Action & Adventure
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The Labyrinth of the Spirits: A Novel (Cemetery of Forgotten Books)
New York Times Bestseller
"Packed with suspense. . . a gripping edge-of-your-seat thriller." - Washington Book Review
The internationally acclaimed, New York Times bestselling author returns to the magnificent universe he constructed in his bestselling novels The Shadow of the Wind, The Angel's Game, and The Prisoner of Heaven in this riveting series finale-a heart-pounding thriller and nail-biting work of suspense which introduces a sexy, seductive new heroine whose investigation shines a light on the dark history of Franco's Spain.
In this unforgettable final volume of Ruiz Zafón's cycle of novels set in the universe of the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, beautiful and enigmatic Alicia Gris, with the help of the Sempere family, uncovers one of the most shocking conspiracies in all Spanish history.
Nine-year-old Alicia lost her parents during the Spanish Civil War when the Nacionales (the fascists) savagely bombed Barcelona in 1938. Twenty years later, she still carries the emotional and physical scars of that violent and terrifying time. Weary of her work as an investigator for Spain's secret police in Madrid, a job she has held for more than a decade, the twenty-nine-year old plans to move on. At the insistence of her boss, Leandro Montalvo, she remains to solve one last case: the mysterious disappearance of Spain's Minister of Culture, Mauricio Valls.
With her partner, the intimidating policeman Juan Manuel Vargas, Alicia discovers a possible clue-a rare book by the author Victor Mataix hidden in Valls' office in his Madrid mansion. Valls was the director of the notorious Montjuic Prison in Barcelona during World War II where several writers were imprisoned, including David Martín and Victor Mataix. Traveling to Barcelona on the trail of these writers, Alicia and Vargas meet with several booksellers, including Juan Sempere, who knew her parents.
As Alicia and Vargas come closer to finding Valls, they uncover a tangled web of kidnappings and murders tied to the Franco regime, whose corruption is more widespread and horrifying than anyone imagined. Alicia's courageous and uncompromising search for the truth puts her life in peril. Only with the help of a circle of devoted friends will she emerge from the dark labyrinths of Barcelona and its history into the light of the future.
In this haunting novel, Carlos Ruiz Zafón proves yet again that he is a masterful storyteller and pays homage to the world of books, to his ingenious creation of the Cemetery of Forgotten, and to that magical bridge between literature and our lives.
"Packed with suspense. . . a gripping edge-of-your-seat thriller." - Washington Book Review
The internationally acclaimed, New York Times bestselling author returns to the magnificent universe he constructed in his bestselling novels The Shadow of the Wind, The Angel's Game, and The Prisoner of Heaven in this riveting series finale-a heart-pounding thriller and nail-biting work of suspense which introduces a sexy, seductive new heroine whose investigation shines a light on the dark history of Franco's Spain.
In this unforgettable final volume of Ruiz Zafón's cycle of novels set in the universe of the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, beautiful and enigmatic Alicia Gris, with the help of the Sempere family, uncovers one of the most shocking conspiracies in all Spanish history.
Nine-year-old Alicia lost her parents during the Spanish Civil War when the Nacionales (the fascists) savagely bombed Barcelona in 1938. Twenty years later, she still carries the emotional and physical scars of that violent and terrifying time. Weary of her work as an investigator for Spain's secret police in Madrid, a job she has held for more than a decade, the twenty-nine-year old plans to move on. At the insistence of her boss, Leandro Montalvo, she remains to solve one last case: the mysterious disappearance of Spain's Minister of Culture, Mauricio Valls.
With her partner, the intimidating policeman Juan Manuel Vargas, Alicia discovers a possible clue-a rare book by the author Victor Mataix hidden in Valls' office in his Madrid mansion. Valls was the director of the notorious Montjuic Prison in Barcelona during World War II where several writers were imprisoned, including David Martín and Victor Mataix. Traveling to Barcelona on the trail of these writers, Alicia and Vargas meet with several booksellers, including Juan Sempere, who knew her parents.
As Alicia and Vargas come closer to finding Valls, they uncover a tangled web of kidnappings and murders tied to the Franco regime, whose corruption is more widespread and horrifying than anyone imagined. Alicia's courageous and uncompromising search for the truth puts her life in peril. Only with the help of a circle of devoted friends will she emerge from the dark labyrinths of Barcelona and its history into the light of the future.
In this haunting novel, Carlos Ruiz Zafón proves yet again that he is a masterful storyteller and pays homage to the world of books, to his ingenious creation of the Cemetery of Forgotten, and to that magical bridge between literature and our lives.
Editorial Reviews
"A colossal achievement…a genre-crossing delight… Publishers dream of novels that appeal to habitual readers and to those seeking one big book to last a holiday, and that is what Zafon's quartet has delivered. His trick is to have linked multiple genres – fantasy, historical, romance, meta-fictional, police-procedural and political – through prose of atmospheric specificity." -- The Guardian
"Carlos Ruiz Zafon is a gifted storyteller who knows how to capture his readers' attention. Packed with suspense, The Labyrinth of the Spirits is a gripping edge-of-your-seat thriller. As you read this chilling thriller, you feel as if your pounding heart is missing a beat." -- Washington Book Review
"Intricate and sublime." -- O: The Oprah Magazine, 15 Favorite Books of 2018
"A mystery, a love letter to books, and a magical adventure all wrapped up in one, this book is a masterful work of literature that will invigorate your love of reading." -- Bustle
"A gripping and moving thriller set in Franco's Spain that's fully accessible to newcomers.…29-year-old Alicia Gris, a capable, insightful operative working for the Spanish secret police…will remind readers of Lisbeth Salander… Fans of complex and literate mysteries featuring detectives with integrity working under oppressive and corrupt regimes will be well satisfied." -- Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
"Ruiz Zafón clearly has had a great deal of fun in pulling this vast story together…His ability to keep track of a thousand threads while, in the end, celebrating the power of storytelling is admirable…. A satisfying conclusion to a grand epic that, of course, will only leave its fans wanting more." -- Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
"A compelling, multi-faceted, and haunting work of art told by a master storyteller. To say that the writing is brilliant is an understatement. Carlos Ruiz Zafón respects every word, taking his time to develop and do justice to the major, minor, and irrelevant characters, places, things, or situations in order to recre...
