Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon - a book lover's gem

Tops the "Favorites" list of almost everyone who has ever plunged into the depths of this intriguing, mysterious, lyrical tome set in 1945's Barcelona. Here's how the Reading Group Guides describes it:

The Shadow of the Wind is a coming-of-age tale of a young boy who, through the magic of a single book, finds a purpose greater than himself and a hero in a man he's never met. With the passion of García Márquez, the irony of Dickens, and the necromancy of Poe, Carlos Ruiz Zafón spins a web of intrigue so thick that it ensnares the reader from the very first line. The Shadow of the Wind is an ode to the art of reading, but it is also the perfect example of the all-encompassing power of a well-told story.

Highly recommend!
The new bestseller by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, The Angel's Game, offers up some of the same themes and locations albeit in a different era, still the love and power of books prevails on every page.