The Library of Shadows

Jul 26, 2012 Kelanth, numquam risit ubi dracones vivunt rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: thriller

Certo che è così facile rimanere delusi da un libro dalle alte aspettative, pompato dall'editore come un nuovo trascendentale talento contemporaneo!

Che accozzaglia di nefandezze, gente! Credo che la cosa che mi rimarrà impressa di questo libro (?) sia solo "[Il Protagonista] unisce le mani con uno scrocchio", ripetuto credo qualche decina di volte qua e là per il libro. Probabilmente in Danimarca hanno problemi di artrite molto seri, sarà il freddo.

Fatto sta che a me ad ogni scrocchio mi aumenta...more

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Nov 25, 2009 Truly rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

LIBRI di LUCA
Membaca Bisa Membahayakan Jiwa Seseorang

Saat menghadiri prosesi pemakaman ayahnya, Luca Campelli, Jon melihat banyak orang yang tidak dikenalnya juga hadir mengikuti prosesi tersebut. Hasrat Luca Campelli untuk meninggal disekelilingi oleh buku-buku kesayangannya terwujud. Bahkan pidato perpisahannya pun dikutip dari berbagai buku

Sepeninggal ibunya, hubungan Jon dengan ayahnya tidak harmonis. Jon benar-benar tidak mengira, jika ia mendapat warisan sebuah toko buku antik, Libri di Lu...more

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Feb 04, 2013 Elizabeth rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed, 2013, books-about-books, fantasy-sci-fi, the-knights-who-say-meh

This book had all the promise of The Club Dumas and all the execution of The Da Vinci Code.

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Jan 08, 2010 Harun Harahap rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: punya, terjemahan, fiksi

Mengisahkan tentang sebuah perkumpulan rahasia 'pecinta buku' yang didalamnya terdapat Pemancar dan Penerima. Pemancar adalah orang yang tidak sekedar dapat membaca keras-keras tapi juga dapat mempengaruhi para pendengarnya. Sedangkan penerima adalah pendengar para pembaca yang dapat menuntun para Penerima untuk menikmati bacaannya.

Terdengar seru dan menarik ya???Tapi ketika anda membaca buku ini, anda akan menemukan kebalikannya.'Kelebihan' yang mereka punya disalahgunakan hingga menyebabkan k...more

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Aug 10, 2012 Amy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: august-challenge-2012

Oh my god I adored this book. How it only has an average of three stars is beyond me. I do not think I have ever read a crime/thriller book before (I'm not really counting The Da Vinci Code in this). This was gripping, it was suspenseful and it draws you in like no other. Given the content of the book it was amazing that it had a hold over me. It would be a disappointment if a book of this nature, about this kind of thing was uninteresting and could be put down, but this I had to drag myself awa...more Oh my god I adored this book. How it only has an average of three stars is beyond me. I do not think I have ever read a crime/thriller book before (I'm not really counting The Da Vinci Code in this). This was gripping, it was suspenseful and it draws you in like no other. Given the content of the book it was amazing that it had a hold over me. It would be a disappointment if a book of this nature, about this kind of thing was uninteresting and could be put down, but this I had to drag myself away from and got annoyed when I was interrupted.

I simply loved it from start to finish, the characters were real, deep and were very well developed. Even if not everything was exposed and explained the first time we see them it is drawn out through the entire book so even in the final chapters we are still learning about them as people. It was intense, it was funny, it was sweet, action filled and dramatic, everything it needed to be very believable within its realm of possibility. Admittedly the story contained a victim of a man in horn rimmed glasses, a current pet peeve as it seems to be the only description of glasses I've come across recently. Not actually an issue story wise but since I have come across so many in recent books it was a little tiring. At least Birkegaard used about three different other glasses types as well which made me happy.

The writing style was good and allowed insights into characters as well as detailed but not over the top descriptions of people and places. Some of the language around descriptions of the bookshop or environment were beautiful and fitted nicely into the story, especially if seen by a character as it suited their perception of the world perfectly. The point of view changes throughout between a few of the characters. It is good because it allows you to get to know everyone through their own eyes and their interactions with other characters. But no matter whose point of view it is Birkegaard sometimes flows off into tangents of explanations after he hits on a point or topic. It is not a bad thing exactly, it helps explain a few things, surprisingly doesn't distract really from the story and then he manages to loop it back almost seamlessly to where he trailed off from. It is an interesting technique and it does expand on either the current character in particular, or just explain those around them and their own back story and perceptions by others.

The first half appears slow paced, not in a bad way though. You get to feel around the story and take in everything much like Jon does, you learn as he is exposed to the new information and situations. But then at the halfway mark it gets very exciting very quickly and I got rather excited as I knew this was where the action and adventure was going to begin.

