended in a satisfactory manner.
