The Labyrinth of the Spirits
From the bestselling author of The Shadow of the Wind
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4.6 • 101 Ratings
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- £3.99
Publisher Description
The long-awaited new novel from the author of the global bestseller and modern classic, The Shadow of the Wind.
As a child, Daniel Sempere discovered among the passageways of the Cemetery of Forgotten Books an extraordinary novel that would change the course of his life. Now a young man in the Barcelona of the late 1950s, Daniel runs the Sempere & Sons bookshop and enjoys a seemingly fulfilling life with his loving wife and son. Yet the mystery surrounding the death of his mother continues to plague his soul despite the moving efforts of his wife Bea and his faithful friend Fermín to save him.
Just when Daniel believes he is close to solving this enigma, a conspiracy more sinister than he could have imagined spreads its tentacles from the hellish regime. That is when Alicia Gris appears, a soul born out of the nightmare of the war. She is the one who will lead Daniel to the edge of the abyss and reveal the secret history of his family, although at a terrifying price.
The Labyrinth of the Spirits is an electrifying tale of passion, intrigue and adventure. Within its haunting pages Carlos Ruiz Zafón masterfully weaves together plots and subplots in an intricate and intensely imagined homage to books, the art of storytelling and that magical bridge between literature and our lives.
'For the first time in 20 years or so as a book reviewer, I am tempted to dust off the old superlatives and event to employ some particularly vulgar clichés from the repertoire of publishers' blurbs. My colleagues may be shocked, but I don't care, I can't help myself, here goes. The Shadow of the Wind is a triumph of the storyteller's art. I couldn't put it down. Enchanting, hilarious and heartbreaking, this book will change your life. Carlos Ruiz Zafón has done that exceedingly rare thing - he has produced, in his first novel, a popular masterpiece, an instant classic' Daily Telegraph
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
With The Shadow of the Wind, Spain’s Carlos Ruiz Zafón attracted a legion of devoted fans. He returns to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books for the series’ fourth and final instalment. Set in 1950s Barcelona, the book follows Zafón’s protagonist Daniel, a courageous young man who is running the family bookstore but remains haunted by his mother’s death. On his quest for the truth, Daniel meets the enigmatic Alicia whose quest for justice involves untangling the Franco regime’s web of lies. Zafón’s finesse for fusing the historical with the fantastical is in full effect. We loved this final journey to the spellbinding Sempere & Sons bookshop, where this unforgettable story all began.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Zaf n follows 2012's The Prisoner of Heaven with the conclusion to his Cemetery of Forgotten Books quartet, a gripping and moving thriller set in Franco's Spain that's fully accessible to newcomers. In 1959, 29-year-old Alicia Gris, a capable, insightful operative working for the Spanish secret police in Madrid who will remind readers of Lisbeth Salander, is tapped by her superior, Leandro Montalvo, for a sensitive inquiry. Spain's Minister of Culture, Don Mauricio Valls, who's been the target of anonymous threats and was the subject of a failed assassination attempt, has disappeared. The authorities believe that Valls was pursuing a lead on his persecutor on his own. Leandro promises the emotionally worn-out Alicia that she can leave his employ after this last assignment. When Alicia investigates, she discovers that Valls hid an unusual and valuable children's book in his Madrid mansion The Labyrinth of the Spirits VII and this in turn leads her to a Barcelona prison, where Valls was in charge during WWII. Fans of complex and literate mysteries featuring detectives with integrity working under oppressive and corrupt regimes will be well satisfied.
Customer Reviews
The Labyrinth of the Spirits
Unfortunately I do not possess the vocabulary to offer a comprehensive review. One word “ Magnifico”
Wonderful Finale
The Shadow of the Wind was the finest of this ‘series’, but the final instalment may just have surpassed it. An epic finale, taking the reader through the full Zafon repertoire of terror, tension, joy, sadness and redemption.