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El Palacio de la Medianoche (Niebla #2)

by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

3.46 · rating details · 972 ratings · 167 reviews

En el corazon de calcuta se esconde un tenebroso enigma. . .

Ambientada en la Calcuta de los anos treinta, El palacio de la medianoche comienza una noche oscura en la que un teniente ingles lucha por salvar las vidas de dos ninos de una amenaza impensable. A pesar de las insoportables lluvias del monzon y el terror que lo asedia en cada esquina, el joven britanico logra po

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Paperback, 340 pages

Published September 1st 2008 by Rayo (first published June 1st 1998)

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Jan 18, 2012

Blair rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: kids-and-young-adult, read-on-kindle, historical, ghostly-and-magical

Obsessive followers of my reviews (come on, I know there's loads of you out there) may have noted that back when I reviewed Carlos Ruiz Zafón's previous YA novel, The Prince of Mist, I said I wasn't going to bother reading this. And it's true, I wasn't. But then I came across a, shall we say, 'free' version and I couldn't resist giving it a try, knowing it wouldn't take me long to read. I'm quite glad I did, as The Midnight Palace is much better than its predecessor.

Like The Prince o...moreObsessive followers of my reviews (come on, I know there's loads of you out there) may have noted that back when I reviewed Carlos Ruiz Zafón's previous YA novel, The Prince of Mist, I said I wasn't going to bother reading this. And it's true, I wasn't. But then I came across a, shall we say, 'free' version and I couldn't resist giving it a try, knowing it wouldn't take me long to read. I'm quite glad I did, as The Midnight Palace is much better than its predecessor.

Like The Prince of Mist, this book was originally intended for the teen market, but the English translation is clearly being aimed more towards the author's adult fans - again, it comes with a foreword extolling its appeal to readers of all ages. The story starts with Ian, now entering old age, recalling his youth in a children's home in Calcutta - specifically the adventures he enjoyed with a tight-knit group of fellow orphans who called themselves the Chowbar Society. Flashback to 1932, when the seven friends are on the cusp of turning sixteen and leaving the orphanage to make their own ways in the world. An elderly woman arrives at the orphanage with a girl of their age, the intriguing Sheere, and so begins a fantastical rollercoaster ride of an adventure.

It's odd that this is supposed to be the second of a trilogy, as other than some elements of fantasy and a seemingly indestructible 'bad guy', it has very little in common with The Prince of Mist. One of the things that annoyed me the most about that book was that it was so vague, completely failing to establish any sense of time or place, and providing very little explanation of the villain's origins. Here, the setting and era of the story are clear from the beginning, and the evil Jawahal is given a backstory that's perhaps too detailed, raising rather a lot of questions. Naturally, since this is YA fiction, it does all get a bit silly - much of the climatic action is really daft, but I didn't exactly expect shining literary brilliance, so that was fine. But I did genuinely like the ending, which seemed oddly melancholy and downbeat for a teen book.

A decent little read for fans of the author - atmospheric, exciting and easy to get through in one sitting. Maybe I'll read his next YA translation (due May 2013!) after all.(less)

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Jun 27, 2011

Jeanette rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: all-fiction, creepy-spooky-scary, indian-subcontinent-and-surrounding, young-adult-books

My disappointment in this book can be described in three words:

Insufficiently explained superpowers.

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Jun 05, 2011

Murphy's rated it

from Murphy's Library — http://www.murphyslibrary.com/

I’ve been presented to Zafón’s writing with The Shadow of the Wind, a few years ago. I remember it took me a while to really get into the book, but once I did it, I couldn’t put the book down until I was done reading it. So when I saw Book it Forward had this ARC open for a tour, I quickly signed up. And I’m glad I did it, because Zafón got me hooked again!

The Midnight Palace tells us the story of the twins Ben and Sheere....morefrom Murphy's Library — http://www.murphyslibrary.com/

I’ve been presented to Zafón’s writing with The Shadow of the Wind, a few years ago. I remember it took me a while to really get into the book, but once I did it, I couldn’t put the book down until I was done reading it. So when I saw Book it Forward had this ARC open for a tour, I quickly signed up. And I’m glad I did it, because Zafón got me hooked again!

The Midnight Palace tells us the story of the twins Ben and Sheere. They were newborns when their mother died—their father earlier—, and they were saved by Peake, a young British lieutenant who loved their mother. A man was after the twins, but Peake managed to deliver them to their grandmother, right before losing his life. Aryami Bose lost her daughter, and she couldn’t bear losing her grandchildren as well, so she made what she thought it was the best: she separated and hid them.

