I don’t remember who it was who recommended I read this book, but I DO remember that it was more than one person. So good job, all of you.
The thing about well-translated works is that they sing in
the second language as well as in the first, and this is a VERY well translated
work. As an at-one-time fluent Spanish speaker, I have a soft spot in my heart
for Spanish idioms and expressions, which Lucia Graves has maintained to my
UTTER DELIGHT.
I dunno what you might have heard, or whether you might have
(like I did) mixed this book up with Patrick Rothfuss’s The Name of the Wind, which is an honest mistake because seriously,
authors, get your naming conventions together. But if what you probably have
heard is anything like what I heard about this book, you might be shocked to
find out that the somewhat fantastical novel you expected – full of Cemeteries
of Forgotten Books and whimsical quests to keep books alive is, in fact, NOT
THAT THING. Instead, you will discover a Gothic romance complete with what may
as well be Laurentina’s skeleton behind a tattered curtain.
 |
| Soooo scaaaaary! |
In 1945, Daniel chooses a book on his 10th
birthday from the Cemetery of Forgotten Books. He is promptly accosted by many
people who want the book, for mostly nefarious reasons, and the plot unfolds
from there like the Marauder’s Map – all bits over here and a folded part over
there, that come together to make a whole picture, but not of Hogwarts.
 |
| More's the pity. |
Daniel goes along, finding stuff out about the author of the
book and falling in and out and in and out of love along the way as he grows
older. And it’s so, so beautifully written that when it drags about 2/3 of the
way through you won’t mind much, and when you slowly narrow down the various
culprits juuuust ahead of Daniel, you’ll be smug, and when it ends, you’ll be
pleased to know that it’s part of a trilogy.
The second book of which is waiting for me at el biblioteca
right now.
8 of 11 Brains Rotted by Reading, Just Like that Sancho
Panza
Logging you in...
capriciousreader 21p · 608 weeks ago
therelentlessreader 70p · 608 weeks ago
Tikabelle 87p · 608 weeks ago
Also, there were some parts that gave me the heebie-jeebies, but that's because abandoned houses creep me RIGHT the fuck out.
readingrambo 112p · 608 weeks ago
I'm trying to do 100 Years of Solitude right now, but it's in English and I feel guilty every time I pick it up.
Tikabelle 87p · 608 weeks ago
And I'm already pretty white, y'know? Liking tamales and knowing how to pronounce jojoba doesn't really do it anymore.
etudesque 73p · 608 weeks ago
Tikabelle 87p · 608 weeks ago
etudesque 73p · 608 weeks ago
I will send you an achievement award, penned by yours truly, in crayon, if you do a blog post in Spanish :P
Tikabelle 87p · 608 weeks ago
Wait - does it have to make sense?? :P
Meg · 608 weeks ago
But you can do it if you put in a lot of GIFs. Because GIFs are the universal language.
Tikabelle 87p · 608 weeks ago
Meg · 608 weeks ago
So I'm glad you liked it and said so. AND I'm glad you approve of the translation because I just never trust them to maintain the original quality of the work.
Tikabelle 87p · 608 weeks ago
Emily · 608 weeks ago
I think works in translation are fascinating things, and reading one makes me wish every time that I were fluent in more than one language. Because otherwise how can you evaluate world literature? So much DOES depend on the translation. And a red wheelbarrow.
libereadingrayna 58p · 607 weeks ago
Also I made this face :O at that Marauder's Map GIF. And then I LOLed.
Laura · 607 weeks ago
The main reason I sort of want to read this/anything but Zafon is because the 'Z' part of my books read page is soooo not full enough, and that is a BAD reason! But you have given me better ones, so well done ma'am!
*whispers upwards* I don't really like GGM either... I sort of found Love in the Time of Cholera... Dull? But I don't feel like it's ok not to like him because eeeeeveryone seems to like him, so.