The Prisoner of Heaven (The Cemetery of Forgotten Books, #3)

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

The Prisoner of Heaven (El cementerio de los libros olvidados #3)

by Carlos Ruiz Zafón, Lucia Graves (Translator)

3.91 of 5 stars 3.91 · rating details · 10,010 ratings · 1,652 reviews

The third in the cycle of novels that began with The Shadow of the Wind and The Angel's Game, The Prisoner of Heaven returns to the world of the Cemetery of Forgotten Books and the Sempere & Sons bookshop. It begins just before Christmas in Barcelona in 1957, one year after Daniel and Bea from The Shadow of the Wind have married. They now have a son, Julian, and are li...more

Hardcover, 278 pages

Published June 21st 2012 by W&N (first published January 1st 2011)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Most Anticipated Books Summer 2012

8th out of 34 books — 96 voters

Book we're looking forward to for 2012

98th out of 216 books — 332 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Sep 13, 2012 Jeanette rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: all-fiction, europe-and-british-isles, four-star-fiction

Nothing can match the complexity and sinister suspense of The Shadow of the Wind, but The Prisoner of Heaven is a worthy follow-up to that story. I liked this one better than The Angel's Game, which I found somewhat confusing and overwrought.

Fermin Romero de Torres was my favorite character in The Shadow of the Wind(TSOTW), so I was delighted to discover that he takes center stage in this story. Remember in TSOTW when the boy Daniel meets Fermin, a pitiful, starving wraith in rags, prowling the...more

47 likes · like · see review

Jul 11, 2012 Liviu rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011_release_read, review_fbc, mainstream, read_2011, 2012_release_read, top_25_2011_novels

(thoughts in Nov 20111 from the Spanish lang edition) Some weeks ago the third installment of the awesome series that started with The Shadow of the Wind and continued with The Angel's Game has been published in Spain. As FBC is an English language site, I usually refrain from talking about books that are not available in English, but in this case as the UK publication of "El Prisionero del Cielo" has been tentatively set on June 2nd, 2012 and presumably the US publication will soon follow, I wi...more

13 likes · like · see review

Jul 21, 2012 Rebeca May rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, favorites

Finalmente llegamos a la antesala del que será el Acto final del "Cementerio de los Libros Olvidados." Y creo que es acertado llamarlo antesala ya que esta tercera entrega, puede quedarse reducida simplemente a eso, un prólogo del final. Esto no significa que no me haya gustado mucho, (claro le concedí 4 estrellas, pero mi juicio quizás sea un poco subjetivo), ya que le tengo mucho cariño a estos libros, sobre todo a los personajes de "La Sombra del Viento." Y ahora, gracias a este libro, le ten...more

14 likes · like · see review

Jul 01, 2012 Teresa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 5-estrelas, a-espanha

Terceiro volume da quadrilogia iniciada em “A sombra do Vento” e prosseguida pelo “Jogo do Anjo”. Gira à volta dessa maravilha saída da mente de Zafón que é o cemitério dos livros esquecidos, onde cada livro tem alma, “a alma de quem o escreveu e a alma de quem o leu” e onde cada livro vive para sempre.
Foi com imenso prazer que durante horas “vivi” com Daniel Sempere e o seu amigo Firmín, essa personagem fabulosa, que mesmo no meio dos maiores revezes não perde o sentido de humor e a força de v...more

11 likes · like · see review

Oct 13, 2012 Ryan rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction

This book is a perfect example of what is wrong with the publishing world. Zafon's first book, The Shadow of the Wind is one of my all time favorites. Ever. The second book The Angel's Game is well up there on my list, so when I saw The Prisoner of Heaven on display, I was ecstatic. Unfortunately, it is very clear that Zafon was under time pressure from the publisher on this book, enough so that the story was irreversibly ruined.

You see, Zafon is a master of prose, character, and theme. Indeed...more This book is a perfect example of what is wrong with the publishing world. Zafon's first book, The Shadow of the Wind is one of my all time favorites. Ever. The second book The Angel's Game is well up there on my list, so when I saw The Prisoner of Heaven on display, I was ecstatic. Unfortunately, it is very clear that Zafon was under time pressure from the publisher on this book, enough so that the story was irreversibly ruined.