Ben was taken to St. Patrick’s Orphanage, where he was raised by Mr. Carter with another orphans. On the night Mr. Carter accepted Ben there, a mysteryous man came to talk to him, asking about a baby he may have accepted there—but he denied such thing. Mr. Carter followed Aryami’s instructions and didn’t tell the man there was a new baby at the orphanage. Sheere was raised by Aryami, but they never stayed too long on the same place, they were always moving and hiding.

At the orphanage, Ben had a family, the other orphans. They created what they call The Chowbar Society, kind of a club that met at The Midnight Palace—and old house—, there were seven of them, six boys, one girl. On his 16th birthday, he met Sheere and Aryami, and he quickly became friends with Sheere, although he had no idea she was his twin sister. Aryami was there to warn Mr. Carter about the danger Ben’s into, the boy must run away as soon as possible, because the mysteryous man is coming after him, sooner or later.

When Mr. Carter saw himself facing the man again, he was sure Aryami was telling the truth. He told Ben to run, to go after Aryani and Sheere, and that’s exactly what he did, but he’s not alone. The Chowbar Society went with him—they’ve sworn to protect each other. That’s when Ben learned the truth about his family and started to find out more about the man who was chasing him and Sheere.

The Midnight Palace is an emotional roller coaster. You have to fasten your seat belt and enjoy the ride, because you won’t see the clock running. Part of the story is told by one of the boy’s POV, so we get to see Ben through his best friend’s eyes. I was already aware of Zafón’s style because of The Shadow of the Wind, so I kinda saw what was behind the by mystery on this story, but he knows how to tell a story, he knows how to hook you into it. This is the second book on a trilogy, but I must confess I hadn’t read the previous book, The Prince of Mist, and this was not a problem, once apparently the books stand well by themselves.(less)

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May 02, 2011

Courtney rated it

Shelves: action-adventure, friendship, historical-fiction, misc-supernatural, teen-fiction

This one reads like classic Zafon, of whom I am a big fan. The atmosphere of this book, while set in Calcutta, is not too far off from his later books set in Barcelona (Shadow of the Wind, Angel's Game). It's a bit dreamy, a lot creepy and maybe even a bit magical. The story opens with a British soldier delivering infant twins from imminent danger. The twins are separated by their grandmother to keep them safe from those who might wish them harm. The boy twin, Ben, is raised in an orphanage...moreThis one reads like classic Zafon, of whom I am a big fan. The atmosphere of this book, while set in Calcutta, is not too far off from his later books set in Barcelona (Shadow of the Wind, Angel's Game). It's a bit dreamy, a lot creepy and maybe even a bit magical. The story opens with a British soldier delivering infant twins from imminent danger. The twins are separated by their grandmother to keep them safe from those who might wish them harm. The boy twin, Ben, is raised in an orphanage where our story resumes nearly 16 years later.
Ben and his closely-knit group of friends, all orphans, are nearing the end of their days in the orphanage and preparing to move on to the outside world. One night an old woman and her granddaughter arrive and things start to get strange. Slowly but surely, the granddaughter, Seere and Ben realize that they are siblings. Not only that, but that both of the lives appear to be in danger from a mysterious entity that is somehow connected to their later father, a brilliant engineer responsible for building the train system connecting major cities in India. The father, however, passed on in a horrific fire at the grandiose Jheeter's Gate when the train, also carrying 300 orphans, caught fire and destroyed the train, the station and the lives of everyone aboard. Now, a mysterious stranger calling himself Jawahal is after the twins, but Ben and his friends are determined to get to the bottom of the whole affair before anyone gets hurt.
I must say, I did figure out the "who dunnit" element long before the book was nearing completion, mainly because it's a totally "Zafon" thing to do. If you've read his stuff and read this, then you'll probably know what I mean. What I did need to figure out was the why, which is what kept me going. The setting for the book is almost a character in and of itself as are several of the locations throughout, including the titular "Midnight Palace". A fun and haunting read.

Note: I received the ARC of this book from the publisher. I am not in any way compensated for this review (shucks).(less)

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Mar 22, 2011

Laura rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: mt-bookpile-2011

This is definitely in the horror/suspense genre, much more so that The Prince of the Mist. Having Calcutta as a setting is just perfect, as it's not a place many readers are familiar with and that difference adds to the eeriness.

