Marina

I have now read 5 of writer Carlos Ruiz Zafron’s novels and each time I finish one it saddens me knowing that this author won’t be writing any more books?! When I first started reading his quadrilogy I went to look him up. Sadly finding out that he died in 2020 now four years ago really was very upsetting! Marina is set in the area of Barcelona Spain. I thoroughly enjoyed the story. It did not take me very long to read it because the story for myself felt very fast paced. I cried at the end of this story and I have kept every book of his that I have finished!! Definitely worth your time and attention I believe if you like a good Gothic thriller!

More than anything else, I love the tone, the sense of mystery and days long past that shrouds the books of Carlos Ruiz Zafón. The words of his stories surround the reader with sepia tones, slightly blurry while lovely images, and the faintest background music of sad, romantic waltzes. Just opening one of his books takes me to worlds I’ve never seen, worlds that may never have existed – except in the longings of his characters. “The Sarriá cemetery is in one of Barcelona’s best-hidden corners. If you look for it on the map, you won’t find it. If you ask locals or taxi drivers how to get there, they probably won’t know, although they’ve all heard about it. And if, by chance, you try to look for it on your own, you’re more likely than not to get lost. The lucky few who know the secret of its whereabouts suspect that this old graveyard is in fact an island lost in the ocean of the past, which appears and disappears at random.” In “Marina” – his main characters are younger than usual – but no less surrounded by mystery. In addition to the graveyard, there are majestic yet crumbling old mansions, an opera house lost in in tragedy, and family secrets that cling and nearly choke. Even after finishing the book, I know almost nothing about the main character, Oscar, and that is completely OK. I know his part of this gothic tale and through his eyes; I was able to escape again to a long ago and far away world that I love. This book was sad and glorious. Beautiful and horrific. A wonderful story and an unbelievable fairy tale. A great book and one I was sad to put down.

I love CRZ's writing style. It's hypnotizing. With most authors, I have a tendency to zone out of the story from time to time but not with CRZ books. I could read his stories all day, every day. Marina is a fast paced book with plenty of action/suspense to keep you interested. The characters are relatable, weaving their ways into your heart. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a riveting, fast paced, quick read.

Though it began a bit slowly, this grew into a captivating story of friendship, love, family, horror, grief and growth. The prose has an almost musical quality to it, changing tempo to bring us into the story.

I'm A big fan of the author. This story was a quick read with in depth characters, and the mystery theme against the old Barcelona city streets. Zafron knows how to tell a gothic tale. If you liked a Shadow of the Wind, you'd also probably like this book.

Learning about Marina is to know life by facing the darkness of sorrow and death. . .and yet to cherish her simple courage. A story worth reading.

Fine beach read. I like CRZ in general and it was interesting to see where he probably used his first story template of an apparently abandoned mansion, a mysterious characters and some twists and turns around a young explorer couple.

Anything written by this wonderful writer is recommended. Beautiful. But beware, once you start reading Zafron, you cannot stop, nor should you.