"Carlos Ruiz Zafon is a gifted storyteller who knows how to capture his readers' attention. Packed with suspense, The Labyrinth of the Spirits is a gripping edge-of-your-seat thriller. As you read this chilling thriller, you feel as if your pounding heart is missing a beat." -- Washington Book Review
"Intricate and sublime." -- O: The Oprah Magazine, 15 Favorite Books of 2018
"A mystery, a love letter to books, and a magical adventure all wrapped up in one, this book is a masterful work of literature that will invigorate your love of reading." -- Bustle
"A gripping and moving thriller set in Franco's Spain that's fully accessible to newcomers.…29-year-old Alicia Gris, a capable, insightful operative working for the Spanish secret police…will remind readers of Lisbeth Salander… Fans of complex and literate mysteries featuring detectives with integrity working under oppressive and corrupt regimes will be well satisfied." -- Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
"Ruiz Zafón clearly has had a great deal of fun in pulling this vast story together…His ability to keep track of a thousand threads while, in the end, celebrating the power of storytelling is admirable…. A satisfying conclusion to a grand epic that, of course, will only leave its fans wanting more." -- Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
"A compelling, multi-faceted, and haunting work of art told by a master storyteller. To say that the writing is brilliant is an understatement. Carlos Ruiz Zafón respects every word, taking his time to develop and do justice to the major, minor, and irrelevant characters, places, things, or situations in order to recre...
Readers Top Reviews
VictoriaRichard Brow
Shadow of The Wind is my favourite book of all time. I’ve read all of Zafon’s work, but nothing has come remotely close to Shadow....until now. The Labyrinth of the Spirits is the fourth and final book in the Cemetery of Forgotten Books series, and it’s a very strong ending to the intertwined stories of literary intrigue and complex characters. I don’t want to give away any of the plot - I didn’t know much going into it, and I’m glad, because this story had more layers than an onion, and it was a magical experience to be able to peel them away one by one. All of the characters from previous books feature in the story - Daniel, Bea, little Julian, old Sempere, Isaac, many of their neighbours from Shadow, Carax, and of course the absolutely wonderful Fermin Romero de Torres, who has to be one of the funniest and warmest characters ever created. I would have liked a little more Daniel and Bea if I'm honest. There are also new characters, led by the tough and enigmatic Alicia Gris, a kind of Lisbeth Salander of times gone by. It’s a long and complex story set against the dark backdrop of Franco’s Spain. The writing, translated as beautifully as ever by Lucia Graves, is sumptuous and delicious to read (aside from a couple of clunky bits, which I forgive). This book comes a close second to Shadow and I will probably need to read it again. I’m feeling a little emotional that it’s all over. Might have to go and read Shadow for a ninth time...
Annette G.
Ruiz Zafon finished his "Labyrinth" series with a very powerful book. There are multiple story lines that were all somehow connected; and through those we reconnected with many of the characters that we met in earlier books. It is not a book that can be read in one day, and the reader needs to pay attention to the time that each chapter takes place. The history of Spain in the 1930s until the 1950s was sometimes a bit too much, and I found myself skipping over paragraphs for that reason. The end of the book and the series is overall very satisfying. The only character that remained a mystery to me was Alicia; who sometimes came across as overbearing and annoying. I won't describe details because I don't want to give anything away in respect of the ending and twists and turns. Overall, I am sad to say goodbye to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books... Wouldn't we all love to find such a treasure?
JJP Santa Barbara Ca
It isn't often that a novel has the power to stay with me for days, even weeks after I put the book down. Perhaps it is because I read the CFB in order, or perhaps because Labyrinth was the best, but I found myself wanting to go back to the beginning of the series, like visiting old, familiar friends. To Google things like "map of Barcelona, 1939"; track down the sparse illustrations to see more of what their authors had created, and to learn more about the Spain of Hemmingway's time and before. There's a part of my mind that doesn't want to believe that these people aren't real, that this isn't a work of fiction, and I suppose that's the best review I can offer. For those who are just starting this book or any in the series, I envy you. Although they all stand alone, my advice is to get all four, start at the beginning. You will be rewarded with some of the greatest storytelling of this age and, like me, will be crestfallen when someday you realize there is no more.
Bill Breuer
Highly recommended, even if you are not a Zafon fan. Just need to love books and reading about them. Liking gothic stories helps.
Kindle
Another great read from my personal favorite author. C.R. Zafon weaves such intricate and addictive stories with a unique aura of suspense I was, for months, eagerly awaiting this latest offering. The world he has created in the Cemetery of Forgotten Books and it's characters is just magical. The odd feel in the air of post Spanish Civil War Barcelona makes it feel as if not only are the strangest occurrences possible, they are terrifyingly likely. Zombies, gratuitous violence and blood and guts are crutches for lesser writers. C.R. Will scare and inspire the reader with his masterful storytelling alone. Thank you so.......much Carlos!