One night a British Lieutenant is being chased by assassins; he manages to elude them long enough to get two orphaned babies to their grandmother's house before drawing the pursuit away and dying at their hands. Grandma takes one child and leaves him at a l...more

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May 03, 2011

Kelly Hager rated it

This story centers around the lives of twins Ben and Sheere. They were separated at birth for their own protection and the man (or, more accurately, the man-shaped thing) chasing them vows that he will find them on their 16th birthday. Flash forward 16 years, and weird things start to happen. The two meet when their grandma (who kept Sheere) comes to see about Ben and take him with them out of Calcutta. But once the two realize what's going on, they refuse to leave.

There are some...more

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Jan 15, 2012

Aurore rated it

· review of another edition

Un mot, incroyable. Le style de Zafón est toujours aussi surprenant et ses romans vous donnent mal au ventre et des sueurs froides tant le suspens est à son comble. Les personnages font toujours preuve de courage et d'altruisme et nous donnent une vraie leçon sur l'amour et l'amitié. Carlos Ruiz Zafón ne joue pas sur les mots et ne fais pas de ses personnages des héros invincibles mais des êtres normaux comme vous et moi. J'aime et j'adore tout simplement.

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Jan 06, 2012

Margaret Shabunko rated it

· review of another edition

The Midnight Palace by Carlos Ruiz Zafon is a fantastic book filled with suspense, thrill, and mystery. You will become a fanatic once you start reading this book. The story takes place in a desolate town called Calcutta, where it never rains and nothing seems to flourish and grow. The stroy starts when to newborn babies are seperated at birth and are forced to live two seperate lives without no knowledge of their twin and an outrageous story to go with the explanation. In the end, of course, th...more

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Oct 04, 2011

Cindy Hudson rated it

· review of another edition

Something evil tried to kill Ben the night he was born, although he knows nothing about it. All he knows is that he was raised in an orphanage, and as his 16th birthday approaches he has to decide what he’ll do when he has to leave there in a few days. He and his friends of the same age, who form a group they call the Chowbar Society, are celebrating together before they all must leave the orphanage as well. But strange events are about to change their plans.

Ben dreams of a fiery train...more

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Sep 01, 2011

Sidney rated it

· review of another edition

The atmosphere is definitely similar to The Shadow of the Wind in this slimmer YA outing. In the opening, a frantic military officer flees a dark pursuer in the streets and alleys of Calcutta, protecting a pair of infants. One of his charges, a boy who becomes known as Ben, is delivered to an orphanage where he grows up as part of the Chowbar Society, a loose affiliation of friends who make The Midnight Palace, a mysterious and abandoned residence, the center of their activities.

On th...more

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Jul 21, 2011

Jerard Po rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: gothic, love, mystery, tragic

It is the second of the four of Zafon's teen fiction the first being the Prince of mist. As a person who has read the Shadow of the Wind and the Angel's game first, this feels like a step back since those books were Zafon's 5th and 6th (in that order). His writing has matured since "midnight".

On to the pros:

- Right from the get go Zafon always sets the pace nicely. Gothic and mysterious.
- Writing style albeit less polished is unmistakably Zafon. Atmospher...more

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Jul 18, 2011

Clockstein Lockstein rated it

· review of another edition

The Midnight Palace by Carlos Ruis Zafon is the author's first attempt at a young adult novel. A group of orphans created a club for themselves in 1930s Calcutta to help cope with the rigors of a difficult life. On the brink of their release into the world on their sixteenth birthday, the group's leader, Ben, is given some shocking information about his true identity and discovers his long-lost twin sister, Sheere. The story the twins are told is a horrifying one that left both of their parents ...moreThe Midnight Palace by Carlos Ruis Zafon is the author's first attempt at a young adult novel. A group of orphans created a club for themselves in 1930s Calcutta to help cope with the rigors of a difficult life. On the brink of their release into the world on their sixteenth birthday, the group's leader, Ben, is given some shocking information about his true identity and discovers his long-lost twin sister, Sheere. The story the twins are told is a horrifying one that left both of their parents dead, and the murderer on a quest to destroy them, so their grandmother separated them in hopes of keeping them both safe. But the dark and frightening enemy is back and determined to wreak his revenge upon Ben and Sheere's family. Zafon has made a major stumble with this suspenseful tale. The Shadow of the Wind is one of my favorite books, so I was looking forward to reading Midnight Palace, but I was disappointed. Zafon's Calcutta doesn't feel even remotely like the mystical and mysterious city of Calcutta; instead it comes across as any generic European city, most likely London. Even the main characters have English names: Ben, Ian, Seth, and Michael! The story could easily be rewritten substituting London for Calcutta and very few changes would need to be made. Midnight Palace may have been better as a trilogy. Zafon creates some fantastical settings, but fails to use them well, like Chandra's house and the train station. I would have loved for the characters to spend several chapters exploring both, but instead readers are rushed through them as Zafon pushes his characters into confrontation and rusty plot devices. The club seeks to investigate the story Sheere's grandmother tells them, not to propel the story, but only to prove her a liar. I get the impression that Zafon had a vision of this unusual group of children investigating this strange story, but instead of allowing the story to unfold, it's rushed through any kind of emotional or suspenseful breakthroughs. A major revelation is broadcast early on, and the climax is never in doubt, and I wish Zafon had handled both with more subtlety. Zafon is a fantastic author, and this book had so much potential. I almost wish he would write it again using his immeasurable talents to their limit.(less)

