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El Príncipe de la Niebla (Niebla #1)

3.53 of 5 stars 3.53 · rating details · 6,897 ratings · 1,002 reviews

Son tiempos de guerra, y la familia Carver decide dejar la ciudad donde vive para instalarse en un pequeño pueblo costero donde han comprado una casa. Pero desde el momento en que cruzan el umbral de la puerta, comienzan a suceder cosas extrañas. En la misteriosa casa aún respira el espíritu de Jacob, el hijo de los antiguos propietarios, que murió ahogado.

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Hardcover, 230 pages

Published December 1st 2006 by Rayo (first published January 1st 1986)

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Die unendliche Geschichte by Michael Ende

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Jun 19, 2012 Raina rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: creepyish, historical, not-amerika, ya

Wow, I am NEVER. EVER. going to watch Paranormal Activity.

Several scenes early in this book were SO SCARY that I had to put the book down to read something lighter to de-creep myself before I could fall asleep*. So, at least until I start living with other people again, I'm not allowed to read/watch anything scarier than this. :)

So yeah, it's creepy. As soon as the creepiness is explained, I was fine, so it really was just a few early scenes, but I'm an anticipation person and the unknown creep...more

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Oct 27, 2011 Mish rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: library-friends-books, fantasy, fiction, historical, mystery, romance, y-adult, thriller, paranormal, horror, translated-fiction, 2010, gothic

I stumbled upon this book at my daughter’s school library thinking that it might be fun to read a magical, adventure story.

Yes there was magic and adventure, but it also had one of the scariest and horrific sounding ghost that truly frighten me. I felt sensations that I hadn’t felt in years. Reading this sent shivers up my spine, put goose pimples on my arms, and it had me screeching like a little girl.

The book starts at a nice steady pace when Max Carver’s father decides to move his wife and t...more

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May 09, 2010 Jeanette rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: all-fiction, young-adult-books, creepy-spooky-scary

Nice little story, although I wonder if it has enough excitement to satisfy young'uns raised on the Harry Potter series. This was Ruiz-Zafon's first novel, originally published in 1992, so don't expect the depth and genius of The Shadow of the Wind. Still, there are a lot of elements I think will appeal to kids: the weird cat, the sunken ship, the old film reels, the clown (somewhat reminiscent of Stephen King's Pennywise).

The first half of the book is fairly ordinary. I kept wondering when it...more

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Apr 23, 2011 Wulfette Noire rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

OMG! I love and can't out down Zafon's Shadow of the Wind, so I was excited when I finally found the English translation of his first published novel, Prince of Mist. Zafon's writing put me right into the character's soul, describing everything in such a way that I can almost feel and see what the characters are seeing and feeling.

The story starts out in a light note, though war was mentioned several time, the main character, Max, is a young teenager whose point of view is both innocent and posi...more

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May 11, 2010 Sean rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, foreign-language, ya-books

This book was a lot easier for me to read than The Shadow of the Wind, if only because it's a more straightforward fantasy story and less pretentious and caught up in itself. On the other hand, it's not really a very good book. The plot wanders and has far too many dead ends, illogical occurrences (and YES, I would argue that even fantasy stories should follow some sort of logic), repetitious actions and descriptions, a caricature for a villain, and parents who are mysteriously absent for half t...more

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Nov 19, 2011 Jo rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya, for-review

3.5 stars.

“In an infinite universe, there were too many things that escaped human understanding.”

Initial Final Page Thoughts.
Um… so no one thought to ring the police or tell any grown-ups what just happened? We’re just going to look back on it as if it was just a crazy summer mad-cap adventure? Um…

High Points.
Max. I’ve been acquainted with a lot of Maxs recently and I have to say… it’s a good name. Beach houses. Roland. Alicia. Cats in wardrobes. Genuinely creepy. Beautiful writing, seriously t...more

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Oct 06, 2012 Maria rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Depois de um momento de indecisão face à compra deste livro ou de "Marina", do mesmo autor, optei por comprar este. Já há bastante tempo que o tinha na minha wishlist, desde que foi publicado em português, mas ainda não tinha decido apostar na sua compra. A semana passada decidi fazê-lo.

O primeiro livro que li deste autor foi "A Sombra do Vento", que é soberbo. Por isso, sei que vai ser dificil conseguir ler outro livro do autor que se possa comparar à Sombra do Vento ou até ultrapassar. É raro...more Depois de um momento de indecisão face à compra deste livro ou de "Marina", do mesmo autor, optei por comprar este. Já há bastante tempo que o tinha na minha wishlist, desde que foi publicado em português, mas ainda não tinha decido apostar na sua compra. A semana passada decidi fazê-lo.

O primeiro livro que li deste autor foi "A Sombra do Vento", que é soberbo. Por isso, sei que vai ser dificil conseguir ler outro livro do autor que se possa comparar à Sombra do Vento ou até ultrapassar. É raro tal acontecer, mas não é impossível. Contudo, ainda não consegui ler outro livro de Carlos Ruiz Zafón que ultrapasse a Sombra do Vento. E este não foi excepção.

