The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

This mystery thriller follows writer David Martin, a young man and writer full of 'great expectations' but always falling short of the mark. David makes a desperate pact with the mysterious publisher Andreas Corelli to write an unusual story. But what he doesn't know is that he has just set a string of events in motion that strangely, seem to have happened before years earlier. David must try to unravel the story of what happened to Corelli's last employee before he falls victim to their consequences.

This prequel to Shadow of the Wind is nothing short of fantastic. It may take place before Zafon's last novel, but don't expect it to be exactly the same, because it is very different. They simply share some similar characters and of course, the cemetery of lost books plays a role. The writing is so richly developed that you are pulled in every time you pick the book up, and the novel refuses to let you go until every page is consumed.

I loved how all of the characters, despite or maybe because of their many human flaws, are entirely three dimensional and real. My favorite character is Isabella, David's young assistant who more than once rescues David's sanity and humanity.The story is very tragic in many parts, so I would recommend having some tissues handy.

I loved this line from an Amazon reviewer so much that I had to quote it here. It so accurately conveys my feelings. "Most importantly, this novel details the power that books can have in our lives, the voids they fill within us, and the myriad methods by which they can mold us- for better or for worse." I'm sure all of us book lovers can agree to the power that the written word can have on us.

All in all, another masterpiece from Zafon. Looking forward to his next novel!

About the Author:
Carlos Ruiz Zafón (born Barcelona, 25 September 1964) is a Spanish novelist who has lived in Los Angeles since 1993, where he spent a few years writing scripts whilst developing his career as a writer.

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 and more than a million copies in the UK alone. Since its publication, La sombra del viento has garnered critical acclaim around the world and has won many international awards. Ruiz Zafón's works have been published in 45 countries and have been translated into more than 30 languages. According to these figures, Ruiz Zafón is the most successful contemporary Spanish writer, along with Javier Sierra, whose works have been published in forty-two countries, and Juan Gómez-Jurado, whose works have been published in forty-one countries.

The English edition of Zafon's books have been translated by Lucia Graves, daughter of the poet Robert Graves. She has translated over 30 volumes.

Other Books to Consider: Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield, The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova