The Rose of Fire by Carlos Ruiz Zafon is a short story that takes place during the incarceration of David Martin, the tale of which is told in The Prisoner of Heaven. The other prisoners ask Martin to tell them a story and Martin tells them the origin of the labyrinthine library; the Cemetery of Forgotten Books.
"...By the time a timid voice dared to suggest that a terrible punishment might fall upon them from Heaven to purge the vile act committed against the Jewish traders In Nomine Dei, it was too late. Nothing fell from Heaven except ash and dust. Evil, for once, arrived by sea..."
Fearing the fall of Constantinople, the Emperor Constantine enlists the aid of adventurer Edmond de Luna to carry a plan to build an extensive library to hide all the knowledge of the city in. The Rose of Fire is the tale of how Edmund de Luna carries the plan by shipwreck to the city of Barcelona and the tragedy and triumph that arrives from his adventure.
Any book or short story by Carlos Ruiz Zafon is a cause for celebration. The writing is poetic and the prose rolls sweetly as if you were dining in a fine restaurant. The Rose of Fire is a quick bite of good writing and storytelling. As sweet and smooth as a cupcake when the time and effort for the entire cake simply won't do. It is also a wonderful introductory to Zafon's writing for any who have never read his work before.
A good read.
No comments:
Post a Comment