You see, Zafon is a master of prose, character, and theme. Indeed I would just say that Carlos Ruiz Zafon is a master storyteller in general, but he is also one that needs time to polish and work his product. The only problem is that because of the HUGE success of his other two books, the publisher (who's biggest concern is for money and not story) wanted a third book yesterday, not tomorrow, not next week, out with it! Some authors fight this or have a brilliant agent and publishing team behind them that believes in story rather than speed, not so with Zafon. Don't get me wrong, this book is still well written and at times brilliant, but in the end it is unfinished. This book is short, a mere 279 pages, compared to a solid 587 pages for The Shadow of the Wind and 531 pages in The Angels Game. What this tells me as a reader is that Zafon wasn't even close to done and it shows. Where this book ends feels like the mid point of a longer book, it isn't really a conclusion, things aren't really tied together, but it was close enough to cut it off and call it "done".

I did enjoy The Prisoner of Heaven, but the rushed style, short story, and at times sloppy writing tells me that this once great author has been screwed by his publisher. Had this book had another year or even six months of work it would have been another shining example from one of the best writers of the 21st century. Instead we are left with a deep sense of betrayal at an incomplete story put out merely to make as much money as possible. Hopefully in the future Zafon is given the time necessary to produce books to his full potential and not merely for the quick cash. We will see I suppose.

More reviews and recommendations at http://ryetopia.blogspot.com (less)

57 likes · like · see review

Sep 21, 2012 Shellys♥ Journal rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, historicalfiction, mystery, series

In the months proceeding his scheduled wedding, Fermin shares with Daniel the reason for his "cold feet" after a mysterious one handed man has shown up at the book shop. In learning of Fermin's past, Daniel also sees the link between author David Martin and his mother.

This book is a "bridge" of sorts. It fills in the gaps between Shadow of the Wind and The Angel's Game and links the characters together. The book is lacking in the drawn out descriptive style of the previous two books. Instead, i...more

3 likes · like · see review

Jul 17, 2012 Zach rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, novel, spanish

I finish this book a bit confused. First of all, the discrepancies between this and The Angel's Game, specifically concerning the events and time frame of Isabella's death, left me scratching my head. Did CRZ do that specifically in order to confound the reader and then rescue his curiosity in the last book? I hope it is something like that, because there are only 2 other alternatives that are equally distasteful to me. The first is that I actually made the mistake in ordering all the events tha...more

14 likes · like · see review

Jun 27, 2012 Blair rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Existing fans of the series only

Shelves: read-on-kindle, historical, ghostly-and-magical, translated, 2012-release

The Prisoner of Heaven is the third book in Carlos Ruiz Zafón's Barcelona quartet, which began with The Shadow of the Wind and continued with its prequel, The Angel's Game. This story draws strands of the two previous books together, revisiting Daniel Sempere, the protagonist of The Shadow of the Wind, and his friend and colleague Fermín Romero de Torres. Fermín, previously more of an amusing sidekick, takes centre stage here as his complex and dramatic backstory is revealed (although Daniel sti...more The Prisoner of Heaven is the third book in Carlos Ruiz Zafón's Barcelona quartet, which began with The Shadow of the Wind and continued with its prequel, The Angel's Game. This story draws strands of the two previous books together, revisiting Daniel Sempere, the protagonist of The Shadow of the Wind, and his friend and colleague Fermín Romero de Torres. Fermín, previously more of an amusing sidekick, takes centre stage here as his complex and dramatic backstory is revealed (although Daniel still acts as the primary narrator). As Daniel listens to this tale, the reader is slowly made aware of the connections between the characters of all three books.

Although it's been a while since I read the previous books, I did at least remember fragments of the stories and a general idea of what had happened, and I can't imagine how this book would read to those unfamiliar with the other two. Because of this, I wouldn't really recommend it unless you've read The Shadow of the Wind and/or The Angel's Game first. Those who have enjoyed either of the other books will find many of their best attributes recreated here - a mysterious, gothic version of Barcelona populated with eccentric and larger-than-life characters, an instantly compelling beginning in which a sinister figure does something disconcerting, sparking a chain of events which includes flashbacks to the past, the dredging up of dark secrets, love and death, etc. The Prisoner of Heaven is quite short, and although this means some scope for more detailed description has been skipped (and there's much less discussion of literary and philosophical concepts than in the previous books), it does help the plot to move quickly, in brief, snappy chapters.

