La sombra del viento
A boy finds a forgotten book in the Cemetery of Forgotten Books in Barcelona. A page-turner that millions read in Spanish.
What it's about
Barcelona, 1945. Daniel Sempere, the son of a bookseller, is taken by his father to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, a secret library where he may choose one book to protect for life. He picks «La sombra del viento» by an unknown author, Julián Carax, and falls in love with it. When he tries to find Carax's other novels, he discovers that someone has been buying and burning every copy. His search drags him into an old story of love, revenge and the shadows of the Spanish Civil War. It was a worldwide bestseller after its publication in 2001.
Resumen en español fácil
Tap any underlined word for its meaning
Barcelona, 1945. Daniel es hijo de un librero. Su padre lo lleva al Cementerio de los Libros Olvidados, una biblioteca secreta, donde Daniel elige un libro: «La sombra del viento», de Julián Carax. Le gusta tanto que busca otros libros del autor, pero descubre que alguien los quema todos. Así empieza una historia de misterio, amor y venganza.
Main characters
- Daniel Sempere — the narrator, a bookseller's son
- Julián Carax — the mysterious author of the novel Daniel loves
- Fermín Romero de Torres — a funny, clever ex-beggar who helps Daniel
- Inspector Fumero — a dangerous policeman with a past
- Bea — Daniel's love interest
How to read it in Spanish
Advanced (C1), but a page-turner: the mystery keeps you reading. Long descriptive sentences and Spain vocabulary. If it feels too hard, start with «Marina» by the same author, which is shorter and written for young adults.
Where to read it
The book is under copyright. Borrow it free from your library through Libby or buy a Spanish edition.
