
The Shadow of the Wind
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Narrated by:
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Jonathan Davis
About this listen
Barry Award
Book Sense Book of the Year
Borders Original Voices Award
Gumshoe Award
Horror Guild Award
Joseph-Beth and Davis-Kidd Booksellers Fiction Award
NYPL Books to Remember
Barcelona, 1945: Just after the war, a great world city lies in shadow, nursing its wounds, and a boy named Daniel awakes on his 11th birthday to find that he can no longer remember his mother's face. To console his only child, Daniel's widowed father, an antiquarian book dealer, initiates him into the secret of the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, a library tended by Barcelona's guild of rare-book dealers as a repository for books forgotten by the world, waiting for someone who will care about them again.
Daniel's father coaxes him to choose a volume from the spiraling labyrinth of shelves, one that, it is said, will have a special meaning for him. And Daniel so loves the novel he selects, The Shadow of the Wind by one Julian Carax, that he sets out to find the rest of Carax's work. To his shock, he discovers that someone has been systematically destroying every copy of every book this author has written. In fact, he may have the last one in existence. Before Daniel knows it, his seemingly innocent quest has opened a door into one of Barcelona's darkest secrets, an epic story of murder, magic, madness, and doomed love.
An uncannily absorbing historical mystery, a heart-piercing romance, and a moving homage to the mystical power of books, The Shadow of the Wind is a triumph of the storyteller's art.
Translated by Lucia Graves.
©2001 Carlos Ruiz Zafon; 2004 Lucia Graves (P)2004 Penguin AudioListeners also enjoyed...
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Critic reviews
“Anyone who enjoys novels that are scary, erotic, touching, tragic and thrilling should rush right out to the nearest bookstore and pick up The Shadow of the Wind. Really, you should.”—Michael Dirda, The Washington Post
“Gabriel Garcia Marquez meets Umberto Eco meets Jorge Luis Borges for a sprawling magic show.”—The New York Times Book Review
“[T]here is no question that [The Shadow of the Wind] is wondrous. . . [M]asterful, meticulous plotting and extraordinary control over language. . . . The Shadow of the Wind is ultimately a love letter to literature, intended for readers as passionate about storytelling as its young hero.”—Entertainment Weekly
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The Book Thief
- By: Markus Zusak
- Narrated by: Allan Corduner
- Length: 13 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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It's just a small story really, about, among other things, a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery. Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusak's groundbreaking new novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can't resist: books.
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Glad I took a chance.
- By Robert on 08-20-11
By: Markus Zusak
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Middlesex
- By: Jeffrey Eugenides
- Narrated by: Kristoffer Tabori
- Length: 21 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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In the spring of 1974, Calliope Stephanides, a student at a girls' school in Grosse Pointe, finds herself drawn to a chain-smoking, strawberry-blonde classmate with a gift for acting. The passion that furtively develops between them - along with Callie's failure to develop physically - leads Callie to suspect that she is not like other girls. In fact, she is not really a girl at all.
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Anything but middle.
- By Michael on 05-04-03
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Sarah's Key
- A Novel
- By: Tatiana de Rosnay
- Narrated by: Polly Stone
- Length: 9 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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Paris, July 1942: Sarah, a ten year-old girl, is brutally arrested with her family by the French police in the Vel' d'Hiv' roundup, but not before she locks her younger brother in a cupboard in the family's apartment, thinking that she will be back within a few hours. Paris, May 2002: On Vel' d'Hiv's 60th anniversary, journalist Julia Jarmond is asked to write an article about this black day in France's past.
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Important subject and plot, pedestrian execution
- By Benson on 04-15-10
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The Red Tent
- By: Anita Diamant
- Narrated by: Carol Bilger
- Length: 11 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
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Passionate, earthy, deeply affecting, The Red Tent combines rich storytelling with a valuable contribution to modern fiction: a vibrant new perspective of female life in the age that shaped present day civilization and values.
If you like The Red Tent, try The Harlot by the Side of the Road, a recounting of some of the most startling and explicit writings from The Old Testament.
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The key word is 'fiction'
- By R. S. Herron on 03-03-09
By: Anita Diamant
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The Nautical Chart
- By: Arturo Pérez-Reverte, Margaret Sayers Peden - translator
- Narrated by: George Guidall
- Length: 17 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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At a maritime auction in Barcelona, Merchant Marine Officer Manuel Coy sees an intense bidding war erupt over a seemingly innocuous 18th-century atlas. The auction winner is the beautiful Tanger Soto, who is obsessed with a Jesuit ship sunk by pirates in the 17th century. Joining forces, Tanger and Manuel hit the seas in search of Dei Gloria and its precious, yet unidentified, cargo. Their quest sends them not only into dangerous waters, but also into the perilous recesses of the human heart.
