Shadow of the Wind

The international bestseller and modern classic - over 20 million copies sold worldwide n n 'Shadow is the real deal, a novel full of cheesy splendour and creaking trapdoors, a novel where even the subplots have subplots. One gorgeous read' STEPHEN KING n n 'An instant classic' DAILY TELEGRAPH n n The Shadow of the Wind is a stunning literary thriller in which the discovery of a forgotten book leads to a hunt for an elusive author who may or may not still be alive... n n Hidden in the heart of the old city of Barcelona is the 'Cemetery of Lost Books', a labyrinthine library of obscure and forgotten titles that have long gone out of print. To this library, a man brings his 10-year-old son Daniel one cold morning in 1945. Daniel is allowed to choose one book from the shelves and pulls out 'The Shadow of the Wind' by Julian Carax. n n But as he grows up, several people seem inordinately interested in his find. Then, one night, as he is wandering the old streets once more, Daniel is approached by a figure who reminds him of a character from the book, a character who turns out to be the devil. This man is tracking down every last copy of Carax's work in order to burn them. What begins as a case of literary curiosity turns into a race to find out the truth behind the life and death of Julian Carax and to save those he left behind... n n A SUNDAY TIMES bestseller and chosen for the Richard & Judy book club. n n 'Part gothic mystery, past ribald comedy, part political thriller, part Borgesian parable, and all marvellous' SUNDAY TIMES n n 'A hymn of praise to all the joys of reading' INDEPENDENT n n 'A magical tale' CECILIA AHERN n n 'One of those rare novels that combine brilliant plotting with sublime writing' SUNDAY TIMES n n 'Gripping and instantly atmospheric' MAIL ON SUNDAY n n 'A book lover's dream' THE TIMES n