Com um enredo interessante e misterioso, Zafón leva-nos a uma visita a uma aldeia na costa atlântica sul da Inglaterra, durante os tempos da 2ª Grande Guerra.

O livro inicia-se com com um prefácio muito bonito, em que o autor escreve sobre si mesmo e sobre o amor aos livros e à leitura e depois começa a narrativa. A história passa-se no verão de 1943. Maxmilian Carver, pai de três filhos, Alicia, Max e Irina (por ordem do mais velho para o mais novo), decidi mudar-se para uma aldeia distante da cidade com a sua família de modo a fugir da guerra. Maximilian, a esposa e os filhos partem para a aldeia, para uma casa na praia que tinha sido construída por um rico cirurgião e a sua esposa, mas que tinham tido a infelicidade do seu filho, Jacob, morrer afogado na praia. A casa, abandonada à mais ou menos uma década, passa assim a ser a casa da família Carver.

Assim que chegam à estação, Max sente que algo de errado se passa ali. O relógio da estação não funciona bem: os ponteiros andam para trás. E, como que à sua espera, está um gato que decide travar conhecimento com Irina, que logo quer adotar o animal.

Quando chegam a casa, e depois de a limpar e dar alguns retoques, a família sente-se bem no local. Max, ao olhar por uma das janelas, descobre um bosque e um espaço que parece ser um jardim. Decidi explorar o jardim e deparasse com um cenário macabro: um jardim de estátuas de pedra, que formam uma estrela de seis pontas e cujo elemento do centro é um palhaço. O mais arrepiante de tudo é que o palhaço se move, muito devagarinho. Max logo fica apavorado, mas outra descoberta está para se realizar. Max conhece Roland, um rapaz mais velho que está prestes a ir para a guerra. Roland e Max tornam-se amigos e o rapaz mais velho convida Max para ir mergulhar, junto do barco afundado, Orpheus.

O pai de Max, numa das limpezas, descobre uma caixa de filmes e um projetor e decide fazer uma sessão de cinema. Quando o filme começa, depressa percebem que não vão ver filme nenhum famoso: é um filme amador, filmado por alguém que está no jardim de estátuas de pedra. E as estátuas estão todas numa posição diferente da que Max tinha visto aquando da sua exploração.

Um mistério enorme, onde nem tudo é o que parece; uma amizade forte que vai levar a um final arrepiante, e acima de tudo um amor que vai fazer com que tudo mude.

Max, Roland e Alicia tornam-se amigos, mas o que eles não sabiam é que há mistérios demasiados profundos para serem desvendados e histórias que não podem ser esquecidas.

Recomendo a todos os fãs de Carlos Ruiz Záfon e a todos os leitores em geral. Este é um excelente livro para um público mais jovem, apesar de ser indicado para todas as idades!

No Blog:
http://oimaginariodoslivros.blogspot....(less)

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Jun 26, 2010 Caroline rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy, young-adult, foreign-literature

I can't even begin to tell you how much I loved this book!!

Everything I loved from The Shadow of The Wind is there, with a paranormal young adult spin (aka *perfection*). I loved following Max and his sister Alicia through this adventure. The characters are very well described and they feel so real with their tiny flaws and habits that it is a real pleasure to read. This book has the atmosphere of old gothic/horror novels where the characters are in a pretty regular setting and then something un...more I can't even begin to tell you how much I loved this book!!

Everything I loved from The Shadow of The Wind is there, with a paranormal young adult spin (aka *perfection*). I loved following Max and his sister Alicia through this adventure. The characters are very well described and they feel so real with their tiny flaws and habits that it is a real pleasure to read. This book has the atmosphere of old gothic/horror novels where the characters are in a pretty regular setting and then something unexpected, dark and frightening happens which turns the situation upside down.

Reading this story has made me think about how fortunate we are today in Europe, USA and other countries not to have a war going on inside our frontiers. Of course many of our troups may be waging war/bringing peace in parts of the world, but we don't really know what a civil war is anymore. In this book, the setting is Second World War Spain. The country had been living a very brutal Civil War from 1936 and when WWII broke out, Spain aligned itself with Germany at first but progressively adopted a neutral stance. When the story of Max Carver starts in 1943, Spain doesn't take part in the Second World War but is a dictature with a very strong repression which will only end in 1975. You can read The Shadow of The Wind if you want to have an idea on how much the Franco regime has scarred the Spanish psyche.

Sorry, I got a little carried away here! Anyways, I *love* reading a good fiction where I learn something about history or another culture (which sort of the aim of this meme) and here I loved looking at this family obliged to move cities to avoid the war. The story is told from a third person point of view, and I liked how it seemed to give more insight to the characters' personalities. The themes of growing up are very well treated in the book, and I loved the romance which builds up between Alicia and Roland.

I have to admit that the absence of both parents from a large part of the book is what I would call quite a convenient plot development but which doesn't kill the whole story either. The universe created by Carlos Ruiz Zafón is so rich, and yet not completely overwhelming, that any weakness is instantly forgotten.

I am fervently hoping that his three other Young Adult novels will get translated soon!!