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The Sailor, The Siren, and the Sunken Ship
- By gone2ground on 08-23-12
By: Arturo Pérez-Reverte, and others
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The Paris Architect
- By: Charles Belfoure
- Narrated by: Mark Bramhall
- Length: 11 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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Like most gentiles in Nazi-occupied Paris, architect Lucien Bernard has little empathy for the Jews. So when a wealthy industrialist offers him a large sum of money to devise secret hiding places for Jews, Lucien struggles with the choice of risking his life for a cause he doesn't really believe in. Ultimately he can't resist the challenge and begins designing expertly concealed hiding spaces - behind a painting, within a column, or inside a drainpipe - detecting possibilities invisible to the average eye. But when one of his clever hiding spaces fails and the immense suffering of Jews becomes incredibly personal, he can no longer deny reality.
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Riveting
- By C. B. Schindel on 08-23-15
By: Charles Belfoure
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Let the Right One In
- A Novel
- By: John Ajvide Lindqvist, Ebba Segerberg - translator
- Narrated by: Steven Pacey
- Length: 16 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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It is autumn 1981 when inconceivable horror comes to Blackeberg, a suburb in Sweden. The body of a teenager is found, emptied of blood, the murder rumored to be part of a ritual killing. Twelve-year-old Oskar is personally hoping that revenge has come at long last—revenge for the bullying he endures at school, day after day. But the murder is not the most important thing on his mind. A new girl has moved in next door—a girl who has never seen a Rubik’s Cube before, but who can solve it at once. There is something wrong with her, though, something odd.
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Disturbing, a modern Gothic Tale
- By Brian H. on 11-27-22
By: John Ajvide Lindqvist, and others
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Soul Mountain
- By: Gao Xingjian
- Narrated by: Brian Keeler
- Length: 19 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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Facing time on a prison farm for defying his country’s laws of cultural conformity, artist/writer Gao Xingjian embarked on an epic search for his roots and for freedom. His journey through Southern China’s ancient mountains and forests, inspired this immensely wise and beautiful novel.
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Disappointing
- By Charles N. on 07-24-16
By: Gao Xingjian
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Never Let Me Go
- By: Kazuo Ishiguro
- Narrated by: Rosalyn Landor
- Length: 9 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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From the Booker Prize-winning author of The Remains of the Day and When We Were Orphans comes an unforgettable edge-of-your-seat mystery that is at once heartbreakingly tender and morally courageous about what it means to be human.
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Be patient; it will pay off
- By Kc on 05-23-05
By: Kazuo Ishiguro
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The Name of the Rose
- By: Umberto Eco, William Weaver - translator
- Narrated by: Sean Barrett, Neville Jason, Nicholas Rowe
- Length: 21 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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The year is 1327. Franciscans in a wealthy Italian abbey are suspected of heresy, and Brother William of Baskerville arrives to investigate. But his delicate mission is suddenly overshadowed by seven bizarre deaths that take place in seven days and nights of apocalyptic terror. Brother William turns detective, and a uniquely deft one at that. His tools are the logic of Aristotle, the theology of Aquinas, the empirical insights of Roger Bacon-- all sharpened to a glistening edge by his wry humor and ferocious curiosity.
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The meaning of the mystery & mystery of meaning
- By Ryan on 02-14-14
By: Umberto Eco, and others
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Homage to Catalonia
- By: George Orwell
- Narrated by: Frederick Davidson
- Length: 8 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
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In 1936, George Orwell went to Spain to report on the civil war and instead joined the P.O.U.M. militia to fight against the Fascists. In this now justly famous account of his experience, he describes both the bleak and the comic aspects of trench warfare on the Aragon front, the Barcelona uprising in May 1937, his nearly fatal wounding just two weeks later, and his escape from Barcelona into France after the P.O.U.M. was suppressed.
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Excellent book, marred by narration
- By Kirby on 02-02-13
By: George Orwell
What listeners say about The Shadow of the Wind
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Overall
- R. J. Melton
- 07-18-11
A rich, engrossing tale
As an avid reader, I lost myself to this enchanting tale from the first paragraph. The reader was excellent. (I have enjoyed listening to him read for another author, I believe.) There is nothing of this book not to like--the characters are richly drawn, the world they enhabit pulses with life, and the storyline enchanting. I loved this book and will certainly re-listen many times.
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8 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Susan B.
