The Shadow of the Wind
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Do I carry on with this?
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by
Kate
(new)
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rated it 2 stars
Sep 25, 2011 12:05PM
I started this book with such high expectations after the rave reviews on here. I'm 200 pages in and got bored of it so I got an audio download and started re-listening to the bits I'd already read to see if I'd missed anything. Again I got bored and so read another book in the interim. I've now finished my interim book and I've had a note through from the library saying Shadow of the Wind is due back. I just don't know whether it's worth carrying on again with it or whether I should move on to the next one. Is it worth it, is it likely to come good for me, or should I accept I don't like it and start with another book?
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I read this too and it was long and laborious, I was also disappointed. I vote for you returning this book and getting something that will keep your interest! Life is too short to read a book that you don't like.
Hollow and chaotic. Improvised, childish. One of those books really dumb undergradutes like. You can drop it. You won't miss anything.
The book is a challenging read, but I found it fascinating. I thought the character development was interesting and loved the intertwining stories. I’m always a push over for well written historical fiction, especially about books and libraries.
It was interesting. A story within a story. It was long, but I finished it because if I hadn't, I would have wondered how it ended. I can't say I loved the book, but I'm glad I finished it:-)
If a book likes you or not, it is totally up to you; my advices: don't read people comments before reading your book and if you really have to push yourself too hard it is not worthy. Find another book. I really enjoyed this book, but I totally understand if you don't. Leave it and move to the next. Too many good books, too few time.
Pedro wrote: "Hallow and chaotic. Improvised, childish. One of those books really dumb undergradutes like. You can drop it. You won't miss anything."Wow, what an incredibly pretentious response.
Ana wrote: "If a book likes you or not, it is totally up to you; my advices: don't read people comments before reading your book and if you really have to push yourself too hard it is not worthy. Find another ..."I totally agree with Ana. Life's to short.
Thank you all for your feedback, it's welcome from all perspectives. I read solely for pleasure and have nothing to prove. I haven't found it a challenging read just one that doesn't grasp me, I have, in my incomplete experience of the book, found the characters too extreme and unrealistic, and, therefore, haven't succumbed to the usual escapism that I enjoy so much when reading. Given that I am not currently deriving any pleasure from it, I have decided that I will return Shadow of the Wind to the library. There's no reason I shouldn't borrow it again and may well do!
If you're into Spanish authors, want to be challenged and really taken in by a well-crafted story, find books by Juan Benet. Albert Sánchez-Piñol is a wonderful read as well, and so is Almudena Grandes. Ruiz Zafón started out as a writer of fiction for young adults and never really changed frequencies with his later books, supposedly aimed at a more adult audience; that's probably why you can't connect.
I loved this book. I think it is really worth while carrying it on to the end. Actually this is a best Zafon book, the others are less good.
I loved this book too but started it a couple of times and gave up before finally reading it this year. I think you really have to be in the right mood so maybe read something else just now and try it again another time.
i havent read the book in english i read it in spanish and it is worth reading.
no. give up. ts not worth it. the pay off at the end is disappointing...something out of harry potter.
I was in the same position, having had the book recommended by a friend who LOVED it. I got about a third of the way through, but found it very disappointing after the hype. I may try it again sometime,as perhaps my expectations will have changed, but I think you've made the right decision to move on to something more appealing to you.
@ Pedro - I completely disagree. I've read Zafon's young adult books and don't even think they're in the same league with what he did in Shadow. I also agree with Adam's reply to your first post. What a pretentious response. I loved every page of Shadow of the Wind. I think it's an exquisite book, a book by a guy who loves literature, and had my attention from start to finish.
I consider it a compliment when people who "loved every page" of this corny, syrupy, adolescent fantasy call me pretentious. Now THIS is what a pretentious response looks like.
Pedro, I'm so glad you've identified yourself as a writer on Goodreads and I'm tickled to see that your combined seven books have roughly 20 reviews to Zafon's 8,000 for Shadow of the Wind alone. Envious much?
Ooooo... I have a stalker! Now I'M tickled!
Don't flatter yourself, Pedro. Making one click to look at your bio borders more on curiosity than it does real interest. I would rather spend my time following Spanish writers of consequence, such as Carlos Ruiz Zafon.
Well a lot of people like this book so it must have some good qualities, but I completely failed to find any. I thought it was clumsily written,and very weak on character development, and lacked atmosphere. The further I read the more irritated I became with it.
Oh, don't be ashamed Wesjackson07... You don't have to explain. You've dedicated me three responses already, and I can almost guarantee there's a fourth coming pretty soon. You're doing more than clicking: you're dancing to my tune. So much for "spending your time following Spanish writers of consequence, such as Carlos Ruiz Zafon".
