In an abandoned mansion at the heart of Barcelona, a young man – David Martin – makes his living by writing sensationalist novels under a pseudonym. The survivor of a troubled childhood, he has taken refuge in the world of books, and spends his nights spinning baroque tales about the city’s underworld. But perhaps his dark imaginings are not as strange as they seem, for in a locked room deep within the house letters hinting at the mysterious death of the previous owner. Like a slow poison, the history of the place seeps into his bones as he struggles with an impossible love.
Then David receives the offer of a lifetime: he is to write a book with the power to change hearts and minds. In return, he will receive a fortune, perhaps more. But as David begins the work, he realises that there is a connection between this haunting book and the shadows that surround his home…
Read by Dan Stevens
(p) 2009 Orion Publishing Group
Then David receives the offer of a lifetime: he is to write a book with the power to change hearts and minds. In return, he will receive a fortune, perhaps more. But as David begins the work, he realises that there is a connection between this haunting book and the shadows that surround his home…
Read by Dan Stevens
(p) 2009 Orion Publishing Group
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Reviews
Those who were hooked on Zafón's The Shadow of the Wind will be similarly entranced by The Angel's Game . . . Surprising and bittersweet, it's as potent as an Audrey Niffenegger novel, with a nod to a certain nineteenth-century romance
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
Draws with relish on all the conventions beloved of Wilkie Collins, Dickens . . . then weaves them into something entirely original and surprisingly moving
Revisits some of Zafón'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
In this book about books, Zafón writes about Spain's harrowing history with literary aplomb
The tale is rich, evocative and literate, with Great Expectations and Faust among its more nakedly displayed influences. Zafón is a great describer, with a cinematic flair for murders and sexual encounters
Starts off as an intelligent literary thriller, but morphs into action-packed adventure with a hefty body count
Sultry days are made for chunky pageturners such as The Angel's Game . . . 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
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