This is book is such a quick enjoyable story that it is the perfect summer read. I would advise it to anyone going to the beach this summer (since part of the book takes place on a beach during the summer). You probably won't look at those seemingly harmless shadows lurking under your feet in the water the same way.
Just saying ;-)(less)

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Feb 22, 2011 Linda rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

“Shadow of the Wind” was the first and “The Angel's Game” the second book that I read by Zafon. I wanted to read his earlier works and found that they were all young adult selections. This book, "The Prince of The Mist" was a very good and very fast read for youth. It is full of ghosts, adventure, mystery and intertwining relationships. The main characters seemed believable and I was able to connect with their developing relationships. I would recommend this book to young readers. For all reader...more

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Nov 30, 2010 Emanuel rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: goodread

Quite a page turner...

I wonder if hollywood would do the movie based on this book...
Must be an awesome special effects, a mixture between pirates of carribean (the whole setting and premises),
harry potter (cain's dark cloud would be similar like dementors), v for vendetta and dr. parnassus (for dr. cain)... :)

well, i put 3 stars here...
the book is good but not great...
overall, i did enjoy the book, every pages... :)

~e

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Mar 13, 2011 Wisteria Leigh rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

THE PRINCE OF MIST[return]by Carlos Ruiz Zaf

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Apr 29, 2013 Rain Misoa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Adventure seekers and people who don't mind bullshit romances.

Recommended to Rain by: Library

Another read I was pleased with. I stumbled up this book at the library and I recognized the author's name. So, I took it home. I didn't even realize it was Carlos Ruiz Zafón's first book. That was a pleasant surprise because it doesn't feel like it's his first novel. The book is written so well; written as if it's by a veteran writer. It's short but it's filled with action and suspense. You'll want to keep reading until you unravel the mystery of what's happening in this village by the beach. T...more Another read I was pleased with. I stumbled up this book at the library and I recognized the author's name. So, I took it home. I didn't even realize it was Carlos Ruiz Zafón's first book. That was a pleasant surprise because it doesn't feel like it's his first novel. The book is written so well; written as if it's by a veteran writer. It's short but it's filled with action and suspense. You'll want to keep reading until you unravel the mystery of what's happening in this village by the beach. The characters are engaging, the story interesting, and it's just a fun quick read.

This is a translated work of art so I can't comment on Carlos Ruiz Zafón writing style, per say, but I will say that the story he created was fantastic. I enjoyed how the pacing never seemed to dull out. It was always moving, but it was never too fast that you felt like you missed something. The story slowed down where it counted and picked up again where it was supposed to. His story was dark and mysterious. I was reading non-stop because I wanted to find out what was going to happen next! My only complaint is that the book is rather short... but seeing as how this is the first book to a trilogy, I'm willing to overlook that minor flaw. However, I am not willing to overlook the insta-love that happens in the book. It just came out of the blue, really. The characters meet on Day One and on Day Two, they are already sucking faces. It was not pleasant. The romance was not well-developed at all and I feel the book could have been stronger without it. Besides that, the book was very enjoyable.

The characters are pretty good! Max is strong, brave, and intelligent. He was one of the major driving force of this novel. Alicia, Max's older sister, took a while to become likable. At first, she was so bitchy; I wanted to slap her in the face. But, as the story progresses, she grows as a character and you come to understand why she was acting the way she was. Roland is a friend the two meet at this new town their parents moved them to to escape the war. He was a pretty good character. He didn't really stick out for me. I thought he was alright for who he was. Victor Kray, Roland's grandfather, play an essential role in the story. I can't say much on him for spoilers but he was another character that I enjoyed.

There's not much else I can say about this book. It's short and if I say too much, I'll start giving major plot points away. Just know that it's a quick, fun read filled with adventure, horror, and has a pretty wicked villain, which I will let you see for yourself. Give this book a read if any of this appeals to you. I know I will be picking up the second installment of the series because it left me wanting more!(less)

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Apr 10, 2013 Alessandra Santarosa rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Pessoas jovens

Intrigante, curioso e que prende o leitor até o fim, desesperado por respostas para as milhares de perguntas que surgem durante o enredo. O Príncipe da Névoa foi o primeiro livro escrito por Carlos Ruiz Zafón, e por isso o considero como a "primeira experiência" dele como autor. Para quem leu suas outras obras, como A Sombra do Vento, deve-se pontuar que ao mesmo tempo que a história mantém o mesmo nível de suspense, não se parece em nada na forma de escrita. Ele mesmo admite nas notas inicias q...more

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Mar 30, 2013 Jule rated it 5 of 5 stars