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Jun 23, 2011

Natalie rated it

· review of another edition

This book did have one or two good qualities, but all-in-all I really didn't like it. I liked the author's use of words, but his use of everything else left a lot to be desired.

The main characters, Ben, Sheere, Ian and the others, were all decent, but nothing more. There was nothing special in their personalities beyond the ordinary (and often stupid) behavior of basically good kids in a bad situation. They were supposed to all be 16, but half the time they seemed younger and the oth...more

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May 04, 2011

Elizabeth B rated it

· review of another edition

As always, Zafon is a masterful storyteller and from the very first sentence I was entranced. His lyric prose alone is reason enough to read his works but, in this particular story, he seems to shine with a youth orientated plot of mystery, adventure and suspense all rolled together. Zafon has this ability to capture the world around him with such unique and realistic descriptions that it makes you feel like you have dropped into the middle of this world he has created – both the good parts of...more

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Mar 03, 2011

Lydia Presley rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, fantasy, fiction, young-adult, thriller

Carlos Ruiz Zafon is one of my favorite authors for a reason - he knows how to start a story out, how to give it "flavor". The beginning of The Midnight Palace has a deadly chase, a set of babies crying and the backdrop of Calcutta in the early 1900's. Mix in rain, a good dose of mystery and a smattering of horror and you have a perfect beginning to a book.

Sheere and Ben are twins, but they do not know of one another due to an incredible tragedy in their background. Both a...more

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Feb 18, 2011

Roberta rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 2010

“I luoghi che albergano la miseria e la tristezza sono la dimora preferita delle storie di fantasmi e apparizioni. Calcutta custodisce nel suo lato oscuro centinaia di queste storie, alle quali nessuno ammette di credere, ma che sopravvivono nella memoria delle generazioni come l'unica cronaca del passato. Si direbbe quasi che, illuminata da una strana saggezza, la gente che affolla le sue strade comprenda che in fondo la vera storia di questa città è sempre stata scritta nelle pagine invisibili...more“I luoghi che albergano la miseria e la tristezza sono la dimora preferita delle storie di fantasmi e apparizioni. Calcutta custodisce nel suo lato oscuro centinaia di queste storie, alle quali nessuno ammette di credere, ma che sopravvivono nella memoria delle generazioni come l'unica cronaca del passato. Si direbbe quasi che, illuminata da una strana saggezza, la gente che affolla le sue strade comprenda che in fondo la vera storia di questa città è sempre stata scritta nelle pagine invisibili dei suoi spiriti e delle sue maledizioni tacite e occulte.”

Questo romanzo è ambientato nell’India coloniale, in una Calcutta brumosa, e i protagonisti sono dei ragazzini cresciuti in un orfanatrofio e uniti dall’amicizia e dall’affiliazione al club segreto della Chowbar Society, che si riunisce in un casermone in rovina ribattezzato Palazzo della Mezzanotte.

Siraj, Ben, Ian, Roshan, Michael, Seth e l’unica ragazzina, Isobel, pur crescendo in un ambiente sano e protetti dal direttore dell’orfanatrofio Thomas Carter e dalla sua capoinfermiera Vendela, sentono la necessità di qualcosa di più, che dia loro la sensazione di avere qualcosa di simile a una famiglia. E’ per questo che nasce la Chowbar Society, con l’intento di rimanere uniti anche nel futuro e nelle avversità. Ma nonostante tutte le buone intenzioni, i nostri eroi sono consapevoli del fatto che, una volta raggiunto il sedicesimo anno di età, che sancisce il momento dell’abbandono dell’orfanatrofio, le loro strade inevitabilmente si separeranno.