Throughout the story so much is not said so you are trying to make your own assumptions, piece together clues, assume everything is clues and hints, trying not to suspect everyone. It was enthralling which was great because in a book about being so involved in a text it was amazing how engaged and into this book you get. It is very hard to draw yourself away from it, you want to know what is happening what will happen. It's so mysterious and you don't know what is connected and what isn't and it constantly keeps you guessing and eager to find out what is really going on. It is a bit like watching a crime show or something similar, you focus after awhile on people who keep popping up, trying to fill in mystery people with possible people you've already come across. You are suspicious of everyone who is mentioned because you are convinced they hold a greater purpose. It is amazing, your brain works overtime trying to think of all the possibilities and you read so much into everything in an effort to figure out the ending before being led there by Birkegaard. I don't think I've ever read a book of this kind before, it is very addictive and keeps you guessing constantly. I just can't believe it is a first novel, it is spectacular.

A version of this review was also published on my blog http://lostinagoodbook.blog.com/2013/...(less)

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May 01, 2013 Levian rated it 5 of 5 stars

its plot took place in a world where books were charged with magic n people were Lectors divided into 2 classes - Receivers n Transmitters. Receivers were able to invade n distort the mind of a reader; while Transmitters were able to influence its listener. when murders started to occur in the society, young Jon Campelli, a successful lawyer, were involved when the first victim was his father. he finds himself exposed to family secrets n new powers, leading a group of book-lovers to defend their...more

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Aug 11, 2012 Laraemilie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Toute personne passionnée par les livres s’est sans aucun doute posé, un jour, la question du pouvoir de la lecture. Et si elle était capable d’emporter les gens bien plus loin qu’ils ne le pensent ? Et de créer des évènements aussi terribles qu’inexplicables.
Dans la libraire des ombres, Mikkel Birkegaard nous emmène dans un monde fascinant, où certains personnages ont des capacités qui leur permettent d’influencer la perception des autres lorsqu’ils lisent, un pouvoir tout simplement exceptionn...more Toute personne passionnée par les livres s’est sans aucun doute posé, un jour, la question du pouvoir de la lecture. Et si elle était capable d’emporter les gens bien plus loin qu’ils ne le pensent ? Et de créer des évènements aussi terribles qu’inexplicables.
Dans la libraire des ombres, Mikkel Birkegaard nous emmène dans un monde fascinant, où certains personnages ont des capacités qui leur permettent d’influencer la perception des autres lorsqu’ils lisent, un pouvoir tout simplement exceptionnel. Mais qui dit pouvoir dit aussi bien souvent lutte pour la puissance, et de telles capacités peuvent bien sût être utilisées à mauvais escient.
C’est ce que Jon découvrira à la mort de son père, un libraire qu’il n’a pas vu depuis de nombreuses années. En se rendant à sa librairie, il découvrira l’existence de la société secrète à laquelle son père a consacré sa vie, et se retrouvera bien malgré lui entraîné dans une lutte pour la justice et la sécurité de tous.
Bien que le mystère domine dans ce roman – d’où sa classification parmi les policiers – il n’est pas si facile de le classer dans un genre bien défini. Entre enquête, histoire d’amour et éléments fantastiques, La librairie des ombres est un mélange incroyable qui ne cessera de nous étonner.
Nous entrons doucement dans l’histoire en suivant Jon, que nous apprenons à connaître, ainsi que sa vie, sa carrière d’avocat, et quelques personnages importants – qui joueront d’ailleurs par la suite un rôle capital dans l’intrigue. A la mort de son père, Jon découvre un monde entièrement nouveau, dont il ignorait complètement l’existence, étant donné qu’il n’avait pas eu de contact avec lui depuis bien longtemps. C’est avec émerveillement que tout passionné de livres entrera dans la librairie Libri di Luca, parcourra les longs rayons chargés de volumes anciens et rares, ressentira l’ambiance de la société secrète et découvrira petit à petit les incroyables pouvoirs des lettore.
Petit à petit, toutefois, et de manière presque imperceptible, on basculera dans le côté sombre de cette communauté réduite. Tout le monde ne veut pas faire le bien grâce à ses pouvoirs, et l’existence de la société est en danger, tout comme chacun de ses membres. Comment, dans un univers qu’il découvre à peine et dont il a encore tant à apprendre, Jon pourra-t-il mener son enquête et résoudre les mystères qui entourent la mort de son père ? Heureusement, il a l’aide de plusieurs personnes de confiance qui, à mesure de l’intrigue, deviennent de plus en plus attachants. Mais les morts s’enchaînent, et il faut faire vite. Et si l’un d’eux était en réalité un traître ?
Le roman est très bien ficelé, alternant les scènes rapides et pleines de surprises de l’enquête, les descriptions des personnages et des lieux et les informations sur les lettore. Ainsi, nous avançons sans pouvoir nous arrêter, comme si l’un de ces personnages aux pouvoirs incroyables agissait sur nous. On est porté à soupçonner tout le monde, tour à tour, mais les retournements de situation s’enchaînent, rendant ce jeu de devinettes relativement difficile. Certains éléments m’ont toutefois paru relativement faciles à comprendre, et j’ai été quelque peu déçue de vérifier un certain nombre de mes hypothèses…
Déception qui s’est vite envolée pour laisser place à l’admiration. Bien que le mystère ait été en grande partie dévoilé avant la fin, le suspense n’en devient pas moindre, et l’issue de la société reste incertaine jusqu’à la fin, qui m’a d’ailleurs réellement transportée. Je ne lisais pas les derniers chapitres, je les vivais littéralement aux côtés des personnages.
La plume de Mikkel Birkegaard y est certainement pour quelque chose. Simple, mais doté d’un vocabulaire recherché, rythmé par des dialogues et des descriptions, le tout avec des belles phrases bien construites, son style est un pur délice. A se demander si une telle société de lettore n’existerait pas réellement, et serait à vos côtés, en train de vous ensorceler pour que vous viviez réellement cette aventure.
A en juger par la traduction, le roman est tout simplement magnifique et à lire pour tous, dès l’adolescence. Entre fantastique et mystère, une histoire qui changera peut-être votre point de vue sur la lecture et qui vous fera réfléchir sur le pouvoir.
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Aug 02, 2012 Kristen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Imagine if some people could change the way you feel, what you think and how you are likely to behave just by reading aloud to you? And what if those people could even kill you just by reading to you and make it look like natural causes?