However, for those who have read The Angel's Game... I'm a little bit confused. (view spoiler)

There are still things I don't like about these books, namely the humour and the way the female characters are portrayed/described, both of which have always seemed out of place to me amongst the themes and style of the stories. The other problem with The Prisoner of Heaven is its brevity: it's more like half a book, or a novella designed to act as filler before the next 'proper' installment is published. However, I can't deny that it was hugely readable and I didn't want to put it down - in fact, I barely did from the moment I started reading, and it must have only taken me a couple of sittings, within less than 24 hours, to get it finished.

I've only ever rated one Carlos Ruiz Zafón book with more than three stars - yet I've read all five of his books published in English so far, which I suppose makes me a 'fan' of his work in some sense. I didn't think this was brilliant but it was certainly enjoyable and engrossing. And I absolutely HAVE to find out how the stories of these characters all end now, although I'm sure I'll be waiting a good few years for that!(less)

14 likes · like · see review

Jun 03, 2012 César Caracuel rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

La historia transcurre unos pocos años después de La sombra del viento. Regresamos a las andanzas de Daniel Sempere y Fermín Romero de Torres. Un día un extraño entra y compra un libro carísimo, se lo deja como regalo a Fermín. Daniel lo sigue y descubre dónde está alojado, y algún dato más. Se lo comenta a Fermín y éste decide, tras insistir Daniel, en contarle lo sucedido años atrás, cuando estuvo en la cárcel, donde conoció a David Martin (si, el de El juego del ángel) y sucedieron muchas cos...more

2 likes · like · see review

Apr 17, 2013 Dimitris Nikou rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Γραφή που μαγεύει μέσα από μια μοναδική απλότητα που δεν προσποιείται. Υπόθεση που συναρπάζει, γοητεύει, συγκινεί, σε μεταφέρει στο χρόνο, σε κάνει πρωταγωνιστή σε μια Βαρκελώνη εξαιρετικά δοσμένη από τον συγγραφέα που τη ζεις, τη νιώθεις, σχεδόν την αγγίζεις καθώς γυρνάς τις σελίδες. Και μαζί μ' όλα αυτά, το πάντα σαγηνευτικό άρωμα των βιβλίων γύρω από το οποίο ο Θαφόν υφαίνει την ιστορία του. Τι άλλο πρέπει να γράψω για να καταλάβετε πως είναι ένα βιβλίο που πρέπει να διαβάσετε;

2 likes · like · see review

Dec 12, 2012 Stacia rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012

Quite enjoyable. Now I may have to go back and read The Angel's Game (which I haven't read yet). Also wondering if the next book will be the last & final chapter...?

It has been quite a few years since I read The Shadow of the Wind. Yet, when reading The Prisoner of Heaven, I felt a pretty strong sense of déjà vu. I'm not sure if this stems from things I remembered from the first book or because of strong parallels to The Count of Monte Cristo or what.... So, for a good portion of the book, I...more

1 like · like · see review

Jul 13, 2012 Teresa rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Prisoner of Heaven is the long awaited third instalment in the Cemetery of Lost Books series. Carlos Ruiz Zafon is such a talented storyteller I think he could make the phone book unputdownable! I always approach his new books with a mixture of pleasure and dread – I’m always confident they’re going to be good but I know I’ll feel bereft once the final page is turned.

The story begins in 1957, a year after Daniel and Bea Sempere’s wedding and they now have their hands full with a new addition...more The Prisoner of Heaven is the long awaited third instalment in the Cemetery of Lost Books series. Carlos Ruiz Zafon is such a talented storyteller I think he could make the phone book unputdownable! I always approach his new books with a mixture of pleasure and dread – I’m always confident they’re going to be good but I know I’ll feel bereft once the final page is turned.

The story begins in 1957, a year after Daniel and Bea Sempere’s wedding and they now have their hands full with a new addition to the family, baby Julian. All seems peaceful enough apart from the usual pressures of adjusting to parenthood and the need to bring more customers into Sempere and Son’s Bookshop where Daniel and family now live with his father. Fermin is still working in the bookshop and will soon be married to Bernarda so what could possibly happen to taint this picture of domestic bliss? Cue the entrance of the mysterious stranger who readily spends a small fortune on a rare copy of The Count of Monte Cristo only to instruct Daniel to pass it onto Fermin. Thus, a window is opened on the murky past of Fermin Romero de Torres and we are swept back in the mists of time to 1939 when Barcelona fell to General Franco. Fermin was amongst those unfortunates imprisoned in Montjuic Castle, considered as escape-proof as the Chateau d’If in The Count of Monte Cristo. Yes, the past has a nasty habit of catching up on folk and Fermin is no exception.