Il romanzo inizia proprio a pochi giorni dal momento che li vedrà indipendenti e adulti, con l’inaspettata entrata in scena di Aryami Bose e di sua nipote Sheere: nel passato di Sheere e Ben c’è un misterioso uomo che ha giurato vendetta, e per questo vuole ucciderli. Alle prime avvisaglie di serio pericolo, la Chowbar Society si attiva per salvare i due ragazzi e svelare i misteriosi segreti del loro passato. La storia è raccontata da un Ian ormai anziano e nostalgico.

Il palazzo della mezzanotte mi è sembrato uno dei romanzi di Baccalario, con la sola differenza del linguaggio che nel caso di Zafon mi porta a chiedermi quale mentecatto possa davvero pubblicare questo libro nella categoria narrativa per ragazzi. Sintatticamente e lessicalmente mi sembra assai poco adatto, e anzi a volte è fastidioso anche per noi adulti (o almeno per me). Inoltre mi ha fatto un po’ ridere il fatto che i sette ragazzini vengano identificati in base a determinate caratteristiche, quasi fossero dotati di super poteri come i Fantastici Quattro.

Critiche a parte, il romanzo si fa leggere, anzi, è avvincente e la sua ambientazione misteriosa è appassionante. Peccato che per scrivere un libro sui ragazzi (perchè secondo me questo non è un libro per ragazzi) ci voglia molto di più. Basta leggere It di Stephen King per capirlo.

***SPOILER***
Ho trovato anche un’incongruenza (e che l’abbia trovata io, notoriamente distratta, vuol dire qualcosa!): quando Ian si sveglia nella casa dell’architetto e decide di uscire a cercare del cibo, l’autore ci dice che la “serratura” della casa alla sua uscita è cambiata e al suo ritorno chiederà la composizione di un altro nome. Dopo però quando Ian ritorna alla casa non si parla più di questo e riesce a entrare tranquillamente! spoiler sul finale Più in generale ho trovato poco credibile la fine: diciamocelo, un cattivissimo ibrido uomo/macchina attende sedici anni per poter ghermire i suoi propri figli e ottenere l’immortalità, poi appena uno dei due lo affronta si lascia uccidere. Ma come??? fine spoiler sul finale
*** FINE SPOILER*** (less)

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Jun 17, 2011

Sarai rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult-fiction, supernatural

SPOILER ALERT!

I was very disappointed in this book. I liked Prince of Mist, but this book was not nearly as good (and I didn't think Prince of Mist was great).

For one thing, Grandma does not want anyone telling Sheere that her father was a bad man. But Grandma was the one who, for her whole life, has been telling Sheere that her father is a good man. But she knew his spirit was hunting his children to kill one of them. So why did she build him up in Sheere's mind in the first...more

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Mar 19, 2011

Kristin (MyBookishWays Reviews) rated it

· review of another edition

You may also read my review here: The Midnight Palace

2 stars
16 year old twins, Ben and Sheere, are reunited after being separated at birth by a terrible set of circumstances that took the life of their mother. Raised in an orphanage in Calcutta, Ben has relied on the support of his close knit group of friends and the kindness of the Headmaster. It’s been a good life for Ben at the orphanage, but upon the children’s 16th birthday in 1932, they are considered adults, and are set fr...more

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Dec 24, 2011

Aleksis rated it

· review of another edition

what really caught my eye was the intriguing cover... seeing as though the cover looked mysterious, and I'm a fan of mystery, I grabbed the copy and started reading the summary at the back...

I didn't think that the story would be set in India or would contain paranormal spoofs.... I thought it would be something like Sidney Sheldon or perhaps Sherlock Holmes types... but nonetheless, I was not disappointed...

there were chapters (or were they preludes?)(specifically the beginn...morewhat really caught my eye was the intriguing cover... seeing as though the cover looked mysterious, and I'm a fan of mystery, I grabbed the copy and started reading the summary at the back...

I didn't think that the story would be set in India or would contain paranormal spoofs.... I thought it would be something like Sidney Sheldon or perhaps Sherlock Holmes types... but nonetheless, I was not disappointed...

there were chapters (or were they preludes?)(specifically the beginning, some parts after a chapter, and the ending) wherein someone was speaking in the first person mode... which later is understood to be Ian - a member of the Chowbar Society who wishes to be a doctor & a good friend of the twins). It is shown that he is re-telling the story and that he is privileged to be the one to share it.