This was a thoughtful, intelligent thriller that was also very exciting and had plenty of action. The writing was a bit different than I am accustomed to, but I think that is a factor of the book being translated from its original Danish and it did not take anyth...more

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Aug 25, 2010 Anindita S. Thayf rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

KETIKA BUKU BERKATA

Dimuat di Harian Kompas, 18 Juli 2010

Judul : Libri di Luca
Penulis : Mikkel Birkegaard
Penerbit : Serambi Ilmu Semesta
Cetakan : I, November 2009
Tebal : 588 hlm
Dari abad ke abad buku terus menerus dihasilkan dan dibaca. Tak jarang buku dibakar dan penulisnya ditumpas. Toh buku terus ada. Tak ada jegalan yang mampu menghalangi lahirnya dan dimaknainya sebuah buku. Inilah yang menarik dari novel Libri di Luca; sebuah novel yang mengisahkan buku yang terus bicara.

Matinya Sang Penga...more

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Dec 13, 2009 Nenny rated it 4 of 5 stars

Di dunia ini ada tiga jenis orang berkaitan dengan buku, yang pertama adalah orang yang membaca untuk kesenangan, atau karena pekerjaan, atau karena ingin mendapatkan informasi tertentu. Ini merupakan tipikal orang-orang awam.
Jenis kedua adalah seorang pemancar, orang yang dengan membaca buku dapat mempengaruhi orang-orang sekitarnya melalu kata dan kisah buku tersebut, dan jenis ketiga adalah seorang penerima, tepatnya bukan seorang pembaca tapi seorang pendengar. Jenis ketiga dapat mempengaruh...more

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Jun 14, 2009 Night rated it 3 of 5 stars

To my surprise, this book turned out to be a fantasy! The plot is about a fight between two groups of readers with superpower or Lectors.

The protagonist is a lawyer with no interest in book business until his father, a well-respected shopowner, died (murdered). He inherits the shop and discovers a new secret world, in which reading has the power to alter people's mind. Lectors were divided into 2 groups after an incident in his family. And now, when they were close to unite again, violent actio...more

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Feb 18, 2011 Kiwiflora rated it 3 of 5 stars

Jon Campelli is a lawyer in Copenhagen, ambitious and doing quite well. He lives in an inner city apartment, drives a Mercedes and has a very good life. This is turned completely on its head when Jon's estranged father, Luca, who owns a second-hand bookshop in the city, dies very suddenly and violently. Jon, as the only surviving relative, inherits the bookshop and the staff, and very quickly discovers that things are not as they seem at the bookshop or with the staff. The bookshop is the base f...more Jon Campelli is a lawyer in Copenhagen, ambitious and doing quite well. He lives in an inner city apartment, drives a Mercedes and has a very good life. This is turned completely on its head when Jon's estranged father, Luca, who owns a second-hand bookshop in the city, dies very suddenly and violently. Jon, as the only surviving relative, inherits the bookshop and the staff, and very quickly discovers that things are not as they seem at the bookshop or with the staff. The bookshop is the base for a very secretive society of bibliophiles who have certain powers - either to transmit or receive communications through the power of reading. It does sound rather bizarre and peculiar, but when it emerges that there is an enemy of the group determined to take over control of the bookshop and hence the powers it holds for nefarious purposes, things take on a very sinister turn, and we have a true blue thriller, race against time on our hands.