I agree, Archmage. Maybe this is a love it or hate it book. I definitely LOVED it and put it on my top 10 favorite books. Everyone I know that read it loved it as well. The novel can be quite "dark" in a way (and you'll have to forgive me if that's the best way for me to describe it) and if you're not the type of person to enjoy a sad story, then I can understand why you wouldn't like it.Also, (just to be difficult) I felt that the character development was done pretty well, actually. Maybe one needs to be able to relate to feel similarly. I felt connected to the characters in a way that I find rare with most novels nowadays.
In no way did I feel this book was written with the adolescent reader in mind despite the youth of the protagonist. I felt the novel dealt with very "grown-up" themes and a very "grown-up" story with very intelligent, engaging people.
Also, the setting proved very engaging for me. If you've ever been to Barcelona, you may understand how the setting of this novel takes on a whole character in itself. Roaming the Gothic quarter of Barcelona is essential in the ability to grasp that "dark" feeling of the city in the midcentury and how that setting connects with the story.
I'm definitely the type of person that wants other people to like the books that I like so I think I'll quit here with pushing my love for this book. Some books are just not for some people. Or (for me at least) some books are just not read at the right time in someone's life. :)
Denise wrote: "This is one of my favorite modern books, and truly the first book where I found wonderfully written dialogue. Many books tend to have unrealistic dialogue, but this one captures the times and the p..."You're right, Denise. Eventually I think that I'll start this book again and may well be captured by it.
This is one of my Non-YA faves, I read it a couple of years ago and really enjoyed it. It had such spooky parts. I liked how the story was told over so many years and we learned so much about the characters. There were some obvious turns in the book but for the most part I read it with my eyes bulging, etc. Hope you enjoy, if you have invested over 200 pages you owe it to yourself to see it through and then decide whether or not you like it...something must have gotten you to that part of the book. :) hope you enjoy it!
This book fell very flat for me as well. After reading The Club Dumas, which I loved, I wanted something similar, and was recommended this book by an employee at my local bookseller. While they are similar in subject matter (literary mystery, Spanish setting, slightly dark) The Club Dumas I thought was about ten times more exciting and interesting. The payoff in the end of Shadow of the Wind was pretty disappointing, I felt, and I was completely uninterested in the romantic aspects; in fact I didn't really care enough about any of the characters to either like or dislike them much. For me, this just lacked a lot of the complexity and nuance that I really wanted it to have. That others commenting here have found it to be complex and nuanced... makes me think different people have different levels for these things (sort of like how different people have different pain tolerances, and what is one person's "OMG 10!" might be another person's "meh, 5.5"). I can't really make an defensible argument saying someone else's 10 is not *really* a 10... but if you're not loving this book, don't stick with it just because a few people on Goodreads said they loved it. Maybe their 10 is your 3; try comparing your book ratings with some of those above and see if you trust that your opinions should be aligning.
There is no book fairy out there that is going to punish you if you don't like a book or don't finish reading what you started. While I found this book to be beautifully written, that doesn't mean it will appeal to everyone else. Reading reviews is a good way to get an overview of what most people like or dislike, but plese never feel obliged to finish a book that is not speaking to you.
Lora wrote: "There is no book fairy out there that is going to punish you if you don't like a book or don't finish reading what you started. While I found this book to be beautifully written, that doesn't mean..."Yep, it's all about individual taste:-)
I picked this up at a friend's house and could barely be convinced to put it down until I was done. If it's not your thing, it's not your thing. I've been known to let "thrillers" sit for weeks and not care how they end and I got sucked into Cavalier & Klay like a vortex. The only reason you're obligated to read something to the end is if A) you're being paid to review it, B) your best friend/mom/sister/uncle wrote it, C) there's a test on Friday about it.
I too was slithly bored at the beggining, but I definatelly think should read it to the end. Having read this book at such an early age (I was only 15), I only regret not understanding it.
At first it was a big slow but man then I couldn't put it down and finished it in one day after a point. I love the story, and it's one the best books in my opinion.
Adam wrote: "Pedro wrote: "Hallow and chaotic. Improvised, childish. One of those books really dumb undergradutes like. You can drop it. You won't miss anything."Wow, what an incredibly pretentious response."
You have to love a man who uses hallow and chaotic next to descriptive terms like "really dumb".
Personally this is one of my favorite historical fiction pieces, particularly of that era. However ultimately you cannot force yourself to read anything. I remember the plot and drive of this book picking up exponentially in the second half relative to the first, though.
I think that this book is amazing. When you look at it, it is a big book, it seems like it will take forever to read it but in reality I raced throught the pages. With every word I wanted to know more about the plot, the characters. The style of writing was like a drug.
Nahh...let it go...life's to short to spend on this book.
"Do I carry on with this?: My thought, exactly! I read over 100 pages, since it has received rave reviews, but I put this book aside and may retry it again someday. It is, indeed, beautifully written, but a bit slow for me.
