The Angel's Game: Amazon.co.uk: Carlos Ruiz Zafon: Books

Review

"The gothic landscape of the Cemetery of Forgotten Books - the winding streets of Barcelona's old quarter - haunt a novel about books and writing and secrets. Wonderful." (KATE MOSSE THE TIMES SUMMER READING ROUNDUP - 27.06.09 )

"The prose is intelligent but unpretentious, and the author is clear in his intentions to provide a rollicking, fun read.... the novel's themes address the power of narrative, and many sharp lines pertain to storytelling... hugely enjoyable." (LIONEL SHRIVER THE DAILY TELEGRAPH 06.06.09 )

"Scintillating second novel... a heady brew of detective thriller; supernatural horror tale, magical realist fable and heartbreaking love story... and the central role of books, especially fiction in our understanding of the human condition." (THE DAILY MAIL 05.06.09 )

"In this book about books, Zafon writes about Spain's harrowing history with literary aplomb." (THE TIMES - 30.06.09 )

"A thrilling labyrinthine plot packed with murder, mystery and an obsessive love affair" (FANNY BLAKE WOMAN AND HOME - JULY 09 ISSUE )

"another imaginative gothic tale" (HARPERS BAZAAR - JULY 09 ISSUE )

"Those who were hooked on Zafon's The Shadow of the Wind will be similarly entranced by The Angel's Game... dark and disturbing narrative... Surprising and bittersweet, it's as potent as an Audrey Niffengger novel, with a nod to a certain nineteenth-century romance." (CLARE LONGRIGG PSYCHOLOGIES - JULY 09 ISSUE )

"enter the Cemetery of Forgotten Books for another terrifying adventure." (Suzi Feay WATERSTONES BOOKS QUARTERLY - June 09 )

"revisits some of Zafon's much loved urban landscapes in old Barcelona. Yet this novel stands alone, a complement or even an antagonist to its forerunner. If the previous book celebrated the ecstasies of reading then this one - no less in love with literature, and no less crammed with archetypal plots - explores the agonies of writing." (BOYD TONKIN THE INDEPENDENT 05.06.09 )

"wit, style, great sex and a hugely entertaining plot." (MAIL ON SUNDAY - 21.06.09 )

"his narrative style embraces relentless pace and fantastical and magical diversions... Zafon is the tempter." (THE GUARDIAN - 13.06.09 )

"His enterprise is bold, serious and shocking. His treatment of Spain's tortured history in the 20th century is as significant as his literary skill. These are things that belong not just to one city but to the world." (MARGARET REYNOLDS THE TIMES - 23.05.09 )

"The author's affection for Dickens is imprinted through like a watermark...can't help but engage anyone who believes that life can be shaped by books. Aided here by Lucia Graves's clear and unfussy translation, The Angel's Game draws with relish on all the conventions beloved of Wilkie Collins, Dickens... then weaves them into something entirely original and suprisingly moving that holds the readers expectations until the final twist." (STEPHANIE MERRIT THE OBSERVER - 28.06.09 )

"Zafon is master of the atmospheric.. its faith in the power of fiction is endearing, and addictive." (FINANCIAL TIMES - 27.06.09 )

In a feature headed "Predicting the hottest reads this summer", he notes that "Waterstones expects to do well with... Carlos Ruiz Zafon's new tale of bookish mystery." (NICHOLAS CLEE THE TIMES SUMMER READING ROUNDUP - 27.06.09 )

"Readers familiar with The Shadow of the Wind will find themselves back in the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, the echo of Eco where, from a labyrinthine library, volumes seem to select their readers... rattling good gothic fun." (SPECTATOR - 13.06.09 )

"Carlos Ruiz Zafon's trip to the UK is one of the highlights in a busy season for events." (WATERSTONES BOOKS QUARTERLY - 10.04.09 )

"Summer and reading go together like buckets and spades and sultry days are made for chunky page-turners such as THE ANGEL'S GAME by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (Weidenfeld, June 1). It unfolds in Twenties Barcelona where a young man undertakes to write a book that will change people's lives. The task is daunting and the stakes perilously high." (HEPHZIBAH ANDERSON THE DAILY MAIL - 1.05.08 )

