Title: The Prisoner of Heaven
Author: Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Review: I so enjoyed Prisoner of Heaven! It is my
understanding that it is part of the ‘Cemetery of Forgotten Books’ series. I
haven’t read these other stories in the series, but I intend to now. Lucky for
me, the books intertwine but stand independent of each other. The Prisoner of
Heaven takes you on an exquisite journey as you follow Daniel and his friend
Fermin. It is written from Daniels perspective, but the meat of the story ends
up actually being about Fermin’s life years prior as told to Daniel by Fermin
himself. I was drawn in by the mysterious man with one hand and was aching to
find out how Fermin became the man he is. From a crazy prison cell mate to an
abusive governor set out to make life miserable, the story engrosses you on
every page. It takes place in Spain in the 1940’s through the 1950’s. I was
constantly surprised and loved every minute of action throughout.
Zafon’s talent shines in this novel.
Lately I have been reading books written by subpar authors and Prisoner of Heaven
was like a breath of fresh air. Finally someone who can write a novel! I found
myself time and time again impressed with how well it is written. It is riddled
with insightful tidbits here and there that I absolutely adored.
I actually had a pencil handy to
keep track of some the quotes I loved. Here are a few:
“One mustn’t dream of one’s future; one must
earn it.”
“Destiny doesn’t do home visits, you
have to go for it yourself.”
“A mad man is one who considers
himself sane and thinks that fools don’t belong in his rank.”
“This moment, this instant stolen from time
and from God, was worth all the days of misery that had brought us to this
place and many others that were doubtless waiting for us on our return to
life.”
This is an intensely fascinating
book and an incredibly written story. It has everything I could want in a
story; revenge, love, action, good vs. evil, unexpected surprises around every
corner and it showcases what is/should be most important in our lives. I
literally smiled at my husband when I finished it and said “Wow that was a good
book!” Go out and pick it up.
Publisher: Published July 10th 2012 by HarperCollins (first published
2011)
ISBN: 9780062206282
Copyright: 2011
Pages: 278
Quick Review: 5 out of 5 stars
Why I Read It: Sent for review
Where I Obtained the Book: from the publisher/ TLC Book Tours.
Synopsis: Once again, internationally acclaimed, New York Times
bestselling author Carlos Ruiz Zafón creates a rich, labyrinthine tale of love,
literature, passion, and revenge, set in a dark, gothic Barcelona, in which the
heroes of The Shadow of the Wind and The Angel's Game must contend with a
nemesis that threatens to destroy them.
Barcelona,1957. It is Christmas, and
Daniel Sempere and his wife Bea have much to celebrate. They have a beautiful
new baby son named Julian, and their close friend Fermín Romero de Torres is
about to be wed. But their joy is eclipsed when a mysterious stranger visits
the Sempere bookshop and threatens to divulge a terrible secret that has been
buried for two decades in the city's dark past. His appearance plunges Fermín
and Daniel into a dangerous adventure that will take them back to the 1940's
and the dark early days of Franco's dictatorship. The terrifying events of that
time launch them on a journey fraught with jealousy, suspicion, vengeance, and
lies, a search for the truth that will put into peril everything they love and
ultimately transform their lives.
Full of intrigue and emotion, The
Prisoner of Heaven is a majestic novel in which the threads of The Shadow of
the Wind and The Angel's Game converge under the spell of literature and bring
us toward the enigma of the mystery hidden at the heart of the Cemetery of
Forgotten Books, a collection of lost treasures known only to its few initiates
and the very core of Carlos Ruiz Zafón's enchanting fictional world.
“Gabriel GarcÍa Marquez meets
Umberto Eco meets Jorge Luis Borges for a sprawling magic show." —New York
Times Book Review on Shadow of the Wind
Author Biography: Carlos Ruiz Zafón is a Spanish novelist. Born in Barcelona
in 1964, he has lived in Los Angeles, United States, since 1994, and works as a
scriptwriter aside from writing novels.
His first novel, El príncipe de la
niebla (The Prince of Mist, 1993), earned the Edebé literary prize for young
adult fiction. He is also the author of three more young-adult novels, El palacio
de la medianoche (1994), Las luces de septiembre (1995) and Marina (1999).
In 2001 he published the novel La
sombra del viento ("The Shadow of the Wind"), his first
"adult" novel, which has sold millions of copies worldwide. Since its
publication, La sombra del viento has garnered critical acclaim around the
world and has won numerous international awards. Ruiz Zafón's works have been
published in more than 40 countries and have been translated into more than 30
languages.
Other Reviews:
I know what it's like to read a fantastic author after reading some books that fall flat for me. Such a treat! Glad you loved it...you really make the book sound like a great read!
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