Interspersed with this of course, is the requisite love story, self-discovery and self-improvement, plus some suspension of reality, which makes for a great story and plenty of tension. It takes the concept of 'talking books' to a new and very imaginative level and could almost put this story into the fantasy genre, if it wasn't so well grounded in the modern urban world that we all live in.

As readers we all know the power that books can have over us - escapism, knowledge, entertainment, opinions. Reading takes us to places and ideas that we may never have been exposed to, and so enrich us and empower us. This story greatly develops the idea of books being all powerful, and like all powers, can be used for good and evil purposes.

I enjoyed the imagination the author has used in writing his story. It is a bit clunky at times; far too much dialogue and conversation for a time of crisis and suspense when the future of the world is at stake! But there is plenty of tension, interesting characters, and you never quite what is going to happen next. (less)

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Jan 12, 2010 Uci rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Mungkin saya termasuk salah satu orang yang tidak bisa lepas dari buku. Buku adalah penghibur, pembuka jendela ilmu, penuntun khayalan yang tak berbatas, sampai yang sederhana: sebagai pengisi waktu saat harus menunggu atau mengantri.

Tapi bagaimana jika kegiatan membaca buku ternyata tidak sekadar menikmati sebuah cerita? Bagaimana jika buku yang kaubaca keras-keras bisa memengaruhi orang yang mendengarnya hingga mau menuruti keinginanmu? Sebaliknya, bagaimana jika kau, sebagai pendengar, bisa m...more Mungkin saya termasuk salah satu orang yang tidak bisa lepas dari buku. Buku adalah penghibur, pembuka jendela ilmu, penuntun khayalan yang tak berbatas, sampai yang sederhana: sebagai pengisi waktu saat harus menunggu atau mengantri.

Tapi bagaimana jika kegiatan membaca buku ternyata tidak sekadar menikmati sebuah cerita? Bagaimana jika buku yang kaubaca keras-keras bisa memengaruhi orang yang mendengarnya hingga mau menuruti keinginanmu? Sebaliknya, bagaimana jika kau, sebagai pendengar, bisa memengaruhi orang yang sedang membaca, untuk berpikir sesuai keinginanmu?

Ide menarik ini dilontarkan Mikkel Birkegaard dalam novel perdananya, Libri di Luca. Dia menggambarkan bahwa di sekeliling kita bertebaran orang-orang dengan kemampuan seperti tersebut di atas, para Lector yang terbagi menjadi dua kelompok, pemancar dan penerima.

Tokoh utama dalam buku ini, Jon Campelli, dihadapkan pada fakta mengejutkan tersebut, ketika mewarisi toko buku antik dari ayahnya yang meninggal secara tak wajar. Ayahnya adalah seorang pemancar hebat, dan tidak diragukan lagi, bakat itu pun mengalir dalam darah Jon, seorang pengacara handal yang awalnya skeptis pada hal-hal 'tak masuk akal' seperti itu.

Dengan bantuan teman-teman ayahnya, Jon mulai memasuki dunia rahasia para Lector, menguak kenyataan pahit yang membuat ayahnya mengasingkan dia selama dua puluh tahun, sampai menyelidiki penyebab kematian ayahnya. Penyelidikan yang pada akhirnya mempertemukan Jon dengan kelompok Lector yang ingin menguasai dunia, dengan kemampuan mereka memengaruhi orang lewat bacaan.

Menarik karena Birkegaard mengaitkan ide ini dengan fakta sejarah ketika para Pustakawan menempati posisi terhormat di Alexandria. Dengan perpustakaan Bibliothica Alexandrina yang menakjubkan, Alexandria di Mesir menjadi pusat ilmu pengetahuan dunia ribuan tahun yang lalu. Sekilas mengingatkan saya pada novel Da Vinci Code, yang juga memadukan fiksi dan sejarah secara apik.

Ketegangan cerita yang terbangun perlahan-lahan hingga memuncak di bagian akhir, cukup membuat penasaran walaupun kita sudah bisa menebak siapa yang akan menang. Seperti khasnya cerita thriller, kejutannya adalah orang-orang yang disangka teman ternyata adalah musuh, atau sebaliknya.

Tokoh utama juga tidak dibiarkan kering tanpa sentuhan kisah cinta. Meskipun klise, tampaknya plot percintaan di antara peperangan tetap menjadi bumbu penyedap andalan yang gurih.

