Carlos Ruiz Zafon is one of those authors whose books I will always read, no matter what they’re about. I’ve read everything that he’s written (that has been translated into English) and have loved every single one. I’m indebted to Text Publishing who introduced me to Carlos Ruiz Zafon when they published the first of his books translated into English, The Shadow of the Wind. It’s my absolute favourite book and I still remember how I felt when I first read it. Whenever I read one of his books I find I get completely wrapped up in the story and can think about little else. Carlos’ latest book from Text is his third book for younger readers, The Watcher in the Shadows.
A mysterious toymaker, Lazarus, lives as a recluse in a crumbling mansion by the sea, surrounded by the mechanical beings he has created. Strange lights seem to shine through the mists that envelop the small island where the old lighthouse stands, and somewhere in the woods nearby lurks a shadowy creature.
When her mother takes a job as a housekeeper for the toymaker, fourteen-year-old Irene meets Hannah and her alluring sailor cousin Ismael, and what seems like a dream summer begins. But Lazarus’s house contains dark secrets and before long Irene and Ismael find themselves entwined in the mystery of the September lights.
The Watcher in the Shadows is my favourite of Carlos’ novels for younger readers. It’s a Young Adult book but adults will love it too, especially if you’re a fan of Carlos’ writing. As soon as I started reading I found myself wrapped up in this magical, mysterious and dark story. Carlos’ wonderful descriptive language transports you to the mysterious setting of the story, with the dilapidated mansion and the light house at its center.
Like the characters in the book, you slowly put together the pieces of the puzzle as the story progresses. The more you find out the faster you want to gobble up the story. It’s the sort of book you want to read all in one go because it’s so difficult to stop. Carlos is a master of mystery and suspense and I just love the way he pulls everything together. He certainly leaves me in awe at his amazing storytelling.
One of the things I love the most about his books, and this one especially, is the way that he layers the story. There are stories within the main story. Characters in his books often tell stories to other characters to give you pieces of the puzzle. In The Watcher in the Shadows the toymaker, Lazarus, tells stories to Simone and her son Dorian about his childhood, and Irene uncovers the story of Alma Matisse through reading her diary.
The Watcher in the Shadows is deliciously dark and spooky. There were several parts that made a shiver go down my spine. The story is all about this shadowy creature, the ‘watcher in the shadows,’ but there are plenty of other creepy things in the story, including a crumbling mansion filled with strange mechanical beings, that has many dark corridors and secret passages.
Like his other stories, I’m sure The Watcher in the Shadows will stick with me and I won’t be able to stop thinking about it for a long time.
I’m incredibly excited to be meeting Carlos Ruiz Zafon at the Auckland Writer’s Festival this weekend. I hope that I’ll be able to say more than ‘I love your books’ to him and I can’t wait to hear what he has to say about his writing and his wonderful books. I never thought I’d get the chance to meet him (as he’s a Spanish author) so this is a dream come true for me.
