The Watcher in the Shadows Hardcover – 9 May 2013

I have read the authors three other books relating to the The Shadow of the Wind series and he has since bought out another book to complete that series, so I wanted to see what this book would be like. I have overall enjoyed it and it certainly was different. But compared to his other books it does seem a bit short and like other reviews I have since read about this book I do feel it could have been a bit longer. It would have been nice if the author had gone into more detail about some of the other characters as a lot of things were just vague. Altogether an enjoyable read.

"In a world of lights and shadows, every person, every one of us, needs to find their own way."‘The Watcher in the Shadows’ deals with a single mother who works for a mysterious toy-maker named Lazarus. Her 14 year-old daughter, Irene, falls in love with a boy called Ismael, but things are not as harmonious as they seem, as suddenly Ismael’s cousin is murdered and found in the forest.This book was certainly ominous and gothic, and, as is always the case with Carlos Ruiz Zafón, the story is told in a very magical way that fascinates the reader from the beginning. I was eager to discover the truths behind what was happening and plunge into this mysterious world. Towards the end when the mystery was truly unfolding, it was even creepier than I imagined (considering this is a book supposedly written for children). But the overall gothic tone still didn't wow me as much as Carlos Ruiz Zafón’s adult books like ‘The Shadow of the Wind’ and ‘The Angel’s Game’, which are two of my favourite ever books. And even in comparison to his other young adult books that I've read such as ‘Marina’, I felt slightly let down overall. Zafón could have taken some of the gothic descriptions a lot further - many of them were beautiful, but far simpler than those of his other books. I feel like he was simplifying things based on his target audience - this certainly lacked the depth and richness that can be seen in his adult books.As far as the characters are concerned, I was fascinated by Lazarus. He is such an intriguing character, and I loved discovering his identity as the narrative progressed. Out of all the characters he captivated me the most and I always wanted to know more about him, particularly regarding the toys he creates out of loneliness. However, I don’t feel as though the other characters, particularly Irene and Ismael, were developed to their full potential - I didn't really connected with them loads and don’t think they were particularly memorable, which is unusual for Zafón's books; usually the child characters he creates are the ones I most connect with. Compared to Oscar and Marina in ‘Marina’, Irene and Ismael are somewhat disappointing.Overall I'm giving this 3 stars out of 5 because, whilst the plot was very intriguing and I was fascinated by the character of Lazarus, this book does not represent Carlos Ruiz Zafón at his best. Read ‘The Shadow of the Wind’ if you want to read an adult book by him, or ‘Marina’ if you want to read one of his young adult books. Those are much better overall. There were many places in ‘The Watcher in the Shadows’ where things could have been taken further, both in terms of description and character development. Yet it was still enjoyable to read, don’t get me wrong, and I would recommend if you’re looking for a quicker, shorter read by Zafón rather than a huge tome of over 500 pages... (Though his longest books are his best and are totally worth reading)

Aimed at a younger audience, the story still kept me hooked. Carlos grabbed my attention from the first page of The Cemetry Of Forgotten Books and as a result I have devoured everything he's written.Watcher In The Shadows is another page turner. I could visualise the house with the automatons running amok. The evil shadow that plagued the characters whose story was one of betrayal and revenge.The characters were wel written and a little quirky.All round great young adult books along with Marina, The Prince Of Mist and The Midnight Palace

I'm surprised this book is mainly aimed at a younger audience. I found this quite riveting, right to the last page.The underlying story was genuinely quite creepy and the descriptions were positively unnerving - the writer got these spot on. (Personally, I won't look at keyholes in the same way again!)Don't just consider this as a book for 'young adults' and then dismiss it without a second thought. There are several layers to the book that'll gnaw at you, not matter what age you are.So glad I bought it now, good stuff.

I am a big fan of Carlos Ruiz Zafon and have yet to be disappointed by any of his books. They always hold my attention and as usual I raced through this one and spent a couple of hours one night finishing it off because I wanted to see the outcome. He is great at creating an atmosphere where you are constantly thinking "Hello, now what". Even though this is technically a book for those in their late teens it works just as well as a quick, easy and interesting read for the (young at heart) adult population. I would have no hesitation in recommending this book.

Although quite obviously from the outset written for young adults, The Watcher in the Shadows once again why Carlos Ruiz Zafon is a master of modern story telling. His wonderfully conceived plot, character and undeniable flair for writing combine to create a work that possesses that most desired status of literature: it is unputdownable. It is no wonder that revered writers and respected publications alike doff their caps to Ruiz Zafon's literary prowess.Whilst the plot twists are less subtle than those found in The Shadow of the Wind, the journey through the novel is as immersive and addictive as any of his other works.To conclude, Ruiz Zafon is without any shadow of a doubt (or the wind), a master of the Gothic novel.

Not the best from the author but given it is in the young adult category maybe it was for a different audience to myself. Notwithstanding this I love the majority of the other titles by Zafon and you can definitely sense a lot of the gothic nature in this book as a forerunner for the themes of his later work.Possibly the fact that I had read Shadow of the Wind before this one didn't help as I was measuring the two against each other (Shadow of the Wind is one of my Top 10 books of all time). Despite this, the Watcher in the Shadows is still worth a read.

Condition as described. Speedy delivery, well packaged. Good read, had not realised till end of book it was written for the young. Easy to read and as it is not a long read a good fill in between heavier novels. Will pass it on to a friend.