Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of gender discrimination.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Why do you think the author chose the title “The Shadow of the Wind”? What was the author trying to communicate in naming the book after something that casts no shadow?

2. How did the nested narratives affect your experience with the story? 

3. How did your experience of this book compare to others by this author, such as The Angel’s Game or The Prince of Mist? If this is your first experience with Zafón, are you interested in reading more?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Which of the protagonists did you identify with most, and why?

2. Is the Cemetery of Forgotten Books somewhere you’d like to visit? Why or why not?

3. Consider the way the novel portrays good and evil. Is this a realistic lens through which to examine humanity? How does this perspective compare with your own?

4. This novel shows the way books have the power to transform lives.