Instruction:
Write a review of Carlos Ruiz Zafon's book The Shadow of the Wind

Response:
What a beautiful book; it reminds me of Murakami - magical yet still very grounded. The Shadow of the Wind has everything going for it: mystical Barcelona, heartwarming characters, poetic language, intriguing plot.

The language and setting of the book was amazing. Zafon is extremely talented, his words are elegant and poetic, and he paints Barcelona in a myriad of different ways: dark and gothic at night, or blissfully cheerful, or dreary gloom, all depending on the characters.

I loved the cast of Shadow of the Wind. Each character was well developed and given an appropriate backstory. They bumped into each other in mysterious turns, and their interactions, like Daniel and Clara, or Daniel and Nuria, were heart wrenching.

But most of all, Zafon tells a wonderful story. I loved the parallels between Julian Carax and Daniel, and how Daniel's life becomes entangled with Julian's. It makes it feel much more like magical realism, and makes for an entertaining read.