The chowbar society was founded by 7 children in St. Patrick's orphanage, 6 boys and one girl - wherein they all vowed to share their secrets and help one another at all costs since they have no one else... the group was later joined in by Shere the day it was about to be disbanded since the member turned 16 and they all had to leave the orphanage... It was also later revealed that Shere and Ben (the group's leader) were twins by their grandmother Aryami Bose who separated both to save their lives.

the children all joined together to find out who really is and why Jawahal - the twins' killer - wants the twins dead and would stop at no cause even after 16 years.

The story was not bad, though there were points were I got not so interested like the twins being separated at birth thing but other than that, it was okay...

The ending was pretty dramatic.... the twins had to be separated again and to think that they've only been together for less than a month!! the group also disbanded after Ian left for London, each went their own ways... in the end, it was also revealed that Ben disappeared without a trace and that Ian had received a package containing Ben's necklace....

so over-all: the story was intriguingly dramatic and could send readers to the brink of feeling upset for the twins' fate.... truly heart-touching...(less)

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Apr 18, 2011

Beverly rated it

· review of another edition

FTC Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in the hopes that I would provide a review. I did not receive any compensation for my review.

This book did not have the passion and exciting pace that I normally find in young adult books. I've seen it listed in a few places as part of the series with The Prince of Mist. That might explain why I often felt as though I was missing a great deal of the story. This book just didn't interest me. I had to force myse...more

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Feb 05, 2012

Jordan rated it

· review of another edition

http://wandering-world.skyrock.com/30668...

Haaaaaaa Carlos Ruiz Zafón, que j'aime vos romans ! Le Palais De Minuit nous entraîne dans un univers unique, saisissant et oppressant, qui nous rend très rapidement accros. La plume de l'auteur est juste exquise, et c'est un véritable plaisir de voyager dans le monde ténébreux et plein de surprises qu'elle nous offre. J'ai, malheureusement, moins aimé ce livre au Prince De La Brume, chef-d'œuvre qui m'avait renversé. Mais j'ai tellement ador...morehttp://wandering-world.skyrock.com/30668...