Boyd Tonkin, looks ahead to "the daring books of May" and after running through May's list of AS Byatt, Kazuo Ishiguro, Hilary Mantel, Monica Ali and Jake Arnott and Colm Toibin, he looks forward and says THE ANGEL'S GAME is a novel "which might outperform even this month of marvels" when it is published in June. (BOYD TONKIN THE INDEPENDENT - 1.05.08 )

"The Cemetery of Forgotten Books - " a colossal labyrinth of bridges, passages and shelves" - is a wonderful creation, and there are many thrilling set pieces." (MARK SANDERSON SUNDAY TELEGRAPH 07.06.09 )

"The Angel's Game is full of gothic features: darkness, ruined houses, locked rooms, the smell of damp earth and portentous conversations conducted by candlelight." (THE TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT 29.05.09 )

"starts off as an intelligent literary thriller, but morphs into action-packed adventure with a hefty body count." (DAILY EXPRESS 12.06.09 )

"Zafon's noirish plot keeps things ticking over and his talent for hot-blooded, believable characters is undiminished... bodes well for what is a planned Barcelona quartet." (LONDON METRO 10.06.09 )

"spellbinding new bestseller... Succeeding brilliantly on several levels The Angel's Game is the finest novel I have read this year, and stands as a fascinating tribute to the power of the human imagination." (YORKSHIRE EVENING POST - 30.05.09 )

"One of the most highly publicised author visits of the year will take place in June, when Carlos Ruiz Zafon arrives in the UK." (BOOKBRUNCH.COM - 18.05.08 )

"The Angel's Game is equally brilliant both in translation and originality... You are left to find your own way out of the labryrinth - a pleasant fate for a reader to have to face." (THE BOOK CATAPULT website )

"dripping in atmosphere. It's Super Gothic, an old-fashioned creepy tale... a much darker book... I don't think I can say much more about this book without sounding like I'm gushing. The Angel's Game won't have to be put in the Cemetery of Forgotten Books but it will make on to my Bookshelf of Unlendable Books. If I lent this one out and never got it back there would be hell to pay." (book-a-rama website )

"The Angel's Game more than delivered the goods. This is another wonderful convoluted plot set in Barcelona.... Zafon fans will be happy to know that the Cemetery of Forgotten Books is very much a feature." (BOOKSELLER'S CHOICE, JUNE - THE BOOKSELLER 13.3.09 RODNEY TROUBRIDGE, FICTION MARKETING, WATERSTONES )

"Anyone who was entranced by Zafon's The Shadow of the Wind cannot fail to feel the same about The Angel's Game. Set in Barcelona again, this time in the 1920s, it takes us back to the same mysterious gothic world of the Cemetery of Forgotten Books etc. A young writer, David Martin, makes an impossible deal: in exchange for his life and a fortune he must write a book that will change lives. Simply brilliant and worth staying up most of the night to finish." (BOOKSELLER'S CHOICE, JUNE - THE BOOKSELLER 13.3.09 SARAH CLARKE, DIRECTOR, TORBAY BOOKSHOP )

"Fans of Zafon's The Shadow of the Wind and new readers alike will be delighted with this gothic semiprequel... dark labyrinth that, by masterful design, remains thrilling and bewildering." (PUBLISHERS WEEKLY - 06.04.09 BOOK OF THE WEEK )

"The novel works on so many levels of eerie enchantment... There is no resisting this... magical world of books." (SAGA - July 09 )

"an addictive read." (THE IRISH TIMES - 13.06.09 )

"Another gothic tale about the magic of books and the darkest corners of the human soul" (JOHN SPAIN IRISH INDEPENDENT - 02.06.09 )

