The Cemetery of Forgotten Books #2 The Angel’s Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafón 4/5 French: Le jeu de l’ange *Original language: Spanish. Read in the English translation by Lucia Graves. Summary In an abandoned mansion at the heart of Barcelona, a young man, David Martin, makes his living by writing sensationalist novels under a pseudonym. The survivor of a troubled childhood, he has taken refuge in the world of books and spends his nights spinning baroque tales about the city’s underworld. But perhaps his dark imaginings are not as strange as they seem, for in a locked room deep within the house lie photographs and letters hinting at the mysterious death of the previous owner. My thoughts Zafón is an author that I trust. I trust that he will write good stories with a captivating intrigue. I trust that he will build universes that transport me to gothic Barcelona. However, this was my least favourite novel of his that I have read thus far. First, one must say that while The Angel’s Game (TAG) is technically stated as the sequel for The Shadow of the Wind (TSotW)when it is more like a spin-off hence why I am reviewing it right now instead of as part of a bigger series review. The stories are based in the same universe, have some overlapping characters, but completely differ in plot lines. You do not need to read them in order either. As a result, nothing I will tell you today is a spoiler for TSotW. I was disappointed with TAG for a couple of reasons, but the most striking one is that I did not feel the same mystery as with Marina or TSotW. While Zafón is a master at setting the peculiar scene of gothic Barcelona with its dark alleys, pointed arches and intricate stone designs. Yet, there was a spark of magic that was missing. Perhaps it is because I was rediscovering a universe that was not so new to me. However, I think it has more to do with the age of the characters. In TSotW, the main protagonist is a young boy, and everything always looks wondrous in the eyes of a child. Instead, in TAG, we follow an adult man who has grown disillusioned with life until a strange publisher comes about.
Since David was a bit blazé in the beginning, I also believe that there is a lesser emotional attachment. He gradually comes out of his phase as the intrigue goes on, but it does take some time before a connection between him and the reader is built. However, he remains a very interesting character. He differs from Zafón’s other main protagonists, but still is deeply complex. He begins as this low-life journalist who grows bored with his job as a crime writer, but his character is fleshed out after he meets Andreas Corelli, the mysterious editor. David becomes more and more suspicious, borderline paranoiac. He is not particularly original, but well outlined and executed. In fact, all the characters were nicely done. From Isabella to Andreas Corelli to Marlasca. As per usual, there is a veil of mystery that surrounds all secondary characters in Zafón novels. We know that someone is not going to turn out to be exactly who they said they were, or someone will make a shock revelation that will change everything. None of them are reliable and greatly add to the suspense of the story. We do find some of TSotW characters again, notably Sempere and his son from the famous bookstore. It was refreshing to see them again, but they do not play a major part in the story and give space for David to grow into his own plotline. It does not try to fit David into TSotW, but rather fit pieces of TSotW in David’s world. As for the plot, as per usual, it was brilliant. I was completely taken by surprise by the twists and turns, and had the constant anxiety that something bad was going to happen. You are pushed by that combination of fear and curiosity to turn the page again and again and again. However, I did find that there were some cop-outs. From the beginning until the end, there are a series of murders surrounding Andreas Corelli and David’s personal investigation into his character. To me, this was simply too easy. I wished I could have had a little more diversity in plot points rather than finding out that this or that person died in mysterious circumstances. Overall, TAG is a great read, but does not compare to either Marina or TSotW. However, if you are in the mood for an atmospheric writer (even in translation!) and a crime story that keeps you on the edge of your seat in a way that few others do, please give Zafón a try. He is well worth your time, and he will never let you down. If you liked The Angel’s Game, you will love… The Cemetery of Forgotten Books #1 The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern Mara Dyer #1 The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
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