The Prince of Mist - a first novel of the author of The Shadow of the Wind

AS SOON I FINISHED READING the second bookseller of Carlos Ruiz Zafon, The Angel's Game (which I previously posted an initial review), I decided to buy his English translated first Spanish novel, The Prince of Mist which is available at Tesco (UK) for half price ( hardcover, 6.49 pounds).

Just for a matter of two consecutive nights, I discovered why this Zafon's earlier writing was loved by "those who are young and those who are not so young." With 202 pages, the story begun when Max Carver's family decided to move from the city to the countryside along the beach. As soon as they occupied the wooden house, Max (13 yrs old boy) started to experience strange things - including the discovery of a walled garden, diving in a sunken ship called Orpheus, including the newly found friendship with Roland. Revealing the secrecy behind the life of Roland and his grandfather, Mr. Kay (the lighthouse keeper) leads to unexpected life-and-death encounters of the Prince of Mist, Mr. Cain.

When a debt is not settled, it gathers interest but that does not cancel the original debts.

The style of Zafon's storytelling reminded me of C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia. Unlike the two current novels (The Angel's Game and The Shadow of the Wind,) The Prince of Mist does not contain much of Zafon's poetic lines, but it does capture our imagination - a tale of adventure, magic and mystery which also embodied in the children books written by Lewis. Indeed a recommended summer read!

The Spanish version was released in 1993 and translated to English in 2010 by Lucia Graves.