"If you're looking for a hearty good read for the summer hols, a book you can doze over by the pool, pack it with the sunscreen and midge repellent. It's got the lot: good setting (Barcelona noir), old fashioned chunky plot, a dash of horror and the merest shaving of raciness... The mysteries within mysteries will be enough to keep you turning pages even after a couple of cervezas." (THE HERALD - 06.06.09 )

"hugely ambitious" (THE SCOTSMAN 30.05.09 )

"The tale is rich, evocative and literate, with Great Expectations and Faust among its more nakedly displayed influences. Zafon is a great describer, with a cinematic flair for murders and sexual encounters." (NICK CURTIS EVENING STANDARD - 28.05.09 )

"Will grip you from start to finish." (Emma Lee Potter DAILY EXPRESS - 10.07.09 )

Book Description

The stunning new novel from the internationally bestselling author of THE SHADOW OF THE WIND. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Product Description

Customer Reviews

3.6 out of 5 stars

Write a customer review

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful

Mesmerising 10 Mar 2010

By PatrickJ

Format:Hardcover

Having recently read Shadow of the Wind I was hungry for more. I was overjoyed to find The Angels Game. There are plots within plots, within plots that leave you dizzy. The story is a dark, Gothic and supernatural thriller that unfolds within the grotesque architecture of old Barcelona, worthy of the surrealism of Mervyn Peake.
I found it difficult to put down and the characters even invaded my dreams. It is laced with nightmare scenarios and impossible situations.
I loved and loathed the hero at different times but wanted him to win against all the odds. Zafon's characters leap off the page and the humour is sharp and often crops up when you least expect it.
The ending left many unanswered questions hanging in the air but was none the less satisfying. Zafon has two more books he is writing in this series. I personally feel that he will revisit the open ends in this book later on and bring them to a satisfactory conclusion; I certainly hope so and look forward to them.
Read, open your mind and let your imagine roam the dark and mysterious world of The Angels Game. You will not be disappointed.

2 Comments |

Was this review helpful to you?

Yes

76 of 78 people found the following review helpful

A book about books 6 Sep 2009

By D. Elliott TOP 500 REVIEWER VINE™ VOICE

Once more author Carlos Ruiz Zafon has produced a magically brilliant book about books with `The Angel's Game' being a supernatural saga, an action-packed thriller, a detective novel and a love story. - and perhaps even a philosophical or religious treatise. It tells a dark and gripping tale with narrative moving at a cracking pace and introducing something new on almost every page. Though a stand-alone novel `The Angel's Game' (about writers) follows from Zafon's first book `The Shadow Of The Wind' (about readers), but for me it is not quite as good. This is partly because, in spite of its compelling nature, it reads as though at least two translators were employed with varied language that is generally elegant and stylish yet sometimes colloquial and abrupt. However the main drawback is the book's proliferation of sub-plots (of which some are left unexplained) and their complicated inter-relations. This complexity undermines any possible plausible solution and for me it leaves the ending somewhat weak. I suspect author Zafon is deliberately provoking readers to use their imaginations and to arrive at their own conclusions. I discussed this with my wife and we had both interpreted things differently - so read it yourself - you won't be disappointed.

4 Comments |

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

Superb writing but horribly unfulfilling. 15 Mar 2011

By C. Castle

Format:Paperback

Cor, I'm mad. I feel like writing to the author or publisher, not only for my money back, but for the 3 hours I spent, obsessively reading the last half of this book (unwashed children, hungry cats, unanswered phone) only to find that nothing is answered.

From the moment I started to read The Angel's Game, I realised that we were in the hands of a master - I have since discovered that it is a translation and enormous kudos must go to the translator - from a nuts and bolts writing point of view, this is superb.

However - the plot twists and turns, frequently making one unable to suspend disbelief and ending in a woolly, completely unsatisfactory manner. Perhaps the author and publisher felt that the fame Zafor realized for his earlier book (which I have not read) excused sloppy and ill-conceived structure?

I'm afraid to say that The Angel's Game is a meandering story that whilst both gripping and visually fascinating will leave most readers at the end, gritting their teeth with irritation and feeling both confused and short-changed.

1 Comment |