Sayangnya, saya sedikit terganggu dengan terjemahan (atau penyuntingan?) yang terasa kurang mulus. Pemakaian akhiran -kan serta penggunaan kata ganti 'ia' untuk kata benda yang kurang pas cukup sering saya temui. Saya juga menemukan 'makanan saji cepat' dan 'langit biru dalam' yang mungkin maksudnya 'makanan cepat saji' dan 'langit biru gelap' ?

Namun, terlepas dari itu, Libri di Luca adalah bacaan lezat yang berhasil membuat saya makin mengagumi kekuatan yang terkandung dalam sebuah buku. Sekaligus, jadi sedikit berhati-hati jika bertemu orang yang sangat pandai membacakan cerita dari buku, sampai membuat pendengarnya terbuai :)(less)

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Sep 09, 2009 Shomeret rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, my-reviews

I really wanted to like this book more than I did. The concept is so original and I am a great lover of books. I believe that books do have power for their readers. Making this more than metaphor within a fantasy context is ingenious.

I loved the way the paranormal reading experience is described. We get into the minds of the characters as they are exercising their abilities. I would have liked more engagement with the specific texts. I wanted to know more about how the particular books played th...more

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Mar 25, 2012 B-zee rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction

Buku ini pertama menarik perhatian saya karena ada 'organisasi rahasia pecinta buku'. Halaman-halaman pertama cukup menarik, mampu membuat penasaran tentang apa yang terjadi dalam berbagai misteri yang timbul. Saat konflik menjadi cukup menarik, di tengah-tengah muncul romansa yang, menurut saya, agak berlebihan. Mungkin saya terlanjur mengidentikkan fantasi dengan YA sehingga salah satu bagian membuat saya agak terganggu. Setelah saya menanamkan bahwa ini adalah fantasi dewasa, maka saya mulai...more

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Mar 24, 2010 an rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: novel

~~awal na 4 bintang~~

buku yang berbeda dari buku yang ada selama ini, buku yang bercerita tentang buku. dan buku yang seakan ditulis olah seorang pembaca, bukan seorang penulis seperti yang kita temukan pada buku-buku kebanyakan.

mengapa buku ini ditulis oleh seorang pembaca? karena pencerita mampu 'menggenggam' pembaca dan mempertahankan na untuk tetap mengikuti bacaan yang ada di hadapan na. seakan memahami sungguh dimana titik bosan atau titik lelah pembaca dan ketika pembaca siap untuk menutup bu...more ~~awal na 4 bintang~~

buku yang berbeda dari buku yang ada selama ini, buku yang bercerita tentang buku. dan buku yang seakan ditulis olah seorang pembaca, bukan seorang penulis seperti yang kita temukan pada buku-buku kebanyakan.

mengapa buku ini ditulis oleh seorang pembaca? karena pencerita mampu 'menggenggam' pembaca dan mempertahankan na untuk tetap mengikuti bacaan yang ada di hadapan na. seakan memahami sungguh dimana titik bosan atau titik lelah pembaca dan ketika pembaca siap untuk menutup buku untuk beristirahat sejenak... maka pencerita menaikan tempo cerita atau membuat pernyataan-pernyataan yang menggugah rasa ingin tahu pembaca untuk melanjutkan kembali membaca na, tanpa merasa lelah tentu saja. kemampuan yang hebat.

rasa inilah yang juga diangkat oleh pencerita dalam buku na. bahwa membaca bisa menjadi hal yang berbahaya. 'pemancar' yang mempengaruhi orang dengan bacaan na dan 'penerima' yang mempengaruhi orang dengan memainkan emosi pembaca. kemampuan ini mengantarkan jon pada konspirasi besar yang lebih dari sekedar kelompok pembaca. kepada orang-orang yang berusaha menguasai dunia dengan kemampuan baca na.

buku bukan merupakan sesuatu yang pasif tetapi dapat digunakan sebagai senjata (dalam hal ini bukan hanya sekedar buat nimpuk kepala orang) tergantung siapa yang memegang na. bahkan... jika ada senjata api maupun senjata biologis untuk menyiksa orang, buku dapat menjadi alat yang lebih mematikan tanpa ketahuan. memungkinkan juga untuk digunakan sebagai alat penyiksa jika diperlukan, pengganti siksaan-siksaan fisik untuk mencuci otak seseorang. sungguh-sungguh imajinasi yang terbentuk dari pembaca. kembali lagi... penulis yang menempatakan diri sebagai pembaca.

saat kita membaca maka banyak bagian otak yang diaktifkan. membaca adalah kombinasi dari mengenali simbol dan pola, menghubungkn na dengan suara dan mengumpulkan na menjadi suku kata sampai akhir na kita mampu menginterpretasikan arti sebuah kata

wawasan baru bukan, ternyata membaca bukan sekedar memahami atau menikmati isi bacaan. membaca melatih otak, proses yang berkesinambungan sampai si pembaca memahami maksud dari isi bacaan yang dia baca.

untuk itulah kisah ini layak dapat bintang 4. hanya saja... 1 bintang terpaksa diambil lagi karena 'kekacauan' (menurut anggapan rhe, pada editorial ma pemilihan kata untuk terjemahan na) pada buku na. karena membaca adalah menghubungkan simbol, jadi kesalahan ketik yang sering terjadi di dalam na sangat mengacau tempo membaca. seakan ada sandungan kecil ketika kita mulai berjalan dah menemukan tempo na. harus kembali menyesuaikan tempo ulang cz sandungan tadi. bahkan ada nama salah satu tokoh (bukan sentral) yang mengalami kesalahan penyebutan. pufh.... kecerobohan kecil yang mengganggu.

