“The Angel's Game” by Carlos Ruiz Zafon – The Forgotten Books' Connection

While the modern man may seem to be shifting from the literary medium to the visual one, there is no doubt that books will continue to play a very powerful role in the lives of billions of people in the coming decades, if not centuries.

As a matter of fact, their impact is so important and palpable that it often becomes the subject of a magnificent story, as is the case with The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon.

Taking us back to his dark and Gothic version of Barcelona, Zafon presents us with a pulp writer by the name of David Martin. He spends his days in his abandoned (and relatively haunted) mansion in the heart of the city, churning out one story after the next.

As one might expect from someone living in those circumstances, things could certainly be better for him, especially as his frustrations begin piling up one on top of the other, slowly leading him into desperation.

However, a bright light shines on him in the form of a mysterious stranger offering him a publishing deal... one that seems almost too good to be true. Being in no condition to refuse, Martin relishes the chance and jumps straight to work.

However, he eventually comes to realize there is a connection between the books he writes and the darkness surrounding his mansion, and that the mysterious publisher is certainly not who he seems.

While the book may certainly be read, understood and enjoyed on its own, it should be mentioned that it's actually related to another book, The Shadow of the Wind, thematically-speaking as well as when it comes to the characters.

Both books revolve around the same people, and being unfamiliar with one of them makes the other one a bit harder to follow, not to mention the additional insight into the characters you would be lacking. In other words, they're both standalone books, but they go very well hand-in-hand with each other.

If there is one constant that remains true across Carlos Ruiz Zafon's novels, it's that he always manages to make the city of Barcelona itself into a living, breathing character, one that has perhaps more influence in the story than anyone else.

His masterful prowess when it comes to depicting a somber and menacing city is unrivalled and creates a powerful atmosphere that draws you in like very few other books can. It really shows that he knows that city as well as the back of his hand, and this novel is almost worth reading for this excursion alone.

Moving on the story itself, it is rather dark and gruesome in its nature, containing many violent elements, both physically and psychologically. Thankfully, the author doesn't go overboard to rival the blood and gore of some of the more explicit novels out there, but some of the scenes do have a disturbing quality to them, one that actually complements the animosity that is felt throughout the book.

There are also some supernatural elements to speak of, and they go hand-in-hand with the somewhat uncertain type of narration used. Some segments make you doubt whether they take place in a dream or in real life, while you won't even be sure that other events even occurred in the first place.

The plot itself isn't exactly developed in linear and logical ways, often taking strange and seemingly-random deviations that leave you wondering. There isn't really a perfect ending to speak of where everything gets resolved, but rather, it mirrors real life where a lot of things don't get wrapped up neatly.

This general state of vague confusion is only amplified by the large number of characters that appear in the story, each one bearing a striking personality (or two) that makes them noticeable. You probably won't end up remembering them all, but the ones you do will be characters you learned something from, however small it may be.

There are certainly more than enough philosophical and theological debates between them to make for a wealth of knowledge.

Ultimately, if a novel that is dark, beautiful, unusual, thought-provoking and that will take you on an journey like no others through a Barcelona few have really seen sounds interesting, then there is no reason for you not to give The Angel's Game a shot; it's certainly one of Carlos Ruiz Zafon's more interesting works.

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Carl Ruiz Zafon  Personal site Carl Ruiz Zafon is a Spanish novelist whose first work, El Principe de la Niebla (The Prince of Mist) earned him the Edebe literary prize for young adult fiction. His subsequent novels, which included El palacio de la medianoche and Marina have eventually earned Zafon the the honor of being the most successful contemporary Spanish author, with his books having been published in over 45 countries and translated in 40 languages.