Books Reviews

The Prince of Mist – Book Review

By Angela Youngman Jun 8, 2010, 17:10 GMT

Fascinating.  Worried by the experiences of the war,  Max Carver's father decides to move his family to a small town on the coast.  For 13 year old Max, it becomes a journey into mystery.  Just outside the garden are some strange statues - and if he looked a little closely, the statues seemed to move. 

Or did they?  He was never quite sure.  His sister Alicia is suffering from strange dreams, while Irina hears voices whispering from the wardrobe.  Then there were the legends of the Prince of Mist who has scores to settle - but with whom?  Just who was his new friend Roland and why is he so attracted to the wreck of a boat just offshore? 

The lighthouse keeper holds terrible secrets but should they be told?  A challenging read, which really grips the imagination.  It is one of those books which you simply cannot put down until it is finished. 

The character of Max really comes alive, you feel for him as he struggles to make sense of his new environment and deal with the mysteries that surround him.  A Spanish writer, this is the first time that Zafon's work has been available in English.  If this book is anything to go by, then I look forward to reading the next volumes by him.