...hadir dalam debu rak-rak buku, di balik bayangan antara lemari buku, dan udara yang enggan bersirkulasi...(less)

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Aug 23, 2009 Mark Zieg rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: 12yr-olds, to prep them for better books

Recommended to Mark by: award nominee

Shelves: post-college, reviewed, widget, book-circle

When evaluating a book, or indeed any sort of artistic expression, the first and often unconscious step is establishing the thresholds or criteria against which it should be fairly judged. Not all plays ought be held against the standard of Shakespeare, nor all novels Dostoevsky. From the moment you first pick up a book, thoughtfully heft its weight in your hand, absorb the cover art and typeface, and casually skim the publisher blurbs and reviewer call-quotes, you begin a process of shaping exp...more When evaluating a book, or indeed any sort of artistic expression, the first and often unconscious step is establishing the thresholds or criteria against which it should be fairly judged. Not all plays ought be held against the standard of Shakespeare, nor all novels Dostoevsky. From the moment you first pick up a book, thoughtfully heft its weight in your hand, absorb the cover art and typeface, and casually skim the publisher blurbs and reviewer call-quotes, you begin a process of shaping expectations. These "first impressions" are typically completed -- occasionally refuted, but certainly concluded -- as you slowly begin picking your way through the opening sentence, paragraph, and page.

By the end of the first chapter, the experienced reader will have established a ready model of the audience for whom this book was intended, the literary tradition it builds from and chooses to extend, the ancient themes it has picked up and will shortly re-tell with variations anew. Consciously or otherwise, the reader has already begun cross-referencing an index of comparison points: other books with similar style, comparable diction, analogous theme, congruent historical or geographical setting, parallel plot, etc. These will become the benchmarks against which this new entry will be measured -- and the water mark will be high, for indeed "novel" comes from the Latin novus or "new", and readers will expect recent entries to build upon and therefore plausibly surpass the achievements of those who have gone before; mere regurgitation or mimicry merit little praise.

And therein lies my problem with "The Library of Shadows", the latest submission in the subgenre of supernatural literary thriller. The author dearly wishes to be placed on a shelf alongside recent bestsellers such as "The Club Dumas", "The Dante Club", Elizabeth Kostova's "The Historian", and even masters such as Umberto Eco. This categorization is not subjective on my part: Arturo Perez-Reverte is mentioned by name in the text, as is "The Name of the Rose", and special attention is given to a reading of "The Divine Comedy". These unsubtle allusions could be amusingly self-referential in a genuine genre entry, but come across as almost embarrassingly pleading in a novel of this calibre.

For the fact is that "Library" does not measure up to the standards it self-selects and so desperately echos. Its fantastic suppositions beggar belief, lacking even the internal logic so critical to establishing suspension-of-disbelief and effective empathy between reader and text. The "whodunnit" aspect of the mystery, the morality play of motivations, as well as the supernatural element which sets the plot in motion, are all presented with such clumsy cliches that I found myself wondering if this was a book written for children. Indeed, with one or two snips of the editor's scissors, this could make excellent juvenile fiction, an easy on-ramp to spark interest in better books featuring similar themes: dark and dank libraries filled with forgotten folios, musty old tomes of legend and lore whose cryptic secrets spell ecstasy or horror for the unwary reader.

Sadly, this book is unlikely to be ever placed in those hallowed back-rooms, held behind counter and glass for curious cognoscente or discerning dilettante; I fear it is bound to remain ever caged in the sunlit paperback racks fronting friendly High Street shops. At best, it may provide an early map, a hint to precocious young readers that books do exist which can carry the recondite connoisseur down circuitous paths to more vivid visions and rewarding resolutions, when the time is right.

Today, two stars; for too little, too late.(less)

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Jan 03, 2010 Nurul rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: my-library

Buku memang mempunyai kekuatan yang dapat menjadi dahsyat. Buku dapat membawa kita bahagia, marah, sedih, hingga tergugu bercucuran air mata. Buku bahkan dapat membawa kita melompat menjadi bagian dari plot cerita sebagai pelaku. Buku tertentu pun dapat membuat kita serasa ingin cepat-cepat mengetahui akhir cerita sekaligus berlambat-lambat menahan diri karena tak ingin segera berpisah.