„Der Fürst des Nebels“ des spanischen Autors Carlos Ruiz Zafón erzählt die geheimnisvolle Geschichte von Max, seiner Familie und dem mysteriösen Nebelfürsten, der sein Unwesen treibt, die Familie bedroht und fast um Verstand und Leben bringt.
Max, seine Eltern und seine beiden Schwestern Irina und Alicia ziehen von der Stadt in ein Dorf an der Küste, um den Krieg hinter sich zu lassen. Schon am ersten Abend entdeckt Max den seltsamen Skulpturengarten, den er am nächsten Morgen besucht, um festzus...more „Der Fürst des Nebels“ des spanischen Autors Carlos Ruiz Zafón erzählt die geheimnisvolle Geschichte von Max, seiner Familie und dem mysteriösen Nebelfürsten, der sein Unwesen treibt, die Familie bedroht und fast um Verstand und Leben bringt.
Max, seine Eltern und seine beiden Schwestern Irina und Alicia ziehen von der Stadt in ein Dorf an der Küste, um den Krieg hinter sich zu lassen. Schon am ersten Abend entdeckt Max den seltsamen Skulpturengarten, den er am nächsten Morgen besucht, um festzustellen: Etwas stimmt nicht! Der steinerne Clown, der gerade noch die Faust ballte, streckt nun die Finger aus, nachdem Max für einen Moment nicht hinsah. Beängstigend, genau, wie die seltsame Katze die Irina aufgelesen hatte und die Max anstarrten zu schien. Bald darauf lernt Max Roland kennen und schließlich auch dessen (Zieh-) Großvater, der ein dunkles Geheimnis hütet, denn er weiß was all die seltsamen Geschehnisse zu bedeuten haben. Er kennt den Fürsten des Nebels.
Die Geschichte um Max und den Nebelfürsten spielt 1943, zu Zeiten des 2.Weltkriegs. Die Familie verlässt die Stadt, denn in dem kleinen Küstendorf hielten sie es für sicherer. Was wahrscheinlich aufgrund der Bombenabwürfe, besonders über großen Städten, richtig war. Der Krieg wird im Buch ab und zu thematisiert, z. B. erzählt Roland, dass er nach dem Sommer eingezogen werde (wo er gerade 16 Jahre alt ist). Ein weiteres Thema, das im Buch behandelt wird, sind die Beziehungen innerhalb der fünfköpfigen Familie. Max, 13 Jahre alt, und Alicia, 15, verstehen sich anfangs kaum, streiten oft. Er denkt sie sei einfach nur zickig, bis er erkennt, dass seine Schwester ihre ganz eigenen Probleme hat, die größer zu sein scheinen als seine eigenen. Max macht Roland und Alicia bekannt und lernt seine Schwester dadurch von einer ganz anderen Seite kennen. Schließlich verstehen die beiden sich viel besser und Max merkt, dass er Alicia vorher kaum kannte, obwohl sie ihr ganzes Leben unter einem Dach lebten.
„Der Fürst des Nebels“ ist ein äußert spannendes und aufreibendes Buch. Zafón beschreibt die Geschehnisse mit einer ungewöhnlichen Intensität, sodass einen das Buch gefangen nimmt. Man kann es kaum aus der Hand legen, muss es aber tun, um ein Mal tief Luft zu holen und dann weiter zu lesen. Die Atmosphäre wird durch viele, aber nicht zu viele, Adjektive so dicht beschrieben, dass sich in einem Moment Bilder der Entspannung (z.B. der Sandstrand und das blaue Meer) vor dem inneren Auge abspielen, um sich im nächsten Moment mit absoluten Grauen abzuwechseln (beispielsweise als Irina unfreiwillig in den Wandschrank sieht). Dieser Wechsel passiert mehrmals hintereinander, bis man mit den Nerven fast am Ende ist. Glücklicherweise folgen solch fesselnden, grusligen Szenen, ruhigere, die trotzdem alles andere als langweilig wirken, eher entspannend um kurz danach wieder Spannung aufzubauen. Durch den auktorialen Erzähler steht nicht nur Max im Mittelpunkt der Geschichte, sonder jede Figur mindestens einmal. Dieser kleine Perspektivwechsel bringt interessante Details zum Vorschein und gibt dem Leser neue Rätsel auf.
Alles in allem ist „Der Fürst des Nebels“ ein rundum gelungenes Buch, nicht nur für Jugendliche, sonder auch für „Erwachsene“ Es ist sehr geeignet, wenn man sich ein bisschen gruseln und eine spannende Geschichte lesen möchte.
Anmerkungen zur Ausgabe: Es handelt sich um eine neu überarbeitete Auflage des Erstlingswerks von Zafón. Außerdem hat das Buch ein Lesebändchen, was ich sehr schön und praktisch finde. „Der Fürst des Nebels“ ist der Auftakt zur Nebel-Trilogie. Es folgen die Bücher „Der Mitternachtspalast“ und „Der dunkle Wächter“.(less)

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Mar 09, 2013 Nanie Dias rated it 3 of 5 stars

[Review in Portuguese]

Título: O Príncipe da Névoa
Título Original: El Príncipe de La Niebla
Autor: Carlos Ruiz Zafón
Tradutora: Eliana Aguiar
Editora: Suma de Letras
ISBN: 978-85-8105-122-2
Ano da Edição: 2013
Ano Original de Lançamento: 1993
Nº de Páginas: 180
Comprar Online: Saraiva / Submarino
Série: Trilogia da Névoa - Vol. 1

Sinopse:
1943. A guerra assola a Europa e morar em cidades maiores é um perigo. Por isso, Maximilian Carver parte com a família para uma casa no interior - à beira da praia.

