the cemetery of forgotten books is a tetralogy written by carlos ruiz zafón from barcelona. This series is the author’s masterpiece, which became a publishing phenomenon in 21st century Spanish literature. the writer created four well-organized and self-contained stories, each with its own essence, but ultimately linked together.
the plots run through different mysteries that involve three generations of the sempere family and their bookstore. furthermore, the development of each novel involves an enigmatic book that sets the pace of the narrative. everything is complemented by unforgettable characters that enrich the labyrinth of fiction and suspense created by the author.
You are reading: Cemetery of forgotten books
tetralogy the cemetery of forgotten books
in 2001, ruiz zafón began this series of suspense novels, whose magic began with the successful delivery of the shadow of the wind. the book immediately conquered millions of readers, starting the phenomenon known as: “zafonmania”. In this first installment, the protagonist and his father open the doors of a mysterious and incredible place: the cemetery of forgotten books.
Then in 2008 the writer presented the game of the angel, a work that broke a pre-sale record in Spain, with more than a million copies. three years later, the prisoner of the sky (2011) joined the collection. in 2016: the final chapter would come with the labyrinth of spirits. In this last novel, all the pieces of that puzzle that the author proposed when creating the saga fit together.
the shadow of the wind (2001)
is a gothic mystery and fiction novel, with which the writer opens the acclaimed series. The story takes place in the city of Barcelona starting in 1945, and its main character is Daniel Sempere. The life of this young man is transformed when, thanks to his father, he knows the cemetery of forgotten books and decides to choose the text The Shadow of the Wind, by Julián Carax.
Captivated by the story – and wanting to read more about carax -, daniel starts an investigation, joined by his new friend fermín. The search takes them down unexpected paths, and as they go they come across interesting information about the author. Among these, a dark episode with Penélope Aldaya stands out, which made this man become a dark and lonely person.
See Also: How Many Books Are Published Each Year? – Tagari.com
As the investigations continue, the lives of young people begin to be in danger. however , nothing stops the instinct of the intrepid daniel and his faithful companion, who do not rest until they clarify all the mystery that surrounds julián . Thus, a plot surrounded by reality and fantasy unfolds, with a mixture of secrets, murders, forbidden romances and camaraderie.
the angel game (2008)
It is an enigmatic horror novel that takes place in Barcelona in the 1920s. The intriguing story features the writer David Martín. This time, ruiz zafón created a different plot from the first book, but with a dense and well-framed narrative that keeps the reader immersed in magic and suspense. p>
the plot unfolds with david remembering his sad childhood, at the same time that he remembers the success of his work the city of the damned, which he published in a renowned newspaper from Barcelona. The protagonist narrates how, upon achieving this recognition, he moves to an abandoned mansion and meets Cristina (her obsession with him). In this new location he wrote other writings —among them his own book—, he decided to direct his life and made the decision to marry this beautiful young woman.
However, due to several disappointments, nothing goes according to plan. Among the disappointments, that of cristina who is with another person. In addition, her new book of hers is a fiasco , and to add insult to injury, she finds out that she has a serious health problem .
during his depression, david is contacted by andreas corelli, an enigmatic character who offers him a large sum of money and his cure in exchange for writing a book on a new religious doctrine. From that moment on, a maelstrom of terrifying events will affect the writer’s life.
In the midst of new misfortunes, Martin begins to investigate, since he presumes that all evil is associated with the commission of the dark text. Various people intervene along this path, such as the bookseller Sempere and his perceptive assistant, Isabella. each event leads david to the book lux aterna, written by the owner of the old mansion where he lives, mr. marlasca.
the prisoner of the sky (2011)
It is a narrative full of suspense and intrigue, in which several main characters of the story take center stage again, such as: Daniel Sempere, Fermín Romero de Torres, David Martín and Isabella Gispert. In addition, the author reveals some of the unknowns that had previously left readers insecure.
See Also: Best Books on Resilience | Everyday Health
several years have passed, daniel has started a family with his wife bea and little julian. Currently, he works together with his father and his friend fermin (protagonist of the plot) in the family bookstore: sempere and the children . The place is not at its best, so Daniel gets excited when a client shows up who is very interested in an expensive book: The Count of Monte Cristo.
However, the excitement soon turns to concern, as the sinister man takes the book and places a note: “for fermín romero de torres, who has risen and has the key to the future.” once the stranger leaves, daniel goes with his friend to tell her what happened. due, fermín tells them about his past and reveals a creepy secret.
at that time, the story goes back years, when fermín was prisoner in the military fortress of montjüic and they knew to david martin. In that place is Mauricio Valls —director of prisons and lousy writer—, who threatens Martin and uses his abilities. hence the friendship between fermín and david is born, and the latter assigns him an important mission that involves daniel sempere.
the labyrinth of spirits (2016)
is the delivery that closes the cycle of novels that surrounds the universe of the cemetery of forgotten books. In this regard, ruiz zafón said: “…this last one is my favorite, perhaps it is because it is a bit lace, which adds all the elements that were proposed in the previous ones”. and, indeed, it is the longest and most complete book of the entire saga, with 900 pages in total.
Alice Grey is a twentysomething who nostalgically remembers her childhood, and how she survived the terrible attacks of the Spanish Civil War. It’s 1958, and this bold young woman wants to retire from her job, after a decade as an investigator for Madrid’s secret police. but before it should carry out one last task: inquire about the disappearance of Mauricio Valls, a minister in the Francoist government.
Alicia undertakes the search together with Captain Vargas, her colleague. When checking the office for the disappeared, they find a book written by Víctor Mataix. Soon, they associate it with the time when Valls directed Montjüic —a place where some writers were imprisoned, including this author—. The agents follow the trail of this clue and go to Barcelona to investigate several booksellers, including Juan Sempere.
As Alicia advances in the investigations, she discovers a tangle of falsehoods, kidnappings and crimes by Francoism. after entering that bundle of corruption, they are subjected to enormous dangers, but manage to escape unharmed. all thanks to the fact that alicia had the support of important people, among which daniel and fermín stand out. the young julian sempere also played an important role, in fact, he ends up being key in the outcome of the story.
See Also: Top 10 Best Books for ESL Students | Learn English