I realised earlier today that I’d never got round to putting a review of this wonderful book on Goodreads. So, to put the damage right I’ve now added a review and given it five very well-deserved stars.
As I mention in the review, it did take me a while to ‘get into’ the book and I had a couple of false starts where something jarred and I got stuck. However, the third time the author’s style or voice spoke to me; I got over the sticking point, kept going, and never looked back.
The book is quite simply stunning. I love the whole idea of a library for forgotten books so much I think I’d want to spend all my time in there! And the mystery of the book that’s selected, and the danger it brings for the young hero, is really compelling.
As with many of the best reads, this one is by no means quick or easy. The whole thing clocks in at a whopping 500+ pages and the narrative style is quite slow, even ponderous. But that and the beauty of the prose just add to the overall atmosphere. I ended up loving it, and want to doff my virtual hat to both the author and the translator who seems to have done an excellent job transferring ‘Shadow’ to English idiom while keeping the lyricism of the original Spanish.
Oh – and if you want to read my rather more concise review on Goodreads, it’s here!
FIONA GLASS 