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The Angel's Game

By Carlos Ruiz Zafon

(83)

| Hardcover | 9780297855545

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Critics

Fair courts Turkey controversy

While this year's guest of honour at the Frankfurt Book Fair - Catalonia - has proved controversial, next year's choice may also cause a few eyebrows to be raised. Turkey revealed its plans for its stint as guest of honour 2008 at the fair today and ... (read full critics)

guardian.co.uk published on Tue, 14 Sep 2010

Why we're less scared of 'translated by'

The sky's the limit. Photograph: EPA/Everett Kennedy Brown The three stories that comprise Yoko Ogawa's The Diving Pool are written in haunting, spare, shimmering prose and are punctuated by acts of casual violence and vindictive spite. Profoundly un ... (read full critics)

guardian.co.uk published on Tue, 14 Sep 2010

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8 Reviews

1 person find this helpful

I rarely give up on a book, but after 185 pages I found I just didn't care about the characters, how it ended or anything in between. I loved Shadow of the Wind, and was disappointed in this title. Very much like the Shadow of the Wind with the same setting, some of the same characters, but it did n ... (continue)

I rarely give up on a book, but after 185 pages I found I just didn't care about the characters, how it ended or anything in between. I loved Shadow of the Wind, and was disappointed in this title. Very much like the Shadow of the Wind with the same setting, some of the same characters, but it did not catch my interest.

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Rameycreek said on Oct 29, 2009 about the Others edition | Add your feedback

1 person find this helpful

This tragic tale is about David, a young writer, who got commissioned to write a 'religious' book to influence people's hearts and minds. He soon suspected that by accepting the commission, he had in fact sold his soul to the 'boss'.
The book was besides the point, the focus was on David and ... (continue)

This tragic tale is about David, a young writer, who got commissioned to write a 'religious' book to influence people's hearts and minds. He soon suspected that by accepting the commission, he had in fact sold his soul to the 'boss'.
The book was besides the point, the focus was on David and the serious of unfortunate events that took place when he tried to find out more about the boss.
It is quite a 'dark' story, full of unsolved mysteries, intrigues and deaths, rather heavy.

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Sawyho said on Oct 1, 2009 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback

Fantastic book.
It will leave your breathless and when finally you will have reached the last page, you'll miss it as if it were a friend.
You can't put down a book as beautiful as this, and it has to be one of the very best I ever read.
Masterpiece.

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RickyV said on Mar 1, 2011 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback

The Angels Game is the follow up to The Shadow of the Wind which I read and reviewed here in July. It is once again set in Barcelona but set in an earlier era, in fact when the protagonist in The Shadow of the Wind ‘s father was still a young man. There is also an overlap with characters which at ti ... (continue)

The Angels Game is the follow up to The Shadow of the Wind which I read and reviewed here in July. It is once again set in Barcelona but set in an earlier era, in fact when the protagonist in The Shadow of the Wind ‘s father was still a young man. There is also an overlap with characters which at times I did tend to find confusing. It actually might have been less so if I had not read the previous novel. Does that make sense to you I wonder? Is this the reason that I found this sequel (that is actually a prequel) less enjoyable, it started off very well, but at over 500 pages it is a long novel and as the story became more complicated I kept losing the thread. Just not completely understanding what was going on meant that for me the middle of the story seemed to drag somewhat until I reached the final third when it started to fit together again, thank goodness.
The story is all together much darker which for me was another minus point because although I enjoy intrigue, suspense and even murder, I tend not to rave over the majority of gothic style novels and I believe this would be classed as such, horror stories give me the creeps and at times this certainly did. I did enjoy though all the literary references to well known classical novels that appear throughout the novel, plus the wonderful description of books having a soul. I was delighted that once again The Angel’s Game is set in Barcelona in the 1920s and 1930s and follows a struggling young writer David Martin who is approached by a mysterious figure to write a book. As in the previous novel I found that the city once again comes to life on the pages as we return to places both real and imaginary. The Cemetery of Forgotten Books, the mythical building in the heart of Barcelona, as well as the Sempere & Sons bookshop both feature again.
His adventures as he tries to write this commissioned book lead him to the brink while he mentally battles with his demons. A story of deep secrets, intrigue and romance, with that ghostly influence I at times found disturbing.
I read on the authors Official Website that this novel is about the ‘magic of books and the darkest corners of the human soul’ A perfect description and I think a novel well worth reading, despite the few problems I had I am definitely glad I read it. If you want to learn more about the novel and the author please visit
http://lindyloumacbookreviews.blogspot.com/2010/12/ange…

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Lindyloumac said on Dec 8, 2010 about the Others edition | Add your feedback

A fascinating story, quick-paced and an engrossing supernatural-tinged thriller!!!!
I love the way the author writes, the storytelling, the dialogue and the superb way at describing mood and characters.
Love the fact that he brings again the "cemetery of forgotten books" and some old characters as ... (continue)

A fascinating story, quick-paced and an engrossing supernatural-tinged thriller!!!!
I love the way the author writes, the storytelling, the dialogue and the superb way at describing mood and characters.
Love the fact that he brings again the "cemetery of forgotten books" and some old characters as well but that said, The Shadow Of the Wind still remains my favorite.

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Nini said on Aug 13, 2010 | Add your feedback

The story of Daniel's mother, father and grandfather

If you really love The Shadow of the Wind and will never get enough of it, this is the sequel you should go for.
Sempere & Son's book shop has retreated to the backdrop. This is a story about one of its customers and fans, David Martin, who like Julien is a talented and troubled author intrigued ... (continue)

If you really love The Shadow of the Wind and will never get enough of it, this is the sequel you should go for.
Sempere & Son's book shop has retreated to the backdrop. This is a story about one of its customers and fans, David Martin, who like Julien is a talented and troubled author intrigued by a mysterious incident happened well before his time. David, like Daniel, plays the role of a detective to uncover the buried and forgotten story.

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ausone said on Jul 2, 2010 about the Others edition | Add your feedback