Pertama mulai membaca buku ini hingga ke pertengahan, saya membayangkan GRI menjadi suatu perkumpulan pemancar...more

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Jul 02, 2012 Ami rated it 4 of 5 stars

I randomly chose this book as I was walking down the stacks at my library...the cover looked intriguing and the title seemed cool. This was such a pleasant surprise! No one thinks of reading, especially reading aloud, as a dangerous act. Jon Campelli finds a society of book-lovers, "Lectors", who exhibit an unusual ability to control or manipulate others through reading. Lectors come in two varieties: those who can control others via reading aloud and those who can control others as they are lis...more

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Feb 13, 2012 Swiftsea rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: People who want to try another way of believing in the power of books and reading

The plotline was intriguing but simply too linear and obvious for me to provide with four stars.
Most of the answers to the questions that kept the first half of the novel moving had been staring at them plainly in the face. What annoyed me even more was the introduction and speedy-like-hell of anything that can be called a romance between Jon and Katherine that after about 2 weeks, they considered as 'love'. I think that interpretation of 'love' was probably the closest thing any reader could h...more

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Mar 03, 2012 Anne L. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Do you love books? Obviously, since you’re reading a book review. Well, The Library of Shadows is an intriguing tale of booklovers and the power—literally—of reading. Jon Campelli’s estranged father, Luca, has died, and bequeathed his antiquarian bookshop to his son. An up-and-coming lawyer, Jon figures he’ll sell the shop and be done with it. But going back to visit the shop, which he adored as a boy, he becomes caught up in the mystery of an ancient society of booklovers, including a beautiful...more

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Jun 23, 2012 Jenny rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: around-the-world, read2012, ebooks, location-denmark

This is a bit of a guilty pleasure book for people who like books, libraries, and the power of reading. It reads a bit like Zafon, but I ranked it lower because it isn't as literary or layered. Jon Campelli, a high profile attorney, is notified of his father's death and inherits his bookstore n Copenhagen. That is when he discovers the world of Lectors and Receivers, people who have the ability to manipulate people through the reading and enhancement of text.

Overall, much of this book is conveni...more

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Apr 02, 2010 Kang Prof rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Libri di Luca...

Awalnya saya gak tertarik dengan novel ini, namun karena banyak rekomendasi dari teman-teman, jadi penasaran juga.