If you enjoyed The Shadow of The Wind and The Angel’s Game you will experience equal delight in this latest episode. The usual Zafon ingredients are present – the gothic undertones, the inner heart of Barcelona, the love of literature, the sheer joy of creating a vibrant, atmospheric story peopled with characters who feel like old friends.

The only thing preventing me awarding a five star rating (maybe I’m too greedy or too harsh..) is the fact that, at 288 pages, this novel is almost half the size of its two sister volumes (The Shadow of The Wind 528 pages, The Angel’s Game 544 pages) and it feels more like part one of a two parter a la Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows movie version. I guess it prolongs the inevitable despair of finishing the series, which will happen with the next novel but it could frustrate those accustomed to the “meatiness” of the previous tomes. I’ll just have to bide my time waiting on the final course, grazing on less savoury fare to satisfy my literary munchies in the interim…

(less)

4 likes · like · see review

Dec 11, 2012 Molybdenum rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is not really the book I was expecting. Despite the insistence from Zafon in the introduction that each book in this Cemetery of Forgotten Books can stand alone, this one cannot. It didn't really have its own story, it simply tied together Shadow of the Wind and The Angel's Game and set up what will be presumably the next book in the series.

It was also missing a lot of that atmosphere of the first two books. Because of the danger the characters faced, the city was practically menacing at ti...more

3 likes · like · see review

Nov 06, 2012 Linda rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, series-books

“The Prisoner of Heaven” is considered an YA novel by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, but it will captivate adults as well as teens. I enjoyed this book as much or maybe even more than "The Shadow of the Wind, the first in the series." Fermin, Daniel, and other characters are transported back to the 1940‘s. The retelling of the horrors of prison, poverty and tyranny of the leaders of the time are vividly portrayed. This is balanced with the telling of love tenderness and friendship. I have become captivated...more

2 likes · like · see review

Aug 13, 2012 Yzobelle rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: anyone who wants an amazing reading experience

Shelves: to-read-again

Another masterpiece of the great Zafon! Definitely a gold mine! A book that is too great to be ever considered to put to rest at the Cemetery of Forgotten Books!

It is not going to be easy to write a review of any of Zafon's books. As I have done so with The Shadow of the Wind, The Angel's Game, and The Prince of Mist, I can only write about the impact these books have made on me.

Truly a page turner, from the front cover to the very last page, The Prisoner of Heaven, didn't allow me to separate f...more Another masterpiece of the great Zafon! Definitely a gold mine! A book that is too great to be ever considered to put to rest at the Cemetery of Forgotten Books!

It is not going to be easy to write a review of any of Zafon's books. As I have done so with The Shadow of the Wind, The Angel's Game, and The Prince of Mist, I can only write about the impact these books have made on me.

Truly a page turner, from the front cover to the very last page, The Prisoner of Heaven, didn't allow me to separate from it, not even in the bathroom. Extremely gripping, absolutely absorbing! Full of twists and turns that managed not to make me get lost. Up to the very last page, Zafon gives a twist that really made my jaw drop! ... Read this book and I bet, you would have the same jaw-dropping experience at the end!

When I grabbed a copy of this book, I thought that it is the last of what seemed to be a trilogy. But that last page gave me quite a strong gut feel that another book will follow soon. Or perhaps, I just wish there would be! (There's got to be!) I was so compelled to give Mr. Zafon a ring and find out the answer to the question he left all his readers with. If it were any other book, I would have been soooo annoyed to be left hanging in the air, after the last page at that! But knowing how wise this author is, I am just quite sure that there is yet another story underlying this new twist. ...

But i can't help it. I just have to find out. Please hear me ... Don Carlos Ruiz Zafón, for the love of Daniel and Fermin and Isabella, is the evil Mauricio Valls still around? Is he now in the person of David Martin? Will he continue to haunt Daniel? When will he ever leave Daniel and Fermin in peace? ... please Mr. Zafon. Have mercy on Fermin. Give him the chance to have a peaceful and happy marriage with Bernarda. And let Julian and Bea enjoy quality family life with Daniel.

This is how greatly affected I am with Zafon's books! I am quite sure anybody else who decides to read his books would be this affected too. C'mon, I encourage you all to do so! You wont regret it. I bet my bottom dollar! For those who haven't read his previous books, I suggest you start with The Shadow of the Wind, then The Angel's Game, then The Prisoner of Heaven. You'd appreciate more the string of stories if you read them in that order.