- 08-20-05
Stunning, thought provoking novel
This is one of those audiobooks I found myself driving around just to listen to! The story is a very complex blend of coming of age, detective/murder mystery, love story...it's really remarkable. It is beautifully read, and the Spanish pronunciation is excellent. Lovely translation, the language is beautiful, interesting, very Spanish in it's references/analogies. I was so intrigued with the novel after listening to it that I had to read in in print! One of the best books I've read in a long time. Will look forward to reading more from this author.
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7 people found this helpful
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- AProlificReader
- 11-30-06
A Book lover's Book
This was a beautifully written, beautifully read, and translated book. I enjoyed every laugh out loud moment (there were many) and was entertained from start to finish. This book reminds me to appreciate the privelage and joy I have recieved through my many years of diligent (and sometimes obsessive) readership. Don't believe the naysayers, they can only be readers looking for television style appeal. This book has heart and soul and Jonathan Davis is the bomb. I actually found this book by looking for other books he has read after listening to "Snow Crash" (another excellent selection).
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5 people found this helpful
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- Kristy Madden
- 10-25-13
Bone-chilling Mystery About Fascist Spain
Where does The Shadow of the Wind rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
This may be my favorite audiobook and I have quite a large library. I never wanted this book to end. The story is multi-layered and has vividly drawn characters, plus the descriptions of fascist Barcelona are haunting. Also, I can't praise the narration enough. The personalities of the different characters really shone through.
What did you like best about this story?
I love the character Fermin who survives torture and many hardships through the graces of his unique and amusing personality. It helped me to see how certain people can even thrive after enduring the unspeakable.
Have you listened to any of Jonathan Davis’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
No, I haven't, but will make a point of finding more books read by him.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
No, it's pretty big, but I never wanted to stop listening nonetheless.
Any additional comments?
If you love historic mysteries or romances set in Spain, you should definitely read this. It reminds me of the Guillermo delToro film "Pan's Labyrinth" because of it's haunting imagery and fascinating revelations about the natures of people who embrace fascism.
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3 people found this helpful
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- Peter Cowen
- 11-11-12
Maybe best novel I have ever read
I cannot believe I never knew of this masterpiece before. Brilliant and captivating on so many levels. The buildup of the story, the simple writing, the cleverness of tying so many things together and the universal timeless wisdom throughout. The story was riveting, I cried, I laughed aloud and simply could not stop listening. One of those books where I am sad when it ends. Not surprising to discover that 15 million people have read this, though apparently only a small portion are in English.
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3 people found this helpful
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- Elizabeth
- 06-01-12
Great Novel, Great Characters
A friend enthusiastically told me about this book: isn't that the way the news about the best stories travel? A riproaring tale of love, intrigue, mystery, with a dash of that region's famed florid approach to love, The Shadow of the Wind is one of those old-fashioned kinds of novels with a great story line, good plotting, interesting and varied characters. I give it five stars for the story. I learned a lot about the events in Spain's history through the characters, a plus for me.
I actually thought the reader, Jonathan Davis, did a terrific job narrating the story, but I only awarded three stars because of that incredibly irritating piano music which threatened to drown him out at critical times in the story. At the very end, we learn that the music was composed by the author; I say to him that perhaps he needs to chose between his words or his music as to which he wants to display for us to admire. For my tastes, I'd rather have silence to appreciate the writing, rather than to have to struggle to hear what the narrator was saying. In other words, ditch the piano.
While this is a long book that slowly ramps up to its conclusion, the length is necessary for the development of the stories and the characters. A great read!
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2 people found this helpful
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- Nina
- 03-26-12
Piano???
Is there anything you would change about this book?
Yes! No piano music which is extremely distracting and just as loud as the narration, not in the background! This is what prompted me to leave a review.
What does Jonathan Davis bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
I like the voice and the way he reads.
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2 people found this helpful
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- I am a Demon hunter
- 07-27-14
great narrator, great characters but okay story
What did you love best about The Shadow of the Wind?
I love the different vivid characters in the book and the author really allowed their personality to really shine! He's definitely a great character writer but the story is okay.
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2 people found this helpful
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- JimmyOldham
- 04-09-19
A little long but worth it!
I enjoyed this book tremendously. I lived in Barcelona for a year right after college so the many references to streets and neighborhoods around the city really helped me visualize the story and the surroundings.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Gilbert
- 04-10-19
Most excellent except
An incredibly wonderful book. Spell binding.
Unfortunately a very distracting and almost cheesy music accompanying the narrative destroys its mood, cadence and beauty.
Please remake this withou the music.
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1 person found this helpful