This was simply one of the better books that I've read in a long time
921773
This book oozes vulnerability and possibility.  I'm certain many of us can relate to his challenges, his loneliness, and the power of choosing to keep moving forward towards our own hopes and dreams.  This was simply one of the better books that I've read in a long time.
2283327
I just got done reading this book and it is really really good!
3821017
Quite simply one of the best books I've read in my life.  In other reviews, the characters have been described as dry and the book's action as boring, but I found the main character's thought processes as he goes through his Saturday fascinating and very moving.  The narrative takes place firmly in our world -- where happenstance can lead to tragedy -- or not -- and it is truly only a roll of the dice that determines all of our fates.  This is a portrait of a man who loves his work and, above all, loves his family.  He is a good man -- no superhero in the popular sense -- but truly heroic in his ideals and the way he tries to live his life.  That may seem like rather a corny take on a book about 24 hours in the life of a London neurosurgeon, but that's how I felt.
4717230
This book is really, REALLY good. It's one of those books where you find yourself going, "just one more chapter. Okay, just one more chapter. Well, maybe just ONE more chapter". I especially liked too the fact that the romance didn't just happen - it wasn't just "I saw you once time and now we're in love!" It was a rocky road with ups and downs and three steps forward and two steps back and it made it much more believable.

I also really liked that both characters had faults (it wasn't all on her or all on him) AND the fact that they had faults at all. I've read a few romances where one or both main characters are seemingly perfect in every way and it's impossible to relate to a character like that. THESE two I could relate too, sympathize with and root for!

I am now off to buy more by this author! :)
4206319
This is one of the best written books I've read in a long time. This is not a simple novel whose story hinges on the gimmick of time travel. It is rooted in the complex characters crafted by the author and their search for a place in life. It is a mystery without the need for cheap shoot outs or macho posturing but with a hero that is a strong soul fighting to maintain his balance in a world that has never made anything easy for him.
There is a well structured, suspenseful plot with nothing of the unbelievable in the character's actions or reactions. These are people you know, or would like to know and a town you want to look for on the map.  Oh, and none of the usual ebook sloppy, distracting (non) editing and (non)proofreading thank god!  I think this book will appeal to a wide variety of readers. Give it a shot. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
1720955
This is one of the best books that I have read in a long time.  Love the characters and the setting - I was scouring maps looking for this quaint place on the Oregon coast. Well developed story and interesting characters kept my nose glued to the book. Whole heartedly recommend to folks who like a good mystery. And, if mysteries are necessarily your thing, then give this one a try anyway. You might just find a new reading interest.
11317
This was simply one of the best books I've read. I have a list of great books I've read in 2012, and this takes the top spot. The characters stay with you and are endearing, raw and real. I can't wait to read more by this author!
4532408
This possibly one of the best books I've read in a very long time. You don't have to be of the Drug Culture to enjoy the read.
The story is not specifically about drugs. It's about the experience of being an inmate of a notorious, evil prison system--Lurigancho. That's the story. And it's skillfully told.
Wood and Padilla have, it appears, taken great pains not to mess up the story line. There are many characters other than Padilla, that would have warranted greater detail, but the authors were not seduced by that temptation. They grabbed the detail by lively edgy dialogue ... sometimes harsh, but real, Padilla's awakening to prison relationships, and his own introspection.
If the story makes you angry, good. If some of the more grisly incidents make you cringe, good. If the some of the relationships, that unexpectedly unfold, give you a better understanding of the human spirit, excellent. That's what the story is all about.
1970868
One of the best books I have read in a long time. It kept me interested from start to finish, and I finished it in only a couple of days. After reading so many shallow books by inept writers, it was a real treat to read one by a writer who knows what she is doing.
1137192
I really enjoyed this book, the main character is great and while a bit of your typical heroine she has traits that make her so much more complex and humane. The book is a good short read and one of the best ones I've read in a long time.
1368918
This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. There are multiple levels in this work and it is worth allowing oneself to reflect and really think about the book on different levels. The characters were nuanced, believable, multidimensional.
2729124
I read an average of two books per month, both fiction and non-fiction. I don't claim to be a literary critic, and I have no qualms about reading a light work of fiction just to pass the time on a plane. The Shadow of the Wind is, however, one of the best books I've read in years. There is strong characterization of several of the characters, especially Fermin, who I came to love. The plot about a the mystery around the author Julian Carmax reminded me of many a Victorian novel and was intriguing in its own right, but the feel of the neighborhood that Daniel Sempere grows up in in post-Spanish Civil War Barcelona and the coming of age story that is wrapped around the main story line offers the reader a multi-faceted experience. The novel is just plain well-written, too, which makes it a pleasure to read. There are a few one-liners of dialog that I wanted to jot down as quotes to remember -- wish I'd bookmarked those pages now. This is a book well worth reading.
3300148
This was one of the best books that I have read in a long time. I have re read it several times and would recommend this book to everyone.
4057373
This was just such an enjoyable read that I would recommend it to basically anyone.
1152605
Fantastic read! This is one of the best books I have read in a long time.
2439169
One of the best books I've read in a very long time.  The author intertwines the characters and the storyline throughout in a brilliant way. Each time I got excited to know more, that part of the story stopped and another part picked up. I loved it.
1129484
One of the best books I've read in a long time...Husseini writes in such a delicate, personal and meaningful way that I couldn't put his book down...I just had to know more about each character.