Zafon is such a genius in giving his readers an intertwining experience of emotions. He can make your mind work like a detective, make your heart melt with sympathy, make your fists curl with anger, make your stomach knot in suspense, and definitely make your lungs laugh out loud with the wit and humor that marks almost every page!

After reading the trilogy, I am urged to reread them and recreate the timeline of events. Simply amazing! Don Carlos, how do you do it? How do you sustain all these stories? Or by any chance, are you Daniel Sempere himself? Or perhaps Julian?

... Now, I have to get back to work. But rest assured, I am now more than ever ready to come back to reality and fight for what is worthwhile, a great lesson that Fermin -- who was first introduced to us as the vagabond in the streets of Barcelona -- taught me with his life story.(less)

6 likes · like · see review

Dec 03, 2011 mkld rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Siempre me pasa lo mismo con Ruiz Zafón. A mí me gustan las historias, y prácticamente puedo leer lo que me echen. De este escritor valoro su facilidad de lectura y sus historias relativamente interesantes, capaces de mantener la atención. Ahora bien, hay que reconocer que literariamente es una chapuza. Es el mismo caso que Stieg Larsson, Dan Brown... y todos aquellos lectores que lees y estás deseando leer a pesar de que sabes que eso no es nada bueno.

No obsante, este tercer volúmen de la saga...more Siempre me pasa lo mismo con Ruiz Zafón. A mí me gustan las historias, y prácticamente puedo leer lo que me echen. De este escritor valoro su facilidad de lectura y sus historias relativamente interesantes, capaces de mantener la atención. Ahora bien, hay que reconocer que literariamente es una chapuza. Es el mismo caso que Stieg Larsson, Dan Brown... y todos aquellos lectores que lees y estás deseando leer a pesar de que sabes que eso no es nada bueno.

No obsante, este tercer volúmen de la saga El cementerio de los libros olvidados se lleva la palma. La saga va a ser una tetralogía, y pero bien podría haber sido una trilogía. Ruiz Zafón ha decidido poner toda la acción en el cuarto libro, y este tercero no es más que para crear expectación, es mucho más corto y está estirado como un chicle. No ocurre absolutamente nada, el libro puede resumirse en una frase, literalmente. Bien podía haber reducido este libro a un capítulo e incluirlo en el siguiente volumen o ahorrarselo del todo, gracias.

Como venía diciendo, literariamente es una chapuza, porque sigue siendo lo mismo de siembre. Si alguien no la conoce, la fórmula mágica de Ruiz Zafón es:

·Citar lugares de Barcelona que existen hoy en día. En sus novelas, que abarcan desde los años 30 hasta finales de los 50, sitúa la acción de sus libros sistemáticamente en tiendas, bares, locales o lugares que aún hoy existen, para que el lector que conoce Barcelona se sienta orgulloso de haber tomado un café en el mismo lugar que los personajes. Es sistemático. Poco importa si el estátus social de los personajes habría impedido que tomasen algo en el Café Ópera, como aún hoy esta en pie, será ahí que lo tomarán. Si van a un restaurante, será a uno que exista hoy en día, aunque en aquella época fuese un tugurio y los personajes sean burgueses. En este libro llega al extremo: un recorrido de arriba abajo en La Rambla sólo para que el lector barcelonés se regocije.

·Juntar palabras que suenen bien aunque no signifiquen nada, o frases lapidarias que suenan filosóficas hasta que te paras a pensar y son una chorrada: ej. "amanecer de plomo y escarcha", "Loco es el que se tiene por cuerdo y cree que los necios no son de su condición", "El futuro no se desea; se merece", "El cielo puede esperar. Y el infierno le viene pequeño".

En fin, sigo con esa relación amor-odio que le tengo a Ruiz Zafón.(less)

8 likes · like · see review

Dec 17, 2012 Rob Innis rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I suppose it was my own fault for letting both my expectation and excitement build to such high levels. I had a premonition when the book appeared out of its jiffy bag (I purchased online) I didn’t like the size and found it difficult to comfortably hold and it looked thin. But surely CRZ won’t disappoint I thought as I revelled in opening to the first page...........278 pages later I do feel let down. Although he still has a superb writing style – this one just did not ignite for me and none of...more

1 like · like · see review

Aug 18, 2012 Albert Clayton rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Carlos Ruiz Zafon is one of the great storytellers of our time. This book is the back story to The Shadow of the Wind, The Prince of Mist as well as The Angel's Story. What is so magical about these books, all of which I have read, is an underlining care for each character as well as being able to feel the misery inflicted upon Spaniards during the reign of Franco. Set in Barcelona, all of his books are page turners and it is almost impossible to shut off the Kindle and go to sleep.

