The Cemetery of Lost Books

Every couple weeks I go window shopping at my local bookstore. I browse the shelves and take pictures of the covers that catch my eye. I know I know… don’t judge a book by its cover. I have been burned many many times for this particular vice, but this time it has paid off!

I have stumbled upon a series by an amazingly gifted writer, Carlos Ruiz Zafon; The Cemetery of Lost Books. He is a Spanish writer and these books have been brilliantly translated. The cemetery is also referred to as the a place for forgotten books, but that is the only inconsistency I had found.

Zafon’s writing style makes you wonder if magic truly exists. His stories are woven in a way that you wonder if it is supernatural or perhaps an illusion to detract from the man behind the curtain. It is very clever and entertaining. This extends to his characters each of whom has a back-story and easily discernible characteristics.

As I have mentioned before I enjoy when stories share the same universe. This series takes place in Barcelona over a few generations, but you get updates on the amazing characters you grew attached to in the other stories. Each book has its own story and the character is linked to the world through the cemetery and their connection to a forgotten book. I am going to explain this Fight Club style.

Rule 1: of the Cemetery of Lost books: You don’t talk about the Cemetery of Lost books.

Rule 2: Upon your first visit, you must browse the labyrinth of shelves and find a book to adopt.

Rule 3: Once you have found this book. You are responsible for it for life. You must keep it safe and make sure that its content is never forgotten.

A theme in these stories is that books have souls. “The soul of the person who wrote it and of those who read it and lived and dreamed with it.” I love the concept of a person’s soul living in books because writing is personal and when you read you feel a connection to the characters and the world they live in. It was a great way to connect the feeling and speak directly to the reader.

What I enjoyed about this series is that the book the person chooses has an eerie way of reflecting their own life and even foreshadowing what happens to them.  I had planned on doing a full review on each book, but i would rather just recommend this series. The stories unfold so well and geeking out about my favorite parts might spoil your own reading experience.

So please begin with the first book The Shadow of the Wind. If you like the story, The Angel’s Game and The Prisoner of Heaven are out and waiting for you to adopt them. If you want a history of the cemetery itself, there is a novella titled: The Rose of Fire. If you do read these books please leave a comment. I would love to hear what you think and perhaps I will get to reviewing each book.