À princ...more

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Jan 30, 2013 Henrik Schunk rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

An interesting youth novel/horror story with a bit of lovecraftian undertones thrown it. The book begins very promising and uses one of the most popular and efficient literary tropes in narrative by telling the tell through the eyes of a child, whose family moves to remote old house in times of war. What follows is ghost story about discovering the mansion's grizzly past as well an emphasis (albeit superficial) on the protagonist's relation with his sister and newfound local friend. The author k...more

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Dec 21, 2012 Bryce Hietpas rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Bryce Hietpas
12/12/12
Book Review
My book review is on The Prince of Mist by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. The Prince of Mist is about the Carver family who moves to the north coast of England to get away from the war (World War 2). They move into a house that a kid had died in. The main character Max and his sister Alicia aren’t thrilled about moving, but they meet a new friend Ronald whose parents died in a car crash. Things change when Max finds a box of old tapes and the Price of Mist comes and starts to...more Bryce Hietpas
12/12/12
Book Review
My book review is on The Prince of Mist by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. The Prince of Mist is about the Carver family who moves to the north coast of England to get away from the war (World War 2). They move into a house that a kid had died in. The main character Max and his sister Alicia aren’t thrilled about moving, but they meet a new friend Ronald whose parents died in a car crash. Things change when Max finds a box of old tapes and the Price of Mist comes and starts to haunt them.
The readability of The Prince of Mist is easy the words aren’t hard words there words a 7th grader might know. It is a slow going book in the beginning, not a lot of action or suspense. In the end it gets faster and more suspenseful.
My like about this book were that in some way the author kept you reading to the end with some sort of little suspense like the clock at the train station that was two hours behind. How he described the setting of every major setting of the book like the tomb, the ocean, the house, the lighthouse, and the shipwreck at the bottom of the ocean. Some of my dislikes were that it was really slow in the beginning and at times I was thinking of dropping the book.
The genre of this book was mystery, adventure, action/thriller, and young adult. I say that it is mystery because you don’t know who the Prince of Mist is, but they talk about him all the time in the book. I say it’s adventure because they adventure around town all the time but the places they go to aren’t really where regular people go. I also say it is an action/thriller because in the end it is all action, but you wouldn’t know that if just started the book. I also say it’s a young adult book because some of the things they talk about in the book aren’t suitable for kids to read.
The audience for this book is, people who like short mystery books. I say this because it is not a very long book and it keeps on the end of your seat and you don’t want to set the book down.
I would give this book four and half stars, because overall it was a good book but since it started out really slow, that’s why it got four and half stars. I think the end of the book really saved the book.

(less)

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Dec 12, 2012 Joey Harpel rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The original review is on my blog.

The Prince of Mist is about thirteen-year-old Max and his family who move from their home in the city to a beach house near a small town. No one except the father is happy about the move. Especially when they find out the previous owners' son drowned in the sea nearby. After a few strange and scary occurrences, they learn the house is haunted by a diabolic villain--the Prince of Mist. He's a wicked magician who has come back to collect on a debt from the past. M...more The original review is on my blog.

The Prince of Mist is about thirteen-year-old Max and his family who move from their home in the city to a beach house near a small town. No one except the father is happy about the move. Especially when they find out the previous owners' son drowned in the sea nearby. After a few strange and scary occurrences, they learn the house is haunted by a diabolic villain--the Prince of Mist. He's a wicked magician who has come back to collect on a debt from the past. Max, his sister Alicia, and their new friend Roland must solve the mystery surrounding the boy's death if they hope to stop the Prince of Mist.

The writing style has an old-school vibe to it, which works perfectly because it is set during World War II. Though, at times, it felt like the story was intended for a younger audience, such as middle grade. For the most part, the book has a limited point of view, but there are times when the author slips into the other characters' heads, so I guess you'd classify it as omniscient.

The descriptions were amazing. I could picture everything quite vividly. But, unless I missed it, there was never really a clear description of Max and Alicia, which bothered me. I like to know exactly what the characters look like. Also, I don't think the author ever says exactly where the story takes place. I know it's in Europe, but I wanted to know what country they were in. I assumed Spain, since that's where the author is from, but it didn't really feel like Spain. More like it was based in England. The story was originally published in Spanish. It's interesting to read stories from other languages, but I oftentimes am under the impression that quite a bit is lost in translation.

It is a horror story, so it is very chilling at times. I only read stories like this during the day when people are around. I'm kind of a chicken when it comes to horror, even with it being as tame as this book. But if you are looking for a quick read, I would recommend this. I read the majority of it in only a few hours.

As I was reading it, I was planning on giving it four stars because I really liked it. Until I got to the end. Freaking pissed me off. I don't want to give anything away, but I was severely disappointed. So I have to demote it to a 3.5.(less)

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Nov 24, 2012 Darkss rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: muybueno

Voy a empezar diciendo que el libro me agradó, fue sencillo de leer e interesante en ciertas partes, pero no me cautivó y me parece muy sobre valorado.

Hay pocas escenas de acción, o en las que pase realmente algo, casi todo el tiempo el autor nos relata como los protagonistas están en la playa sin hacer demasiado.

