I like Fermin's character and I love that this book is mostly about him. I also love that it answered some of the questions I had. I didn't like that I still didn't know the significance of sugar cubes to David Martin's case. Heh. The ending of the book implies that there is another book after the 3rd installment because it leaves a lot of questions (about Sofia, about Isabella, about Valls, etc ... and don't forget the sugar cubes lol). On one hand, the sort-of hanger was annoying, on the other hand, I love the idea that there will be a 4th Cemetery of Forgotten Books installment.
So what are the odds that when you're in a hide-and-seek scene with a sadistic character it happens in a room full of limbs of old mannequins? Now that I got that out of the way (haha!), I'll go straight to saying I was glad to know that the mother of beating around the bush has a sister.
Although I had to make it clear that I don't believe that this book does not, in any way, pale in comparison with its predecessor, I had a couple of wait-what?!-moments when reading the story.[Like how did David know where to find Christina? One moment I was reading about how he was contemplating about Corelli's love of sugar cubes, next thing I know he's on his way to the sanatorium. What did I miss? I feel stupid. Skipping forward, I didn't get the ending I was prepared to get. Just when I was ready to accept that everything that was happening was nothing but the ravings of a raging lunatic (and even when he met up with the witch of Somorrostro to explain what the curse was all about), Irene Sabino enters and confirms David isn't alone if it's just lunacy we're talking about. I mean, I feel for Captain Grandes.
I also couldn't get over the fact that Andreas Corelli loves sugar cubes ... and then nothing. I feel like it means something that's significant to the story. There's so many missing things that I can't let go of. Having said all that (haha), I think the ending was still fitting. It just wasn't enlightening. It leaves more questions than answers.
A few things that stuck (I mean other than the room full of mannequins part): I loved this from its very first paragraph (it might be safe to say that any aspiring novelist would). I also loved the dialogue exchange between Don Basilio Moragas and ... well, pretty much anyone he talked to in this book which is David and the archives guy Jose Maria Brotons. Don Basilio sounds like he could have been a gangster boss from the 50s. It was cute. Overall, I still love the prose, the gothic setting and the fact that this is about books AND authors so ... there.
This book is the mother of
beating around the bush. It really is. It's not enough that the main
characters were sent on a wild goose chase, there's also a back story in
every back story. They have to find out things about every person they
come across with. Whether or not it's related to the story, you decide.
Well, actually, most of it is but that's not the point. Lol. I now
understand why Stephen King said on his review of The Shadow of the Wind
that "even the subplots have subplots". It's a good thing the prose was
beautiful because if it wasn't I'd be lost following the twist and
turns of the story. And there's A LOT of twist and turns in this book.
Having
said all that, no, I do not hate this book. I actually loved it. In
another lifetime I might have found it dragging. But I don't. I think
the formula of the book is pretty simple. Good prose, which I already
mentioned, AND intrigue. Ripe, juicy, pure, unadulterated series of
complications. People love hearing about other people's tragedies. We
talk about it and it grows from that. Now this book is a combination of
gossip and horror stories and superstitions that was all rolled into an
elaborate story. We all love hearing how people died a horrific death in
a house or how the last owner of an item suffered a tragic loss and
cursed anyone who will own it to suffer the same fate as his. Heck,
people even love rumors spreading around about their neighbor having an
affair with the other neighbor's wife. A tragic story is a good story as
long as it happens to someone else. I loved this book because it
reminds me of that old movie Red Violin. It was so tragic but also
intriguing you couldn't just let go.
But you know the best part of this is? It actually has a happy ending. Err, that was a spoiler right there. :p