1 like · like · see review

Aug 02, 2012 Miriam rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Just started yesterday and already I have to force my self to slow down so as not gulp the whole thing down in one sitting. Looking good!

yep, a very nice read and an interesting alternative ending to some of the fates of the persons from The Angels game, which I had to read over to check. Don\t quite know how that works out for every one who reads it but I liked it.

2 likes · like · see review

Aug 11, 2012 Paulomonic added it · review of another edition

Not as good as A Sombra do Vento, but close. Zafón is back, after the small detou.r of The Angel's Game

1 like · like · see review

Apr 29, 2013 Alisea rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Nel dicembre del 1957 un lungo inverno di cenere e ombra avvolge Barcellona e i suoi vicoli oscuri. La città sta ancora cercando di uscire dalla miseria del dopoguerra, e solo per i bambini, e per coloro che hanno imparato a dimenticare, il Natale conserva intatta la sua atmosfera magica, carica di speranza. Daniel Sempere è ormai un uomo sposato e dirige la libreria di famiglia assieme al padre e al fedele Fermín con cui ha stretto una solida amicizia. Una mattina, entra in libreria uno sconosc...more Nel dicembre del 1957 un lungo inverno di cenere e ombra avvolge Barcellona e i suoi vicoli oscuri. La città sta ancora cercando di uscire dalla miseria del dopoguerra, e solo per i bambini, e per coloro che hanno imparato a dimenticare, il Natale conserva intatta la sua atmosfera magica, carica di speranza. Daniel Sempere è ormai un uomo sposato e dirige la libreria di famiglia assieme al padre e al fedele Fermín con cui ha stretto una solida amicizia. Una mattina, entra in libreria uno sconosciuto, un uomo torvo, zoppo e privo di una mano, che compra un'edizione di pregio di "Il conte di Montecristo" pagandola il triplo del suo valore, ma restituendola immediatamente a Daniel perché la consegni, con una dedica inquietante, a Fermín. Si aprono così le porte del passato e antichi fantasmi tornano a sconvolgere il presente attraverso i ricordi di Fermín. Per conoscere una dolorosa verità che finora gli è stata tenuta nascosta, Daniel deve addentrarsi in un'epoca maledetta, nelle viscere delle prigioni del Montjuic, e scoprire quale patto subdolo legava David Martín - il narratore di "Il gioco dell'angelo" - al suo carceriere, Mauricio Valls, un uomo infido che incarna il peggio del regime franchista...
Carlos Ruiz Zafon mi incanta: mi piace il suo stile, mi piace l'eleganza e l'ironia dei suoi dialoghi, le atmosfere della sua Barcellona e mi piacciono i personaggi. In particolar modo, mi piace Fermìn e in questo libro finalmente si conosce la sua storia.
Purtroppo però il libro ha parecchi difetti.
Non conclude la vicenda lasciando molti quesiti irrisolti, non coinvolge come L'ombra del vento e la ricercatezza dei dialoghi, l'ironia di Fermìn appare poco credibile: difficile credere che un prigioniero di Montjuic, dopo aver subito ogni sorta di tortura, abbia ancora la forza di parlare forbito grondando, oltre al sangue, ironia da tutti i pori.
Poco credibile anche la descrizione di Barcellona: ne esce un'immagine poetica, quando i libri di storia ci rimandano ad una città devastata, affollata di disperati in cerca di pane.
Insomma, diciamo quattro stelle più per affetto che altro...(less)

like · see review

Mar 15, 2013 Diane rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, fiction

Ick, ick, ick. I really enjoyed reading the first two books in this series. And I find the notion of a "cemetery of forgotten books" really compelling, the sort of device that invites many, many books to be written utilizing it. Sadly, The Prisoner of Heaven was not to be one of them. The truncated form is only one of many issues. I expect that a book series will bring a consistently compulsively readability. This is not the case here. I have spent the better part of the week in bed with wounds,...more

2 likes · like · see review

Feb 28, 2013 Laurie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

‘The Prisoner of Heaven’ is the third novel in the series that started with ‘Shadow of the Wind’. In this book, while it’s told from the point of view of Daniel Semper, we learn the ‘origin story’ of Fermin Romero de Torres.

