- Paperback: 832 pages
- Publisher: W&N (13 Jun. 2019)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1474606210
- ISBN-13: 978-1474606219
Synopsis
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.
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 Franco 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.
Review
The Labyrinth of the Spirits is the fourth book in the Cemetery of Forgotten Books series by Carlos Ruiz Zafón. The book is mainly set in the late 1950’s of Barcelona and Madrid. Daniel Sempre now runs the family bookshop with his father and wife Bea and now has a on of his own, Julian, named after Julian Carax from the first book The Shadow of the Wind. Still wanting to find out the truth about his mother’s death, his path crosses that of Alicia Gris who as a child was injured during the war, and now works as an investigator of sorts. During her current investigation she comes across information that could reveal the truth, but at what cost?
I was really excited to see that Carlos Ruiz Zafón had written another book in this series, so much so I bought a signed copy of The Labyrinth of the Spirits last year. As soon as my paperback copy landed on my doormat about two weeks ago I knew I had to read this book straight away. It is not a light read at just over eight hundred pages long, and certainly not a book you can speed read, Calos Ruiz Zafón is one of those authors who doesn’t waste one sentence, word or punctuation mark. The plot is fairly complex, with a lot of characters and at first you really have to concentrate to get the feel of the book. I took me a couple of hundred pages to really find my feet and from then on I was completely engrossed by this amazing book. It is hard to put this book under any one genre heading, there is historical fiction, thriller, crime, mystery and certainly a touch of the supernatural and this is what makes Carlos Ruiz Zafón’s books unique. Being part of The Cemetery of Forgotten Books series it comes as no surprise that there is a book at the centre of the plot; The Labyrinth of the Spirits series by Victor Mataix. This book is an homage to Alice in Wonderland and set in a darker version of Barcelona, accessed by a Labyrinth.
Going back to a much loved series is a wonderful as you reconnect with much loved characters. In this book many of the characters from previous books make an appearance, some only in name, others as physical characters. Daniel now has a son of his own, who as you would expect loves books being the son and grandson of a bookshop owner, and is taken to the dreamlike Cemetery of Forgotten Books, a place that sounds like heaven to me. Daniel’s side kick Fermín Romero De Torres is also back and we learn a bit more of his mysterious past. However, the most intriguing character in this book is the beautiful and strong Alicia Gris. As a child she was orphaned and suffered a horrendous injury during a bombing raid, and grew up in orphanages. Not much is known of her life but in the 1950’s we learn she is in her late 20’s and working for some dark organisation as an investigator, and sometimes assassin. She comes across as cold, heartless and detached, but through the book and in her relationship with working partner Vargas we see her thaw and show emotion towards others. Alicia is a character that grows on you as her story develops, and one I would love to see back in a future book, a real Femme Fatal.
The Labyrinth of the Spirits is a breathtaking and epic book. This was such an amazing reading experience, where I literally got lost in the pages of the book, forgetting time and reading for hours on end. The multiple threads of the plot knit together to create a rich and detailed story that draws you in and captures your full attention. Carlos Ruiz Zafón is a masterful storyteller whose books are magical, and all encompassing with memorable characters. To say I absolutely loved this book would be an understatement, this type of book reminds me why I love reading and books much; sensationally sublime and stunning !!
Thank you for reading my review and if you liked it I hope you will share the book love. If you haunt read any of Carlos Ruiz Zafón books before I highly recommend them. The three previous books in this series are The Show of the Wind, The Angel’s Game and The Prisoner of Heaven.
