Het labyrinth der geesten, Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Author: Carlos Ruiz Zafón
Publisher: Uitgeverij Signatuur
Pages: 842
Format: Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9789056725815
Original title: El laberinto de los espíritus
Publisher: eBook | Hardcover | Paperback | Audiobook

Spain, late 50's. An assignment for the secret services brings headstrong Alicia Gris back to her home town Barcelona. She is send to shine a light on the sudden disappearance of Mauricio Valls. A secretary whose dark past is catching up with him. A rare and mysterious book from The Cemetery of Forgotten Books series is found. Alicia is confronted with her own sad memories bringing her back to the book store of Sempere & Son. Answers found there not only put Alicia in danger but those she loves too.

The last instalment of the Cemetery of Forgotten Books (The Labyrinth of the Spirits) is a big one. The Dutch version has over 800 pages and that made me happy as this story deserves a lot of quality time. The book left me with some mixed feelings though.
I loved the writing. The poetic sentences are fluent and characteristic for Zafon his writing. It creates a specific atmosphere that really fits the story. The story is very exciting. There is some serious action and a lot of emotional scenes leaving me in tears. I did catch on to some parts of the story early on which took a bit from the magic of the story.
I loved catching up with a lot of the old characters. Daniel, Bea and their son Julian. Mr. Sempere and Fermin of course. What I did not like was the amount of new people introduced. Their connection to the story and to the Sempere family often felt forced. I did like Alicia and Vargas and I would have enjoyed it much more if their story would have been based on the decisions made by investigations instead of some history with yet another new person she once saved in the past.
Not all the questions get answered but I do feel the whole series is closed up nicely.

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