The Midnight Palace - Hardcover

Ruiz Zafon, Carlos

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0316044733 ISBN 13: 9780316044738

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2011

Synopsis

In the heart of Calcutta lurks a dark mystery....

Set in Calcutta in the 1930s, The Midnight Palace begins on a dark night when an English lieutenant fights to save newborn twins Ben and Sheere from an unthinkable threat. Despite monsoon-force rains and terrible danger lurking around every street corner, the young lieutenant manages to get them to safety, but not without losing his own life. . . .

Years later, on the eve of Ben and Sheere's sixteenth birthday, the mysterious threat reenters their lives. This time, it may be impossible to escape. With the help of their brave friends, the twins will have to take a stand against the terror that watches them in the shadows of the night--and face the most frightening creature in the history of the City of Palaces.

About this title

Review:

Zafon's young adult fiction was published in Spain long before he became an international sensation, and its fascinating to see, in his second book, premonitory glimpses of The Shadow of the Wind. ..Zafon makes it look so easy but he's in a class of his own. (Suzi Feay FINANCIAL TIMES)

...if you have a taste for mystery, for the supernatural, for characters of mythic strength, loyalty and heroism... then pick this book up and revel in it. (ARMADILLO)

In a tale of a secret society, a labyrinthine railway station and a shadowy figure from the past, their story and denouement has the hallmarks of the fine writing in the author's best-selling Shadow of the Wind. (CHOICE)

'this is one book that knows how to keep a reader hooked... Exotic terror tale from a master story-teller.' Four stars (FLIPSIDE MAGAZINE)

A tremendously atmospheric supernatural thriller and will particularly appeal to those who like a good ghost story told in nineteenth century style by a protagonist narrator looking back years later. (THE BOOKBAG)

It's fast-moving and never hesitates, and it quickly sketches the eight young people who inhabit its pages as quirky and likeable individuals, from the taciturn artist, Michael, to the fiery and intelligent Isobel. It's also a story about stories: tales from the past are woven into the narrative in an elegant way, with the whole book framed by the narrative of the last surviving member of the group. (THE GUARDIAN)

This dark book is not for the easily scared, but great for thrill-seekers! (WOMAN'S WAY)

Gothic in structure, the story is brimming with a sense of foreboding and insatiable evil... On every page, Calcutta, a city of dreams and lost hopes, looms large. This is an exciting and atmospheric adventure with huge appeal. (CAROUSEL)

Book Description:

A mesmerising story of a secret society and a labyrinthine railway station with a dark past.

About this edition

• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 0316044733
• ISBN 13: 9780316044738
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 298