Fermin featured in ‘Shadow of the Wind’ as an accessory character who, while being strong and supportive, provided a comic relief. In ‘Prisoner’, set years before ‘Shadow”, we learn of his past and the true depths of the man. This is a man who is unjustly imprisoned in a hi...more

like · see review

Feb 28, 2013 Bluenoon rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is an amazing book. I think, there are so very few books that can match "The Shadow of the Wind" in it's catagory. This book is also really good, better than "The Angel's Game." The book is about true love, real friendship, mean, shallow and brutal period in Spain's history where the two extremes of human characterstics manifests itself in the name of ideology. I'm glad we got to see Fermin's history - where he began. Fermin is an amazing character whom I wasn't very fond of until I read hi...more

like · see review

Feb 18, 2013 Becca rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was delighted when I found this on the New Books shelf at the library. I had no idea there was another installment in this cycle! It did not disappoint; in fact, it helped me recapture some of what I felt reading THE SHADOW OF THE WIND on flights to and from Paris.

I am ever astonished by Zafon's language. Stunning. I don't like to miss a word, and I am not always such a careful reader. I love the character Fermin and was pleased that this was his book. My one disappointment is also one of the...more

like · see review

Feb 13, 2013 Derick Parsons rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Very disappointing; I would have given it zero stars if it were possible. Shadow of the Wind was a marvelous, gothic-style melodrama with mystery, depth and tangible atmosphere on every page, while The Angel's Game was even better; a stunning, compulsive read that I literally could not put down. In comparison this was poor, thin, insubstantial stuff that was simply not worth reading. It had no atmosphere and no real story; it was just a mish-mash of characters from the first two books in the ser...more

like · see review

Feb 04, 2013 Tanya D rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Let me first say that I loved reading this book. I devoured it over two days, never wanting to put it down. I loved being back in Barcelona, in the very specific world created first in The Shadow of the Wind, which was one of my all-time favorite reads. I loved being reunited with some of favorite characters, especially Fermin. I loved the mystery and the promise of learning more about plot lines and characters from the previous books. But...

This book is a tease! It raises more questions than it...more

1 like · like · see review

Jan 10, 2013 Annina rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I loved Zafón's other books in the series and this does add to the story in the same captivating way. You can read the book without having read the two others, but having read them, I wished I had read them recently and remembered all the characters and events in them well. That's however nothing against this book. This tells mostly the story of Fermin, but ties in some of the other characters as well, naturally Daniel and his family in the present of the story and other familiar characters in F...more

like · see review

Jan 03, 2013 Petersfairy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

To be honest, I am quite disappointed by Zafón's new novel. I looked forward to it so much, and in the end the story turned out to be nothing like its predecessors.
The plot is not in the least as thrilling as "The Angel's Game" or "The Shadow of the Wind". Fermín's story is feeble and only at some very few points interesting and enthralling. Until now, I've finished all of Zafon's books within one or two days, because I found his way of writing so scenic and imaginative. This time it took me ne...more

like · see review

Dec 10, 2012 scott noble rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

this may ramble, repeat, and what not, but it's written in hopes that you too will fall into the hypnotic, romantic, labyrinthian noir of mid-20th century Barcelona that Carlos Ruíz Zafón so vividly portrays in this series of novels (Shadow of the Wind, The Angel's Game, and this - the 3rd installment). although i found The Angel's Game to be, quite honestly, the best book i've read in a decade, i'm starting with this review since i just polished it off - the book, that is. i'll revisit the othe...more this may ramble, repeat, and what not, but it's written in hopes that you too will fall into the hypnotic, romantic, labyrinthian noir of mid-20th century Barcelona that Carlos Ruíz Zafón so vividly portrays in this series of novels (Shadow of the Wind, The Angel's Game, and this - the 3rd installment). although i found The Angel's Game to be, quite honestly, the best book i've read in a decade, i'm starting with this review since i just polished it off - the book, that is. i'll revisit the others, refresh, and do the same for them as well.