Haaaaaaa Carlos Ruiz Zafón, que j'aime vos romans ! Le Palais De Minuit nous entraîne dans un univers unique, saisissant et oppressant, qui nous rend très rapidement accros. La plume de l'auteur est juste exquise, et c'est un véritable plaisir de voyager dans le monde ténébreux et plein de surprises qu'elle nous offre. J'ai, malheureusement, moins aimé ce livre au Prince De La Brume, chef-d'œuvre qui m'avait renversé. Mais j'ai tellement adoré le fait de retrouver les mêmes éléments qui m'avaient fait tomber amoureux avec les écrits Carlos Ruiz Zafón que ma lecture m'a tout de même conquis.
Nous plongeons cette fois dans la ville de Calcutta, en 1932. Nous rencontrons les membres de la Chowbar Society, club formé de six adolescents sans parent qui vivent dans un orphelinat depuis leur plus tendre enfance. Ils ont connu des tas d'horreurs dans leurs vies, comme la recherche de leurs passés, de leurs racines, et la réponse à la question qu'ils se posent tous : "comment ai-je atterri ici ?". Nous avons à faire à six personnes écorchées vives, qui veulent juste profiter au maximum de leurs derniers instants ensemble. En effet, maintenant qu'ils ont tous seize ans, ils vont devoir faire leur entrée dans la vie active et dissoudre le groupe si cher à leurs coeurs.
Sauf que rien ne va se passer comme prévu venue l'heure de la dernière nuit de la Chowbar Society. Alors que les six adolescents vont tous se regrouper au Palais De Minuit, un lieu sacré à leurs yeux, Ben, le meneur de la bande, va se retrouver face à son passé et à son avenir en affrontant ses démons. Il va faire la rencontre de sa sœur jumelle, Sheere, et, ensemble, ils vont devoir lutter contre une ombre aussi maléfique que familière : Jawalah, un esprit diabolique qui n'a qu'un seul but, les tuer.
Nous voilà alors submergés par un flot de frissons et d'adrénaline, le tout saupoudré de peur et d'excitation. Carlos Ruiz Zafón nous emmène avec lui au plus profond des tunnels de l'unique gare de Calcutta, un lieu hanté qui fascine autant qu'il terrorise. Ben, Sheere, et les autres membres de la Chowbar Society, vont se retrouver au milieu d'un jeu atroce, dans lequel mort, espoir, peine et passion s'entremêlent. Jawalah est un protagoniste affreux, qui m'a donné à maintes reprises des sueurs froides.
J'ai vraiment beaucoup aimé l'univers noir et intriguant que nous offre l'auteur. Nous passons véritablement par toute une palette d'émotions, certainement due à la constellation de personnages qui croisent notre route. On s'attache à eux sans aucune peine. Leur dévotion et leur détermination sont juste magnifique. Le Palais De Minuit nous montre le sens de l'amitié, la vraie. Tous les héros sont décidés à rester unis, quoiqu'il ne leur en coûte.
Malgré un univers très séduisant, j'ai été un peu déçu et fatigué des descriptions assez longues que contient le roman. Les lieux sont décrits en profondeur, et c'est parfois trop. Ces longues mises en avant de la ville, de la gare et des tunnels m'ont ennuyé, et elles freinent le récit. Je pense que c'est cela qui m'a obligé à moins apprécier Le Palais De Minuit que Le Prince De La Brume. On ne peut malheureusement pas s'empêcher de comparer les deux ouvrages, car les ingrédient qui les constituent sont les mêmes.
A contrario, on ne peut pas éviter d'être éblouis par ces derniers. La panique et la détresse s'écoulent en nous par vagues intenses, qui nous coupent le souffle. J'ai adoré avoir une boule au ventre tout au long de ma lecture. On sent que quelque chose d'énorme se prépare. Et que Ben et Sheere sont les deux personnes qui vont devoir faire preuve d'un courage hors norme. On a mal pour eux, car ce n'est pas seulement l'ombre de Jawalah et de ses pouvoirs maléfiques qui les menacent. Oh ça, non. Ils vont devoir faire face à leurs secrets et aux révélations sur leurs existences. En affrontant Jawalah, ce sont eux qu'ils vont devoir combattre. Leurs propres âmes.
Le roman nous file entre les doigts avec une rapidité rare, et on passe par tout un tas d'états passionnants à vivre. L'intrigue est menée à la perfection, et elle nous consume jusqu'à nous pousser à nous ronger les ongles avec frénésie. La fin de l'histoire est parfaite, et elle colle merveilleusement bien à l'univers que nous venons de découvrir. On en veut encore, et on veut tout savoir sur l'avenir des adolescents qui nous ont tant charmé.
En conclusion, Le Palais De Minuit, bien que moins bon à mes yeux que Le Prince De La Brume, est un ouvrage prenant et hautement angoissant. Les protagonistes sont sensationnels, et le monde dans lequel l'auteur nous immerge est extraordinaire. Je crois que je suis en train de devenir fan des romans de Carlos Ruiz Zafón. Ce dernier possède vraiment un don pour nous enchanter et nous captiver. Je n'ai qu'une hâte désormais : foncer sur les livres de l'auteur qui m'attendent dans ma Pile A Lire ! (less)

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Oct 08, 2011

Kate Forsyth rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: children-s-historical, children-s-fantasy

Carlos Ruiz Zafon is the Spanish author of The Shadow of the Wind, one of my all-time favourite books, and so I had to buy this when I saw it. Originally published in 1994, it has been translated and published in English, presumably to take advantage of his international popularity. Set in Calcutta in the 1930s, it’s a rather odd book, and ultimately very sad. It tells the story of twins separated at birth and hidden to protect them from supernatural danger – a man who does not die when he is s...more

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Jun 17, 2011

Stories & Sweeties {Becky} rated it

· review of another edition

Carlos Ruiz Zafon is a master of atmosphere. He sets his stories in such vividly imagined settings and has a gift for immersing the reader right into the middle of it. 1930's Calcutta came alive for me---the smell of the sea, the rustic buildings, the grand train station, the crumbling Midnight Palace, and the simple orphanage that is the only home Ben and his group, who call themselves "The Chowbar Society", have ever know.

There were things that I really loved about this o...more

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Sep 11, 2011

Ann Crewdson rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: teen

On a dark night in Calcutta 1916, an English lieutenant fights to save newborn twins Ben and Sheere from an evil being running through the streets of Calcutta. Facing monsoon-force rains and terrible danger around every street corner, Lt. Pearce manages to get them to safety, but not without losing his own life…Years later, on the eve of the twins named Ben and Sheere’s sixteenth birthday, the mysterious specter reenters their lives—dark cloaked with flaming claws with the single purpose to dest...more

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Jan 12, 2012

Thewildtinker rated it

· review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 30, 2011

Reader rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: books-read-march-2011

Ben just celebrated his birthday, his 16th one in St. Patrick's Orphanage under the watchful eye of Thomas Carter. But Carter knows that there is something more to this boy-and his suspicions are confirmed when a mysterious woman shows up claiming to be the guardian of Ben's twin sister. Now Ben and Sheere are hunting through their father's records, discovering his involvement with a secret British weapons project, and confronting the dark secret that ruined their parent's lives. Beautiful writi...more

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Dec 15, 2010

Kate rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 2010, age-ya, paranormal, historical-fiction, arcs

I read this ARC via Netgalley.

