Allison's comments (member since Aug 12, 2008)

Allison's comments from the The Next Best Book Club group.

I just finished The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, which was very good. Now I'm reading Honeymoon with My Brother A Memoir by Franz Wisner, which I'm really enjoying! :)

Welcome, I'm sure you'll love it here! :)

Category 1: The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson.

Welcome, it's great to have you with us! :)

I'm interested! :)

That's exciting! Definite yes from me! :)

Welcome to the group! :)

Cat 1: The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson.

Great idea, Lori! :)

Sounds awesome!! :) I just ordered his book off his website. :) I'm looking forward to the Q&A, thanks for organizing it, Lori. :)

Linda, I agree that Isabelle was this books Fermin. :) You definitely have a good point about why he was so lost after finishing Pedro Vidal's book!

Linda wrote: "Allison, Hope you like the History of Love as much as I did. I enjoy books with quirky characters and this one has a couple that make me laugh. It also tugs at the heart strings, which is one of my sappy weaknesses."
Linda, I'm happy to hear you liked The History of Love so much! :) Sounds great, I'm looking forward to getting further into it. :)

Claire wrote: "I just finished Water for Elephants and really liked it. I am now going to start The Shadow of the Wind and am so excited after all of the great things I've heard about it."
Claire, I'm glad you enjoyed Water for Elephants! :) I'm looking forward to hearing what you think of The Shadow of the Wind, it's one of my favorites. :)

Thanks, Melissa! :) Glad to hear you liked it. :)

I just finished The Cellist of Sarajevo, which was alright. Now I'm starting The History of Love A Novel, by Nicole Krauss.

I am very interested. If the time frame would allow us all time to get a hold of the book and read it before the discussion, that would be ideal. :) I'm excited, I've been wanting to read this one!

Linda, No worries, it's a lot of questions! I just thought I'd post them to help guide the conversation if anyone felt like using them. :)

Thanks for your comments to Elizabeth about Corelli. While I really loved the book and could NOT put it down, I was a bit confused at the end about Corelli. What you wrote makes a lot of sense, so thanks. :)

Also, I agree with your comments on vanity and survival.


One of the things I loved about this book was the relationship between him and Isabella. :) And I loved the parts that tied into The Shadow of the Wind... that was really fun to see and very well done.

I just finished The Angel's Game, and I could NOT put it down. I just adore Carlos Ruiz Zafon's writing, he is amazing. :) I read the book over the past 2 days, which is fast for me for a novel that size. I really enjoyed it a lot, but the ending left me a little confused. Overall though, it was a great read. :)

Now I'm going to pick up The Cellist of Sarajevo again.

Lora, I made a thread for discussion of The Angel's Game... if you head back to the main TNBBC page, and scroll down a ways to the section called "wanna discuss this novel", the thread is in there. :) And yes, I LOVED The Shadow of the Wind. :) You won't be disappointed.

Here are some group discussion questions to help lead our conversation about the book. :)

1. The novel begins with David’s recollection of the first time he tasted “the sweet poison of vanity” by writing for a living. How much of his career is fueled by vanity versus poverty? Why was it so difficult for him to heed Cristina’s warnings about selling out to greedy publishers?

2. Like Carlos Ruiz Zafón’s previous novel, The Angel’s Game is written in the first person. What does David reveal about his view of the world as he tells us his story? How might the novel have unfolded if it had been told from Andreas Corelli’s point of view?

3. Sempere influenced David’s life by giving him a copy of Great Expectations. Later returned to him by Corelli, the book still bore the bloody fingerprints of David’s father. How did David’s life resemble a Dickens novel? How was he affected by his parents’ history? How did books and booksellers save him? What is the most memorable book you received as a child?

4. Discuss the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, described especially vividly in chapter 20 (act one). What do the contents of the cemetery say about which books have long lives, and which ones are overlooked? What is required to honor the soul of a book, applying Sempere’s belief that a book absorbs the soul of its author and its readers?

5. What is the common thread in each of Corelli’s tactics for luring David? How did you interpret his “dream” of Chloé? What made David a vulnerable target?

6. What aspects of his identity does David have to leave behind when he becomes Ignatius B. Samson, author of City of the Damned (chapter 8, act one)? What does The Steps of Heaven say about who he wants to be and who Irene Sabino became?

7. How does Pedro Vidal justify his exploitation of David, stealing the woman he loves and capitalizing on David’s prowess as a writer? How did your opinion of Vidal shift throughout the novel? Does he redeem himself in chapter 22 (act three)? Describe someone whom you idolized early in your career who later proved to be untrustworthy.

8. In chapter 24 (act one), Corelli reveals his plan to David, describing religion as “a moral code that is expressed through legends, myths or any type of literary device.” Does this definition match your experience with religion? What do Lux Aeterna and Corelli’s project indicate about faith and the written word?

9. How did you react to the revelations about Ricardo Salvador at the end of chapter 14 (act three)? What had your theories been about Corelli’s network?

10. Explore the novel’s title. Ultimately, who are the angels in David’s world? What are the rules of Corelli’s game? Who are its winners?

11. Discuss Barcelona, especially the traces of renowned architect Antoni Gaudí, as if the city were a character in the novel. How do the tower house in Calle Flassaders (first described in chapter 8, act one) and Vidal’s Villa Helius, along with the cathedrals, cemeteries, Las Ramblas, and other locales, set the tone for The Angel’s Game?

12. What is the effect of reading a novel about a novelist? What truths about the intersection of art and commerce are reflected in the story of Barrido & Escobillas and in their subsequent demise at the hands of an even more controlling publisher?

13. If you had been Inspector Victor Grandes, would you have believed David’s story in chapters 18 and 19 (act three)?

14. How did you interpret the novel’s closing scene, particularly the presence of Cristina? Throughout the novel, how did David reconcile the ideal of Cristina with the realities of circumstance?

15. What is special about the bond between David and Isabella? What do they teach each other about love? If you have read The Shadow of the Wind, discuss your reactions to Daniel’s heritage, revealed in the epilogue.