There are definitely faults in this book. It's a bit fantastical, overly dramatic, plot twists left and right... and I love it. Just the way it's worded is like music to my brain. If you read The Angel's Game, also by Ruiz Zafon, you can see that he pokes fun at himself for his overly zealous, Gothic style. It's a pleasure read more than anything else. And when it's exciting it is REALLY exciting. When it isn't, just lay back and enjoy the language. The romance wasn't a big deal for me, but the storyline(s) were what really captivated me and turned my brain to mush. In a good way. It definitely starts slow; I remember getting a bit discouraged because it wasn't really going anywhere... or so I thought. I stuck to it though and am REALLY glad I did. To me, the slow start was more than worth trudging through.
ummm...so did Kate decide to read or drop??
see message 10 - sadly I decided to return it to the library today but I may well revisit it
I agree with everyone who finished the book. I liked the twisting story within a story. I am glad I finished the book
I found it disappointing because I had heard such great things about it.But I kept at it till the end.Night Train to Lisbon, somewhat the same story, is much much better.
Malabaricus wrote: "I found it disappointing because I had heard such great things about it.But I kept at it till the end.Night Train to Lisbon, somewhat the same story, is much much better."
Really? I just read Night Train to Lisbon and I found that the only thing similar was relatively close geographic location and maybe a philosophic theme. I really enjoyed Night Train to Lisbon but thought that, at times, the author was trying too hard to push a somewhat pretentious philosophy on the reader. Despite this, I definitely found some great quotes in there and made a lot of notes while reading - so I can go back and forth on my opinion on this book. However, as far as overall storyline and characters, I find this book entirely different from Shadow of The Wind. (For opinions' sake, I think Shadow of the Wind is much better - but still both great books!)
I was thrown completely by the central premise of Night Train. That a man would throw in his life completely on what is, effectively, a whim seemed so unlikely that I couldn't relate to it. Therefore the philosophical element passed me by completely, but I am unversed in the concept of existentialism. Personally, I loved Shadow and have re-read it several times enjoying it more with each read.There is no such thing as a perfect read, just a book that hits the spot at the time. I have many books that I call my "comfort reads" to which I turn when I need reassurance, flights of fancy or whatever.
I do think, generally, that the word "pretentious" is rapidly approaching the same meaninglessness as "nice". Has it really become the upmarket phrase meaning, "I didn't like it"?
Huw wrote: "I was thrown completely by the central premise of Night Train. That a man would throw in his life completely on what is, effectively, a whim seemed so unlikely that I couldn't relate to it. Theref..."LOL I agree with you. I think when I said "pretentious" I meant "trying too hard" - not sure if that makes sense.
Kate wrote: "I started this book with such high expectations after the rave reviews on here. I'm 200 pages in and got bored of it so I got an audio download and started re-listening to the bits I'd already rea..."Yes its long and gets monotonous often...but its not that bad...and its not that hard to read either...atleast I managed to maintain a flow with it somehow...I liked it eventually...it has some of the qualities of Murakami's "Kafka On The Shore"...I liked both these books...!!
I suggest you should finish it...!!
All I recall from that book, and I'm rarely mistaken, was this path:1 - great expectations 2 - loving the begining 3 - getting a little bored 4 - approaching the end 5 - great developpements, very enthusiastic - LOVED IT! jackpot.
so yes, read it. that boring thing is just a phase.
Elizabeth wrote: "I agree, Archmage. Maybe this is a love it or hate it book. I definitely LOVED it and put it on my top 10 favorite books. Everyone I know that read it loved it as well. The novel can be quite "dark..."A very well-thought-out response, and one I agree with. I lived in Barcelona in the 1960s and have visited since. I truly loved this book, and have read other Zafón books since, and also love them.
The style is magical realism, so a suspension of disbelief is essential. If that isn't your thing, find books you do enjoy. My sister hated the book, but she doesn't like science fiction or fantasy, nor does she enjoy the mystical worlds of Gabriel García Marquéz, as I do. But then again, I don't like many of the books she loves, either.
It would be really boring if we all liked the same things, I think you just have to be open minded and be prepared to try new things. Since joining Goodreads I have found so many books that I want to read that I wouldn't have heard about otherwise.
Aaah, Gaenolee that totally explains it. I cannot bear any form of fantasy or even anything unrealistic. Give me a believable tale that I can fall deeply into the characters lives and believe I am in amongst it with them and I'm hooked within pages. I've just finished re-reading To Kill a Mockingbird and adored it even more this time around, likewise The Book Thief is one of my all time greats and I'm now starting on (and loving) The Bronze Horseman. All of the stories are real and believable and I can empathise with the heroine in each and that's what I'm a sucker for. Hmm, perhaps having a girl as the central character is an important factor for me too.
Kate wrote: "Aaah, Gaenolee that totally explains it. I cannot bear any form of fantasy or even anything unrealistic. Give me a believable tale that I can fall deeply into the characters lives and believe I ..."Kate, due to the fact that you just named two of my most favorite books as your favorites, I am compelled to add The Bronze Horseman on my to-read list. :)
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