El romance de Alice y Roladn, poco convincente, de un momento al otro sabemos que están enamorados y son novios. Entiendo que no es un libro de romance, pero dado que al final del libro...more

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Nov 19, 2012 Matt Schiariti rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Being a big fan of The Shadow of the Wind and a fan of the Angel's Game (up until the rather strange and confusing ending) I was pretty happy when I found a new Zafon book being published. I had no idea it was a young adults novel (and his first apparently) until I got my hands on the novel and read the forward.

At its heart, The Prince of Mist is more or less a ghost story. Because of the looming threat of World War II Max's father moves them to a 'town by the sea'. They move into an old shore h...more

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Nov 13, 2012 Andrea Vlasic rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: must-read

Sinoć dovršila Princa magle, prvu Zafonovu knjigu (i prvi dio trilogije). Knjiga mi je super, iako se vidi da ju je pisao neki "mlađi Zafon", dosta mi baca na Kinga... ali kako taj čovjek ispriča priču da je jednostavno vidim sve kao na filmu, svaki detalj vidim iako ih on ni ne opisuje... Ne znam, priča ima sve, brzo se čita, zanimljiva je i lako pisana. Nije nadahnjujuća kao Sjena vjetra, ali svakako je ljubitelji Zafona trebaju pročitati, ali i općenito sva mlađa populacija koja i ne poznaje...more

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Oct 27, 2012 Dario Malic rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. „El Príncipe de la Niebla“ („The Prince of Mist“) is the first novel by acclaimed Spanish writer Carlos Ruiz Zafón. Originally published in 1993, it was marked as a „young adult novel“. The story which unfolds through its pages is one of friendship, growing up and first love, but also of magic, evil and fear. Running away from second world war, young Max and his family come to a seemingly idyllic small village on the Atlantic coast. But Max senses something's wrong right from the beginning when...more „El Príncipe de la Niebla“ („The Prince of Mist“) is the first novel by acclaimed Spanish writer Carlos Ruiz Zafón. Originally published in 1993, it was marked as a „young adult novel“. The story which unfolds through its pages is one of friendship, growing up and first love, but also of magic, evil and fear. Running away from second world war, young Max and his family come to a seemingly idyllic small village on the Atlantic coast. But Max senses something's wrong right from the beginning when he realizes that the old clock at the train station goes backwards.

I won't write any more details about the plot 'cause I think it functions best when you let it unravel before your eyes. While reading the book, I had a sense of fear and danger so present it sent shivers down my spine, and I'm afraid that sense would be lost if I knew what would happen. With every new thing I discovered I shuddered a little more and I can't remember when was the last time a book (or anything else for that matter) made me feel that way. It really is an atmospheric book, but it does have its flaws. There's an important character who appears in the beginning of the book and is put there to get our attention and make us wonder but disappears half through the book without any explanation. There are also some characters that get just a mention and seem to deserve more, as well as some character decisions which seem implausible and a few unanswered questions. I think the key problem with the novel is that it's too short. It starts very interestingly and slowly reveals the story through its first half, creating the aforementioned atmosphere. But the second half seems to tell too much too fast (and yet somehow leaves some things hanging). And the ending could be a bit of a letdown for some. At least it was for me.

It's a shame about the flaws for it could've been a really great book, but it still is a good one. And Ruiz Zafón would go on to write a great one too (The Shadow of the Wind). „El Príncipe de la Niebla“ is a short and easy read recommended for anyone who likes his books with a dash of mystery and a pinch of fear, so take it and spice up your summer.
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Oct 22, 2012 Sara rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was his first novel, so it obviously doesn't reach the level of his latest ones, especially "The Shadow of the Wind", which is in my opinion his best, as far as I've read.

But this book had so many scary scenes I couldn't read it before going to sleep. It has one of the creepiest "ghosts" I will ever know, and if I started thinking about Caín with the lights off I wouldn't be able to close my eyes... Geez, this is why I can't watch horror movies.

Some parts were so thrilling and intriguing I...more

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Jul 19, 2012 Ndari rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: borrowed, young-adult

Max berusia tiga belas tahun ketika ayahnya memutuskan untuk membawa keluarganya keluar dari kota dan pindah ke desa kecil di tepi pantai. Saat itu tahun 1943 dan perang sedang berlangsung, sehingga pindah ke kota kecil merupakan langkah tepat.

Di kota ini, mereka tinggal di sebuah rumah yang sebelumnya ditempati oleh keluarga Dr.Fleischmann yang anaknya meninggal karena kecelakaan tragis. Dan seperti yang bisa ditebak, Max dan saudari-saudarinya Irina dan Alicia perlahan mulai menemukan hal-hal...more Max berusia tiga belas tahun ketika ayahnya memutuskan untuk membawa keluarganya keluar dari kota dan pindah ke desa kecil di tepi pantai. Saat itu tahun 1943 dan perang sedang berlangsung, sehingga pindah ke kota kecil merupakan langkah tepat.