In some places this is listed as being part of a series beginning with The Prince of Mist (the series being called Fog or Mist in Spanish), but this felt like a standalone story to me.

In Calcutta in the early 1900s, a boy is left at an orphanage with instructions to never reveal his origins due to threats against his life. The boy grows up with the name Ben, and he and his friends, calling themselves "The Chowbar Society," have for...moreI read this ARC via Netgalley.

In some places this is listed as being part of a series beginning with The Prince of Mist (the series being called Fog or Mist in Spanish), but this felt like a standalone story to me.

In Calcutta in the early 1900s, a boy is left at an orphanage with instructions to never reveal his origins due to threats against his life. The boy grows up with the name Ben, and he and his friends, calling themselves "The Chowbar Society," have formed their own family. On the eve of the day Ben and his friends turn 16 and will be let out of the orphanage to make their way as adults, the headmaster receives a visit from an old woman and a teenage girl, Sheere. Ben feels an instant connection with Sheere and she joins the Chowbar Society. Later the woman explains why: Ben and Sheere are twins, and an evil man who murdered their father and mother has been hunting them down.

There's a lot more plot I could add, although a quick summary would be: Some ghostly stuff happens involving a train, and they defeat the evil man, who is actually a ghost. There was just a lot of pretty random ghostly stuff, that even in the final explanation of the story seemed to be more for effect than as a result of the mystery of the twins' father. It felt like most of the backstory about the father and the evil was just told (and the first time it was told was mostly a lie, and then it was told again as the truth). I honestly did not see much point to the number of characters (there are about 9 Chowbar Society members, and they were all pretty superficial - Michael the artist, Isobel the actress, Sihaj the thief, Ian the doctor, etc).

The descriptions are wonderfully eerie and fitting to the time period, and I enjoyed the setting of this story in Calcutta. I felt a bit like this was meant more for adults than for children, especially in the way that the story was framed, being written by one of the Chowbar Society members (Ian?) at a time when Ian is now an old man. This could appeal to kids as young as 10 all the way up to adults, but I'm just not sure many kids will enjoy this, although The Prince of Mist has circulated moderately well here at the library. (less)

like 1 like

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Dec 12, 2011

Maria Carmo rated it

Recommends it for: Everyone.

Shelves: enchanting-wondrous-and-magical-lo, novel-romance-revealing-historica, thrillers-suspence-adventure

Beautifully written, in a scenery of an early XX Th. century Calcutta, filled with Mystery and beauty.
Always just a touch "dark", but in the end Love and Friendship do make a difference, even though one of the characters sacrifices to save others.

All in all, I enjoyed this second volume even more that the Prince of Fog, because somehow the atmosphere was lighter in this book, despite all the mystery and suspense...

Definitely a good read!

T...more

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Jun 25, 2011

Grace rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, young-adult, suspense-thriller, science-fiction-fantasy, read-in-2011

This review originally appeared on my book review blog, Feeding My Book Addiction: http://feedingmybookaddiction.blogspot.c...

Carlos Ruiz Zafon is one of the few, if not the only, author whose books are automatically placed on my ever growing to be read pile. He is a master storyteller and creator of realistic, three dimensional characters that stick in your brain and hold a place in your heart for a long time after you are done reading. The Midnight Palace is the fourth book of his b...more

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Nov 21, 2011

Leah rated it

· review of another edition

I had several issues with this letdown of a novel. This was my first Zafon novel and given that it is written for the A/YA group, I can't see too many teenagers interested in it, unfortunately.

1. Characterization is poor. It's too short to really appreciate any of the characters, so as a reader, I didn't feel involved in the story.
2. The premise started out eerily enough; twins persued by an evil force (person or otherwise) who are assisted by a secret society of friends crea...more

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Quotes from El Palacio de la Media...

“Maturity is simply the process of discovering that everything you believed in when you were young is false and that all the things you refused to believe in turn out to be true.” — 6 people liked it

“We had yet to learn that the Devil created youth so that we could make our mistakes, and that God established maturity and old age so that we could pay for them...” — 1 person liked it

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