Awal membaca buku ini, saya seakan langsung tersedot masuk dalam aliran ceritanya. Buku ini bener-bener menyerupai "LECTOR" yang mamaksa saya untuk tidak berhenti membacanya sebelum usai.
Namun, karena kesibukan pekerjaan, jadi buku ini baru bisa diselesaikan dalam jeda waktu seminggu (ya..., cuma 3 sesi baca sih).

~~~~~

Dari ide cerita, Libri di Luca, bener-bener fresh,...more

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Mar 19, 2010 nila rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction

Seorang Penulis dapat mempengaruhi orang lain dengan tulisan2nya. Dalam sejarah kita tahu bahwa seorang penulis dapat mempengaruhi masyarakat sehingga tercetusnya sebuah revolusi. Tapi bagaimana dengan seorang pembaca, adakah juga dia memiliki kekuatan?

Kegiatan membaca adalah kegiatan untuk mencari informasi/pengetahuan atau sekedar sebagai hiburan. Tapi bagi seorang Lector, membaca bisa menjadi sesuatu yang berbahaya. Melalui kegiatan membaca, seorang Lector bisa mempengaruhi orang lain, bahkan...more

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Jun 24, 2012 Rikke Andrup Jensen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: krop-og-sind, roman, krimi

Forestil dig, at du ved hjælp af tankens kraft og en bog, kan slå et andet menneske ihjel. Det er rent faktisk, hvad der er muligt i Libri Di Luca.

Jon arver sin far’s boghandel Libri Di Luca. Jon har ikke været i boghandlen siden han var dreng og efter sin mor’s død blev bortadopteret. Så det er med mange bitre følelser, at Jon vender tilbage. Han er blevet en meget dygtig advokat med en virkelig lovende fremtid og en gammel antikvar boghandel er ikke lige, hvad der står på Jon’s fremtidsplan. M...more Forestil dig, at du ved hjælp af tankens kraft og en bog, kan slå et andet menneske ihjel. Det er rent faktisk, hvad der er muligt i Libri Di Luca.

Jon arver sin far’s boghandel Libri Di Luca. Jon har ikke været i boghandlen siden han var dreng og efter sin mor’s død blev bortadopteret. Så det er med mange bitre følelser, at Jon vender tilbage. Han er blevet en meget dygtig advokat med en virkelig lovende fremtid og en gammel antikvar boghandel er ikke lige, hvad der står på Jon’s fremtidsplan. Men snart bliver han introduceret for de enorme kræfter, som de såkaldte Lettorer besidder og ikke mindst hvilke muligheder det rummer at være Lettore. Det skal også vise sig, at Jon selv har uanede kræfter, som kan være dødelige, hvis de falder i de forkerte hænder. Jon bliver hjulpet godt på vej af Iversen, som var Luca’s trofaste medarbejder i boghandlen, Katherina, som er stærkt ordblind, men på trods af det også ansat i boghandlen, Paw, som er en ung rebel, der kom kærligt under Luca’s vinger og til sidst også Muhammed, som er en klient til Jon og lever en noget anderledes tilværelse, samtidig er han en helt unik person, der tilsætter historien lidt underholdende krydderi.

Genialt koncept. Jeg er vildt med ideen om afsendere og modtagere. Det er nyt, anderledes og tilfredsstiller læseren ved ikke bare at være endnu en almindelig krimi. I stedet byder den på et dejligt lille twist af det overnaturlige, mens læseren tæskes igennem et eskalerende spændingsforløb, som udløses i en energiladning af stort format.

Og så handler den om bøger, massevis af bøger og man kan jo tydeligt høre, at Mikkel Birkegaard selv holder meget af bøger. Ikke kun at læse dem, men at se, dufte og føle dem og det er så dejligt, at han giver personerne i bogen den samme passion.

Bogen er lynhurtigt fængslende og sproget er godt og tilforladeligt. Ikke en masse fine gloser eller overdrevne metafoer, som på mig ofte virker som pral og unødvendig pynt og i stedet ødelægger læserytmen. Ind imellem er det lidt for tydeligt, hvor forfatteren vil lede læseren hen, også når han vil vildlede denne for at øge spændingen.
(less)

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Apr 15, 2012 Susan Buchanan rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the first book I have read by this author and I picked it up in a charity shop, as the title contained the word Library. I love all books to do with books, so figured this was right up my street. Throw in a bit of mystery and I am completely hooked. I really enjoyed this book and thought Jon was an excellent main character, but it was Katherina who was my favourite and how she had overcome her obstacles to be where she was. The struggle between the two competing factions and the issues r...more

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Dec 23, 2011 Fifa rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: thriller

Konsepnya menarik banget.

Bahwa ada suatu organisasi yang terdiri atas orang orang yang mampu mempengaruhi orang yang sedang membaca sesuatu (penerima), dan orang orang yang mampu mempengaruhi orang lain yang sedang mendengarkan bacaannya (pemancar).

Dari sisi ini sebenarnya udah bisa ditebak arahnya: pasti ke arah menguasai dunia (entah kenapa banyak sekali oeang yang ingin menguasai dunia, padahal repot lho semestinya mengurus dunia itu)

Ceritanya sih standar, ada pembunuhan, yang lalu diselidik...more

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Mar 07, 2010 Nuni rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ada-di-rak-dirumah, ma-window-to-the-world

sekalipun ada beberapa hal yang cukup mengganggu saya untuk bisa sepenuhnya menikmati buku ini, the idea of adanya kelompok rahasia yang punya kemampuan seperti para pemancar dan penerima itu bener2 berhasil membuat saya berkhayal bahwa hal itu benar adanya dan ingin pesan 1 untuk saya....heehe....[kayaknya saya pesan kekuatan penerima aja biar bisa nebeng pengetahuan orang yg baca:] dan hanya karena ide itulah 4 bintang untuk mikkel bierkegaard

romance antara jon dan kat agak terlalu dipaksakan...more

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Mar 10, 2010 Ana Petrina rated it 2 of 5 stars

The library of Shadows or Libri di Luca is a mystery/crime novel set in Copenhagen, Denmark. The story begins with the mysterious death of the owner of a bookshop Libri di Luca, which leads to a series of events for the owners son Jon, a young lawyer who hasn't had any contact with his father since his teenage years, but who still inherited the fathers bookshop. Slowly Jon begins to understand, that his father had a rare gift and was part of a secret society - and that this society is linked wit...more

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Jan 03, 2010 dokie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Baru kali ini baca cerita tentang kutubuku yang punya kemampuan supernatural.
Para Lector dibagi 2 jenis, penerima dan pemancar.

Pemancar dapat membacakan cerita dan mengajak pendengar untuk ikut merasakan, membayangkan, dan percaya atas cerita itu seperti yang dibayangkan oleh pembaca. Kemampuan seperti itu bisa digunakan agar pembaca bisa lebih menghayati cerita tersebut, tapi bisa juga disalahgunakan agar pendengar percaya atas cerita itu walaupun cerita itu salah.

Penerima bisa membantu pemanca...more

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