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Young adult literature can be very enjoyable because of the speed and vigour of the writing and the passions that are evoked.

Carlos Ruiz Zafon’s The Prince of Mist is a fast-moving thriller that will delight any adult who is growing tired of the inward looking novels that currently pack the bookshop shelves.

Max and his sisters are taken by their father to live in an old wooden house by the coast, in an attempt to flee the effects of war in the city. Max is immediately befriended by the lighthouse keeper’s son, Roland.

The house seems hostile to the family and Max’s sisters are threatened by whispering voices. A strange garden full of statues of circus personages seems to have hidden life and old films, left in the house by the previous owners begin to reveal their secrets. Evil forces seem to be at work.

A thrilling climax is in store for readers as Max begins to piece together the mystery.

This was Zafon’s first novel, written before his The Shadow of the Wind and The Angel’s Game became best sellers. In his brief introduction, he says, ‘I like to believe that storytelling transcends age limitations, and I hope readers of my adult novels will be tempted to explore these stories of magic, mystery and adventure.’ I think that any reader would find this story difficult to put down.

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