Zafón's story revolves around Daniel Sempere, a bookkeep who works in his father's shop, Sempere & Sons, which has obviously been in his family for years. we're placed in the mid-20th century at first, but what Zafón does so brilliantly is take you from one period of Spain to the next, alternating between pre-civil war times to mid-civil war then back to post-Franco Spain. having studied these times in my academic life, accounts of these times are horrifying and Zafon's descriptions - being either physical, psychological, or even emotional - live up to all i've encountered. Daniel has a wife and child, lives a modest life, and doesn't seem too interesting at all; yet, Zafón's world of quasi-magical realism brings demons and devils to life, only to be countered by the wit and strength of real world angels. it brings out secrets in each and every character, whom you may both grow to fear and shed tears for in a matter of pages.

i want to say the central character in this 3rd novel is Fermín Romero de Torres - Daniel's lifelong friend, crazed philosopher, lover of women, and extra hand at Sempere & Sons. before Prisoner, Fermín is the joker, the character that brings humor into the darkest moment. more or less a scalawag, we don't know much about him from the previous novels - or should i say about his life and background. well, Zafón lays it all out in these pages. we find out who Fermín Romero de Torres really is and it's one hell of a ride. from within the annals of Fermín's story comes the roots of the novel within the novel, The Angel's Game by one of Fermín's favorite and Spain's most loathed author's, David Martín. the two come in contact during the war in times of utter dispair. i will not even begin to spoil. but we do end up finding out the origin of the book, from which we begin to find the secrets to an inner life Barcelona would wish to hold dear and secret in the center of its lugubrious heart.

as i said before, i want to say Fermín is the focal point - and he is - but what we find out from his lifelong struggle as a nobody (literally) leads to a web of connections between all the characters: Daniel, his father - Señor Sempere, Daniel's deceased mother - Isabella... even Daniel's son, Julián, who is named for another inter-novel writer, Julián Carax - whose writings are the focal point of The Angel's Game. while Fermín searches for his true identity, his is not the only one revealed.

although Zafón's writing can be gory at times, it's real. there's no softening of the skin when you read the descriptive qualities of, say, a burlap sack in a jail cell. the words "stench" and "filth" are virtually slathered onto the pages - you can literally almost smell the very smells which Fermín is enduring. Zafón's writing is deep, detailed, and visual. it's almost entrancing. the story moves along in stages, winding through time, space, and the characters' minds almost seamlessly. a true talent it takes to mesh such an elaborately baroque tale by way of three phenomenally written novels.(less)

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
The Angel's Game & The Prisoner of Heaven	24	163	May 17, 2013 07:49am
SPECULATION: The next "presumed dead" character to still be alive is...	4	44	Apr 13, 2013 04:41am
Books en Español: Cononcí a Zafón en Los Angeles	11	104	Feb 05, 2013 06:15pm

combine
Other Editions (45)

More editions...

Genres

Historical Fiction

169 users

Mystery

133 users

Cultural > Spain

40 users

Fantasy

36 users

Writing > Books About Books

32 users

Gothic

29 users

Magical Realism

26 users

European Literature > Spanish Literature

24 users

Thriller

16 users

Literature

15 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

The Gods of Gotham
by Lyndsay Faye
La mano de Fátima
by Ildefonso Falcones
The Map of the Sky
by Félix J. Palma
John Saturnall's Feast
by Lawrence Norfolk
Citadel
by Kate Mosse

About Carlos Ruiz Zafón

Carlos Ruiz Zafón is a Spanish novelist. Born in Barcelona in 1964, he has lived in Los Angeles, United States, since 1994, and works as a scriptwriter aside from writing novels.

His first novel, El príncipe de la niebla (The Prince of Mist, 1993), earned the Edebé literary prize for young adult fiction. He is also the author of three more young-adult novels, El palacio de la medianoche (1994), Las...more

More about Carlos Ruiz Zafón...

Books by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

The Shadow of the Wind (The Cemetery of Forgotten Books, #1)

The Angel's Game (The Cemetery of Forgotten Books, #2)

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About The Prisoner of H...

1 trivia question

More quizzes & trivia...

Quotes from The Prisoner of Heaven

“Deep down we've never been who we think we once were, and we only remember what never happened.” — 15 people liked it

“Everything can be forgiven in this world, save telling the truth.” — 13 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: The Prisoner of Heaven
avg rating	preview: The Prisoner of Heaven Goodreads rating: 3.91 (10010 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13369595-the-prisoner-of-heaven?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1345806810l/13369595.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13369595-the-prisoner-of-heaven?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Prisoner of Heaven by Carlos Ruiz Zafón[/url]

The Prisoner of Heaven (El cementerio de los libros olvidados #3)

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website