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The Prisoner of Heaven

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The Prisoner of Heaven

By: Carlos Ruiz Zafón
Narrated by: Peter Kenny
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About this listen



Barcelona, 1957. It is Christmas, and Daniel Sempere and his wife, Bea, have much to celebrate. They have a beautiful new baby son, and their close friend Fermín Romero de Torres is about to be wed. But their joy is eclipsed when a a mysterious figure with a porcelain hand enters the Sempere bookshop, threatening to divulge a terrible secret that has been buried for two decades.

His appearance plunges Fermín and Daniel into a dangerous adventure that will take them back to the 1940s - the early days of Franco's dictatorship and the very heart of the Cemetery of Forgotten Books.

The Prisoner of Heaven is a rich, labyrinthine tale of love, literature, passion, and revenge set in a dark, gothic Barcelona, in which the heroes of The Shadow of the Wind and The Angel's Game must contend with a nemesis that threatens to destroy them.

Read by Peter Kenny

©2011 Shadow Factory L.L (P)2012 Orion Publishing Group Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Literary Fiction Magical Realism Mystery United States World Literature Magic Fantasy Suspense

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Critic reviews

'This is is explicitly, and joyously, a book about books, about what can be learned from them and what is lost when they are lost' GUARDIAN

'Full of stylish writing, Gothic atmosphere and love letters to 19th-century novels' WASHINGTON POST
All stars
Most relevant  
Another superb book superbly read.
Barcelona captured in spirit and time.
A great writer interpreted perfectly.

Warm, complex, menacing and loving.

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What did you like most about The Prisoner of Heaven?

It lived up to the high standards of The Shadow of the Wind which I had read rather then listened to and which is great favourite of mine and those to whom I've recommended it.

What did you like best about this story?

Glimpses of Barcelona which I visited recently and complex background to the character Fermin from The Shadow of the Wind. As ever there is a lot of suspense and intrigue from start to finish.

Which scene did you most enjoy?

The references to the Spanish Civil War were a reminder of a more brutal and painful Spain than is portrayed today.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I was hooked but made it last for several days.

Any additional comments?

I like Zafon's work; it is impossible to tell it's translated from Spanish.

Fascinating prequel

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So glad I read this book! It brings together so much of the last 2. I found the second one slightly fanciful and was a bit disappointed. This one however makes the second book make so much more sense. Great trilogy. Can’t wait for the next instalment!

3rd book in the Cemetery of Lost Books series

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As a number of reviews have said, Peter Kenny's Fermin is a far cry from Daniel Philpot's. And if you have just finished Dan Stevens rendition of The Angel's Game, anything less is a disappointment! I wish Stevens had read the lot, although I do think that the others did a brilliant job and, once you got used to it and put away your annoyance, you can get used to Fermin's new "persona".
I struggled a bit with the chronology through the first three books and also with the concept of Corelli and Martin. But this didn't spoil my enjoyment of any of them. Zafon's writing is so charismatic - no mention of a translator who must share in the credit for how the book reads. Got to go, I've got the last one to listen to and that promises, at 27+hours, to be mega! I have to tie up the loose ends.

Got to listen to the next one!

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Having read Zafon's other books it was great to be re-introduced to the same characters. The book beautifully develops the friendship between Daniel and Fermin leading ultimately to Fermin sharing about his past. The insight into human relationship and character under extreme difficult circumstances is so well written and Zafons ability to draw the reader into the lives of the character continues to enthrall. Brilliant!

Captivating!

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fab story, can't wait to start the next one in the tetralogy. I absolutely love this author

as always it delivers

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I just can’t imagine that this series of books is close to its end. Amazing story and the presentation, and I truly adored the accent!

Another masterpiece by Zafon and Peter Kenny

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It is shorter than the other books in the series but just as interesting. It's a wonderful gathering of the previous stories and looking forward to the next (last?) part.

Easy to sink into

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Loved this story.

Wasn't sure about narrators voice to begin with but it did grow on me. Should say its my first ever audio book.

I cant wait for the next installment......

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This audio book was unbelievably good. It relaxed me and drew me into it's world. The narrators voice was perfect for the story. Will absolutely be listening to more from this author.

Absolutely outstanding

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