Customer Reviews

El Palacio de la Medianoche (Spanish Edition)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have not read this book. I ordered it thinking it was the follow-up to The Shadow of the Wind. El Palacio... is an adolescent book as is El Principe de la Niebla, Marina, and Las Luces del Septiembre. So those of you breathlessly awaiting the follow-up to "Shadow", as I am, take note.

After reading The Shadow of the Wind and El Principe de la Niebla, both of which I loved, I wasn't impressed with this novel. There's a quality to the writing (or perhaps a lack thereof) that doesn't make it involving and I found myself not caring much for the characters. There are elements of gothic novel here, but the psychological stimulus for horror is unconvincing and so the supernatural element falls flat. Although I wouldn't regret reading it, the novel didn't leave much of an impression and I'm convinced that in a few months I will forget that I read it.

Zafon Characterizes this book, along with El Principe de la Niebla, Las Luces de Septiembre, and Marina--as children books.

They should be read in that context.

The Midnight Palace is the meeting place of a secret society (Chowbar Society) of seven orphaned children from the St. Patrick's orphanage in the 1930's Calcutta.

There, Ben, a twin, is dumped on a rainy night by his grandmother in an effort to keep them safe from a ghost. At age sixteen, the orphans are released to face life as adults and on the last meeting of the Chowbar Society, Sheere, Ben's twin is made a member of the society.

Together the society solves the mystery of the twins tragic history and fight the dangers that confronts all of them.

Not as good as La sombra del viento or el Juego del Angel, but still makes for a great read.

Very enjoyable reading, not too complex or full of senless details.

I have read other books by this author, his work is consistant, you get what you expect.

Si te gusta las peliculas de misterio y suspenso pues debes leer este libro. Te encantara. =D

Excellent, and different writer. Ruiz Safon takes you to a world of enchantment that exists right at your doorstep.

After reading Zafón's first book, El Príncipe de la Niebla, his first, I thought I'd give him another chance. Again I was disappointed, and for many of the same reasons. Although this book holds its story lines well (as his first sometimes struggled to do), has good momentum, a rich descriptive style, and engaging characters, it too has a morose tone and fatalistic outlook that don't exactly make for enjoyment! A taste, from the mouth of one of the characters: "The majority of traditions are nothing more than the sicknesses of a society." ["La mayoría de las tradiciones no son más que las enfermedades de una sociedad." p. 145] I would never recommend this book to an adolescent and doubt that I will give Zafón another opportunity to depress me.

One of the first works by Carlos Ruiz Safon. It shows what a great writer he is and would continue to be. An excelent novel.

I think this book is fantastic its so exciting it was hard to put the book down. It had me going since the beginning and I was anxciously reading to find out what would happen next and couldn't wait until i finish the book.. I highly recomment this series.

I bought this one along with the first and third novels. As he states, these are novels intended for a teenager public and as such are not as deep nor as complex as La sombra del viento. Character descriptions are not so developed and the book feels rushed into the closing chapters, but it's understandable because again, were written for teenagers. But yes, you can feel Zafón here from the first lines and for those who enjoy his writing skills as I do that's quite enough. By the way, for those of you who felt a little lost with El juego del Angel, reading his first novels will clarify some questions, as thematic resources used a lot on these works are the answer to the seemingly lost ends in that later book. All in all, very good works from the author considering the public they are intended to reach.