Zafon, Carlos Ruiz. The Angel's Game.Evidently many were eagerly awaiting this novel's translation into English. By the author of Shadow of the Wind, The Angel's Game is both a stand-alone novel and a prequel/sequel/parallel universe/or something. Since I had not read The Shadow of the Wind, I read this advanced reader's copy as a stand-alone. It has taken me a long time to get around to this review.
Initially, I thought I'd love it. The prose is lyrical, smart, and often witty. My only quarrel with the translator is that there are many phrases that are contemporary and the novel is set in Barcelona in the twenties and thirties. Nevertheless, the prose flows, the descriptions of Barcelona are vivid, the gothic elements are, at first, quite suspenseful.
My initial hopes for the novel did not hold up. The gothic elements lost suspense, the characters were, for the most part, not too likable. I did like some of the minor characters, but David, the narrator and main character, became less and less likable. Not that you hated him, but more like...who cares, you dimwit.
His relationship with Christina was always so nebulous and undeveloped that his love/obsession was a bit puzzling. Isabella was much more 3 dimensional, alive, vibrant.
The novel was too long to maintain the suspense, there were frequent build-ups, but they kind of sizzled out. The last of the book was full of murders that just seemed unnecessary and strangely, kind of boring. Conclusion? Ahhh, none...because it is a prequel/sequel/parallel universe or something.
Reviews of the novel that I found were mostly positive, although several of Zafon's fans were disappointed. Here are some opinions at GoodReads. Note all the stars. In spite of the excellent prose, I would give it only 1 star, but again, I'm in the minority. Nice cover, though.
This one was not for me. Really.
Fiction. Mystery/Gothic/Supernatural. 2009. 370 pages.
Oh no, am I to be disappointed too since I love the first one :(
ReplyDeleteBlodeuedd -- Don't assume that you won't like it just because I didn't! Lots of people at GoodReads liked it a lot.
ReplyDeleteI had the exact same reaction to THE SHADOW OF THE WIND. I'm still rather looking forward to this one, though; I'm hoping Zafon will wow me the second time out of the gate. :)
ReplyDeleteI'll be interested to see what I think about this. I haven't read his other book, either, but I do have both of them.
ReplyDeleteJust wondering if you will try The Shadow of the Wind...I haven't read either, so I'm curious how they compare.
ReplyDeleteMemory - I like the way he writes, but the plot was...annoying. I doubt I'll try The Shadow of the Wind.
ReplyDeleteKailana - Will be watching for your reaction to the novels. Hope you like them!
Lexi - No, I don't think I'll go for another one. I'm a bit curious, too, about how they compare. But not that curious, I guess.
I've been holding off on reading this one. My husband read it and liked it but was a little disappointed that it wasn't as good as Shadow of the Wind so i haven't felt compelled to dive in.
ReplyDeleteStefanie - Maybe those who loved Shadow of the Wind have an appreciation of situations and characters that reading it as a stand alone doesn't provide.
ReplyDeleteI loved Shadow of the Wind so I've been looking forward to this one but you know, I am reading more and more mixed reviews of it. I still want to read it but I will probably wait until the "buzz" dies down a bit and see what I think.
ReplyDeleteiliana - I think waiting until the buzz dies down sounds like a good idea. If you've read and loved Shadow of the Wind, all the opinions surfacing right now on The Angel's Game could influence your reading.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read this one yet. I did enjoy Shadow of the Wind.
ReplyDeleteDiane - I'm eager to know what you think about it. I think, although the reviews are mixed, more are positive than negative, especially reviews by those who have read Shadow of the Wind.
ReplyDeleteI thought his earlier book was one of the best I had ever read. I was hopeful that this would be of the same quality but I was disappointed. There are too many characters and too many illogical connections. For an author of mystical realism, there are too many places the reader must suspend disbelief. For those who have not read Shadow of the Wind, read it, hopefully without prejudice created by this novel.
ReplyDeleteI've read good things about his first book, but after reading this one, I'm afraid I would be negatively biased. A shame, but I'm not at all eager to pursue the first one.
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