The plot is a gothic thriller, but the execution is pure poetry. Zafón writes with a lush, cinematic prose that feels like a cross between Charles Dickens (the orphaned protagonist, the intricate coincidences) and Umberto Eco (the love of obscure texts). Yet, he adds a distinctly modern cinematic pacing that keeps the pages turning.
For many readers around the globe, the name "Zafón" is synonymous with Barcelona. Although he spent a significant part of his life in Los Angeles, his literary soul belonged to the narrow, gas-lit alleys of the Catalan capital. Specifically, he gave us the Barcelona of the Damned —a version of the city that exists just beneath the surface of the tourist maps, where secrets fester in the rain and forgotten novels whisper from dusty shelves. zafon ruiz