Di kota ini, mereka tinggal di sebuah rumah yang sebelumnya ditempati oleh keluarga Dr.Fleischmann yang anaknya meninggal karena kecelakaan tragis. Dan seperti yang bisa ditebak, Max dan saudari-saudarinya Irina dan Alicia perlahan mulai menemukan hal-hal yang aneh tentang rumah ini. Ketika suatu hari Irina terjatuh dari tangga secara misterius sehingga harus dirawat di rumah sakit, Max mulai yakin rumah ini berhantu.

Max dan Alicia mulai mencari tahu lebih lanjut tentang rumah yang mereka tempati dan desa misterius ini. Dibantu oleh teman baru mereka, seorang anak angkat penjaga mercusuar bernama Roland. Ternyata mereka tidak hanya menemukan hantu dalam perjalanan mereka; tapi juga kucing aneh, patung yang bisa bergerak, kapal-kapal kosong yang sepertinya "berpenghuni" dan The Prince of Mist, sosok kegelapan yang dapat mengambil wujud apa saja..

Buku ini hanya berukuran mass market paperback, setebal 202 halaman, dengan font yang cukup besar, tapi cukup untuk membuat pembaca bermimpi buruk.Bagi pembaca karya Stephen King pasti sudah tidak asing lagi dengan bukunya yang berjudul "It", berkisah tentang fobia orang-orang terhadap satu mahluk yang anak-anak cintai tapi orang dewasa benci--badut. Di buku The Prince of Mist sendiri menyertakan sosok badut yang menurut saya merupakan bagian paling menyeramkan dalam buku ini; yang tak lain dan tak bukan adalah The Prince of Mist sendiri.

Sayangnya, Carlos Ruiz Zafon tidak mengembangkan plot dasar yang menurut saya sudah sangat menjanjikan ini, menjadi setidaknya 100 atau 200 halaman lebih panjang. Sehingga, ada banyak sekali pertanyaan-pertanyaan yang muncul dalam benak saya ketika saya menutup buku ini, yang rasanya sayang sekali tidak dijelaskan oleh sang penulis karena ini mengganggu relevansi cerita. Mungkin pertanyaan-pertanyaan saya ini akan terjawab di lanjutan buku yang ternyata berseri ini. Tapi hal ini cukup terobati dengan karakter-karakter yang menarik dan prosa yang memukau. Buku ini diceritakan dengan detil yang kaya sehingga terasa sinematik, namun tidak kehilangan sisi puitisnya. Dan jangan lupakan kehororannya yang cukup membuat bulu kuduk merinding ketika dibaca di tengah malam yang sunyi..

3 bintang untuk The Prince of Mist.

Memorable Quotes “Age makes you notice certain things. For example, I now know that a man’s life is broadly divided into three periods. During the first, it doesn’t even occur to us that one day we will grow old, we don’t think that time passes or that from the day we are born we’re all walking toward a common end. After the first years of youth comes the second period, in which a person becomes aware of the fragility of life and what begins like a simple niggling doubt rises inside you like a flood of uncertainties that will stay with you for the rest of your days. Finally, toward the end of life, the period of acceptance begins, and, consequently, of resignation, a time of waiting.”(less)

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Jun 25, 2012 Nikki rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: horror, fantasy, children-s-and-ya, mystery

I don't know why I keep wanting to try Carlos Ruiz Zafón's work again: I wasn't that impressed by The Shadow of the Wind, if I remember rightly. But I suppose I saw some potential there, and I definitely see it here, in the first book he published. It's aimed at a younger audience, and has a lot less pretension. It is a fairly simplistic story, even quite predictable, but it kept me turning the pages.

The translation is a reasonable one, though there does seem to be something lost in translation...more

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Feb 20, 2012 Christine rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2012

It practically physically hurts to give this book this review, because Carlos Ruis Zafron's Shadow of the Wind is one of my all-time favorite reads.

What went wrong? One of my major gripes is how listless and lifeless the prose is. I have no idea whose fault this is - Zafron's or his translator's - but everything just hits so dully. There's no excitement. It's all very matter-of-fact. "And then this happened. Then this."

There's a tremendous amount of telling, not showing. The characters constantl...more

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Nov 23, 2011 Tori rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction

I LOVE Carlos Ruiz Zafon. Shadow of the Wind and Angel's Game were superb books - great stories, excellent writing, and satisfactory endings. This book is his first novel, a young adult book, just recently published. Even as I began it, I recognized the great writing - which is actually a great translation. His stories are always magical - nothing is quite as normal as it seems, and his magic is rather dark. the story takes place during WWII, in a seaside village, where a family has recently mov...more

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Nov 05, 2011 Two Bibliomaniacs rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: evan-top-101-200

We know Carlos Ruiz Zafon can do adult literature, but we had to judge for ourselves his prowess in the YA genre. Not only did he pass with flying colors, he also managed to scare our pants off in the process...

When the Carver’s move into a cottage house near the beach, only the sinister cat watching their progress can know what’s in store (unfortunately, we’ve been unable to confirm or deny reports that the cat is actually an unregistered animagus). The family’s thirteen year old son, Max, does...more We know Carlos Ruiz Zafon can do adult literature, but we had to judge for ourselves his prowess in the YA genre. Not only did he pass with flying colors, he also managed to scare our pants off in the process...

