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This is where we will discuss the book after we start reading it in January.

I loved this book when I first read it and have shared it with many people since then. Definitely worth a re-read!

One of my favorite books!! I highly recommend reading it!!

I started this book about 10 years ago and got stuck halfway. I loved the writing but there was something that I couldn’t move forward with. I’m down for trying it again as I really did enjoy the parts I started. Happy reading all!

QueenAmidala28 wrote: "I started this book about 10 years ago and got stuck halfway. I loved the writing but there was something that I couldn’t move forward with. I’m down for trying it again as I really did enjoy the p..."

I found I loved it much more the second time & upped it from 3 stars to 4.

I'm on page 50 and am totally captivated! Love the whole idea of
The Cemetery of Books and the feeling a whole mystery is about to unravel. In these early pages at least, I think there are parallels with "The Goldfinch". I like the writing style also and am loving the characterisation.

On page 106. I love the idea of the cemetery of forgotten books and the search for Carax’s books. So far there seems to be a lot of dedication to other characters and story lines that don’t seem to tie into the mystery of finding Carax’s books. But it still early in the story, I am sure it will all make sense later!

About 32% in via audio, kind of wishing I was reading it in print because I'm having a bit of trouble keeping the characters straight in my head. The atmosphere is lovely though, and I feel like things will soon start beginning to slot into place.

I was skeptical about reading this one. It’s not something I typically pick up but one of the reasons I love groups like this is if challenges my thoughts process and exposes me to new things. With that in mind, I jumped right into it. I’m about 30% into it and I’m not disappointed. I’ve enjoyed it up to this point. I enjoy some of the characters!

Finished the book and jumping in here with my thoughts. What I loved the most about this book was how gothic and atmospheric it was. Fermin is now my most favorite character ever, he's just so quick witted! This novel was originally written in Spanish and the English translation is a work of art. They've captured the slang and the usual conversational nuances so well!
Push on...it gets so much faster after 50% mark.

Currently on p227, have the feeling things are dragging a bit - glad to hear it gets much faster after the 50% mark!

I had DNF'd this years ago, but happy to try it again.

I assume that the cemetery of forgotten books is meant to represent the masses murdered during Franco's regime, but we don't get to spend a lot of time there. Currently up to chapter 22 and not much is happening. (view spoiler)[Why does Bea find Tess of the d'Urbervilles in the cemetery? It's one of the most famous novels of all time, hardly "forgotten." (hide spoiler)]

Update: 2/28/2022: Finished the book. I was right to DNF the first time. It's true that the story begins at about 60%, but, for a 500-page novel, that's too late. Also true that it's dreamy and atmospheric, and in some parts I found it an imaginative commentary on the Spanish civil war and postwar years. But, for the most part, it was too long (especially on audiobook), and I could have gone without it.

I’m at 80% of this book. I could’ve finished it last week but I realized I was going too fast. The writing style is fun and easy to read that I lost track of time whenever I’m reading this. The mystery starts to get slowly uncovered by 60%. By then it got harder for me to put this book down haha.