tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068873.post2924737116521349304..comments2024-03-20T19:40:58.078-05:00Comments on The OF Blog: A second, revised review of Carlos Ruiz Zafon's The Angel's GameLarry Nolenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001420558511460998noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068873.post-79630602789631354402009-01-15T21:58:00.000-06:002009-01-15T21:58:00.000-06:00I placed my order for it yesterday, but it might b...I placed my order for it yesterday, but it might be a month or two before it arrives, according to Amazon. I agree about the need to cover more international literature, as I do that a lot with the more speculative literatures being released today. Glad you and others here have enjoyed the review and are eager to read the book, as I think it'll be interesting to hear what people make of it and how they'll compare it to <I>The Shadow of the Wind</I> (Ana, I purposely didn't want to talk too much about the two books, other than to note a few differences in focus because the tone is different in many regards; Zafón is a good stylist in Spanish at least, however).<BR/><BR/>But then again, I might not be teaching strictly cultural history anymore (now that I'm back teaching at the high school level), but I never can quite remove my cultural historian's biases and "talking points" from certain reviews, alas! :PLarry Nolenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16001420558511460998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068873.post-7001076217231578222009-01-15T18:12:00.000-06:002009-01-15T18:12:00.000-06:00This book sounds amazing and I love your review! T...This book sounds amazing and I love your review! There are a lot of book blogs out there and I've decided to focus largely on contemporary international literature to distinguish myself. It's really sad how little Americans know about foreign writers. I went to Barnes & Noble the other day and couldn't find a single <A HREF="http://www.rochester.edu/College/translation/threepercent/" REL="nofollow">Open Letter Press</A> release.<BR/><BR/>Thank you for letting me know about this great-sounding book. I'll have to add it to my list.<BR/><BR/>(Oh, and <I>Metropole</I> is on the longlist for Best Translated Book of 2008! I really think you'll love it.)Eileenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11058705381647529328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068873.post-75807085493885718902009-01-14T14:42:00.000-06:002009-01-14T14:42:00.000-06:00Fabio? REALLY?Ok, that is settled then. I am buyi...Fabio? REALLY?<BR/><BR/>Ok, that is settled then. I am buying it!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068873.post-72116341739069973292009-01-14T10:18:00.000-06:002009-01-14T10:18:00.000-06:00For me Angel's game was both stronger and weaker t...For me Angel's game was both stronger and weaker than Shadow, but overall I think I liked it slightly more. The main weakness is the prequel setting, so you know the fate of some characters and quite a lot of tension and plot possibilities go away. If you start with this and then read Shadow, I think you would enjoy much more. <BR/><BR/> The other weakness is the repetition of motives (dual couples separated by time but with similar story though not necessary outcome, corrupt policemen and rich guys) so again reading Angel first would add to the enjoyment <BR/><BR/>The strengths are - better and tighter writing, darker tone, more interesting characters; overall if you can forget the content of Shadow, this would have been a superb A+++ book on its own - reading it after the Shadow, takes a bit away and I will rate it only an A+Liviuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04615405766065227026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068873.post-58511111600932013742009-01-14T08:52:00.000-06:002009-01-14T08:52:00.000-06:00I finally started to read The Shadow of the Wind t...I finally started to read The Shadow of the Wind today! :-) Soon I´ll tell you my opinions... but I´m already liking it a lot.<BR/><BR/>Ana, the Brazilian Portuguese translation is pretty good and accurate. I´m finding it lyrical as well.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068873.post-92178308748503590412009-01-14T07:19:00.000-06:002009-01-14T07:19:00.000-06:00Your review even more makes my mouth water. I defi...Your review even more makes my mouth water. <BR/><BR/>I definitely need to read this book within this year!ediFanoBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11129248787624088717noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068873.post-80378142859931318452009-01-14T03:40:00.000-06:002009-01-14T03:40:00.000-06:00Thanks Larry, I have a very hard choice to make no...Thanks Larry, I have a very hard choice to make now. I can get this book in Portuguese next week or I can wait until June for the English. I thought the English translation of Shadow was very good - very lyrical and I am scared the Portuguese translator won't be as good. Having said that, I am not sure I can wait until June. ARGH. Decisions, decisions. <BR/><BR/>One question: how does it compare to Shadow of the Wind? (is it even fair to make this comparison though?)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068873.post-74248723778203604192009-01-14T03:35:00.000-06:002009-01-14T03:35:00.000-06:00Very nice review, Larry and damn I am more eager n...Very nice review, Larry and damn I am more eager now to read this novel. I have a feeling that Carlos Ruiz Zafon will set a strong print in my preferences (I believe he already did it :D).<BR/>Anyway I have hopes for the translation in Romanian, because being in close realtionship with Spanish might make things good.<BR/><BR/>As for AC I think that you can give that away. I think that will only stir the interest for the book further on ;)Mihai A.https://www.blogger.com/profile/08534691063946241019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068873.post-27061668530413405702009-01-13T23:08:00.000-06:002009-01-13T23:08:00.000-06:00Unfortunately, it'd be giving things away to a deg...Unfortunately, it'd be giving things away to a degree. But perhaps this will help - there's a Rolling Stones song that begins with "Please allow me to introduce myself" - does that help a bit?Larry Nolenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16001420558511460998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068873.post-40005416002566934122009-01-13T22:35:00.000-06:002009-01-13T22:35:00.000-06:00What's the AC anagram? Or would that be giving thi...What's the AC anagram? Or would that be giving things away?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com