When the Carver’s move into a cottage house near the beach, only the sinister cat watching their progress can know what’s in store (unfortunately, we’ve been unable to confirm or deny reports that the cat is actually an unregistered animagus). The family’s thirteen year old son, Max, doesn’t have a good feeling about the new situation and decides to investigate. After exploring a creepy sculpture garden and conducting one or two opportune interviews he decides the history surrounding a local family are not as they seem. Time is running out and if Max can’t figure out a way to stop the Prince of Mist, well, let’s just say that things won’t end advantageous for our young hero.

Zafon has a way of writing that instantly pulls you into his stories. It also helped that we listened to the audio presentation and spooky background music played at the most climatic times. During our early morning commute, the sculpture garden and shipwreck scenes were creepy enough that the addition of music nearly caused us to turn on the interior light of our car. That being said, why don’t more audio books incorporate theme music? That’s our big idea of the day... Our few experiences have been overwhelmingly positive and only enhance the overall production. How cool would it be if Howard Shore or John William wrote a score for the final scene between Bob Ewell and Scout Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird? Or what about something dramatic for the final conversation between Simon and Cassandra in I Capture the Castle? Who’s with me?

Okay, back to The Prince of Mist... Actually, there isn’t a whole lot more to say - excellent story, with a satisfying twist and plenty of fast pace action. Best YA horror story we’ve come across, although this might actually be the first of its kind for us. Plus, if you aren’t already petrified of clowns, this novel should do the trick.
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Oct 11, 2011 Melanie Au rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: boys, horror, mystery, paranormal, ya

If you don't already think clowns are creepy, you will after you read this book. (Oh and before you read any further, a spoiler alert, as I do talk a bit about the book's ending!)

It's 1943 and 13 year old Max and his family have decided to move away from the danger of war in the city to a house on the coast near a small town. The moment they arrive at the train station at the town, Max feels uneasy about the move. It's not just the anxious looks on his mother and sisters' faces that unsettle him...more If you don't already think clowns are creepy, you will after you read this book. (Oh and before you read any further, a spoiler alert, as I do talk a bit about the book's ending!)

It's 1943 and 13 year old Max and his family have decided to move away from the danger of war in the city to a house on the coast near a small town. The moment they arrive at the train station at the town, Max feels uneasy about the move. It's not just the anxious looks on his mother and sisters' faces that unsettle him -- it's the strange clock at the station that seems to move backwards and the unblinking cat that appears to be waiting for them.

Through his new bedroom window, Max sees an overgrown garden with white statues just a little ways from his house. Intrigued, he breaks through the rusted gate and discovers that the they are statues of different members of a circus troupe -- a lion tamer, a strongman, a female contortionist... and in the middle of the garden is a stone clown, arm extended in a fist. At his feet is the symbol of a six pointed star. When Max looks at the clown a second time, he realizes that the clown's hand is now an open palm instead of a fist.

It's the beginning of a frightening chain of events: strange voices in the house, keys turning and closets opening by themselves, stone angels coming to life. When Max's new friend shows him a shipwreck with the same six pointed star and a dangerous accident puts his younger sister in the hospital, Max realizes he needs to find out what really is going on -- quick.

Zafon does an excellent job at creating a dark, ominous mood -- you get a real sense of foreboding as the tension grows with each mysterious incident. I found the plot to be pretty succinct and it felt more like a short story than a full length novel (214 pages, with large text and wide spacing). I like how it didn't have a typical happy ending where the protagonist saves the day by defeating the enemy and the author wasn't afraid of ending with some loose ends. That said, I felt that some of the more intriguing elements of the story (e.g. why clocks were going backwards, the meaning of the six pointed star, how the Prince of Mist became immortal) could have used a bit more explanation.

I must say I was happy to read a story where the paranormal was actually sinister and dangerous. (less)

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Oct 04, 2011 Cindy Hudson rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Carlos Ruiz Zafon is the master of writing great tales with dark undertones, and The Prince of Mist hits the mark as a gothic tale for young adults. To escape the ravages of war in their country, Max’s family moves to a home at the seaside, not realizing it comes with a past. Years before, the previous owners’ son drowned within sight of the home, and it has lain vacant ever since.

In addition to the past tragedy, Max can feel that something evil resides nearby, and he begins to dream about the g...more

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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

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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)

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

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Quotes from El príncipe de la niebla

“Age makes you notice certain things. For example, I now know that a man’s life is broadly divided into three periods. During the first, it doesn’t even occur to us that one day we will grow old, we don’t think that time passes or that from the day we are born we’re all walking toward a common end. After the first years of youth comes the second period, in which a person becomes aware of the fragility of life and what begins like a simple niggling doubt rises inside you like a flood of uncertainties that will stay with you for the rest of your days. Finally, toward the end of life, the period of acceptance begins, and, consequently, of resignation, a time of waiting.” — 13 people liked it

“Whenever it poured like this, Max felt as if time was pausing. It was like a cease-fire during which you could stop whatever you were doing and just stand by a window for hours, watching the performance, an endless curtain of tears falling from heaven.” — 9 people liked it

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