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The Library of Shadows
Imagine that some people have the power to affect your thoughts and feelings when you read, or they read a book to you. They can seduce you with amazing stories, conjure up vividly imagined worlds, but also manipulate you into thinking exactly what they want you to.When Luca Campelli dies a sudden and violent death, his son Jon inherits his second-hand bookshop, Libri di Luca, in Copenhagen. Jon has not seen his father for twenty years since the mysterious death of his mother.When Luca's death is followed by an arson attempt on the shop, Jon is forced to explore his family's past. Unbeknown to Jon, the bookshop has for years been hiding a remarkable secret. It is the meeting place of a society of booklovers and readers, who have maintained a tradition of immense power passed down from the days of the great library of ancient Alexandria. Now someone is trying to destroy them, and Jon finds himself in a fight for his life and those of his new friends.
434 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 4, 2009
98 people are currently reading
5,903 people want to read
About the author
Mikkel Birkegaard
10books66followersMikkel Birkegaard is a Danish author of fantasy fiction. He lives in Copenhagen.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 558 reviews
August 23, 2009
When evaluating a book, or indeed any sort of artistic expression, the first and often unconscious step is establishing the thresholds or criteria against which it should be fairly judged. Not all plays ought be held against the standard of Shakespeare, nor all novels Dostoevsky. From the moment you first pick up a book, thoughtfully heft its weight in your hand, absorb the cover art and typeface, and casually skim the publisher blurbs and reviewer call-quotes, you begin a process of shaping expectations. These "first impressions" are typically completed -- occasionally refuted, but certainly concluded -- as you slowly begin picking your way through the opening sentence, paragraph, and page.
By the end of the first chapter, the experienced reader will have established a ready model of the audience for whom this book was intended, the literary tradition it builds from and chooses to extend, the ancient themes it has picked up and will shortly re-tell with variations anew. Consciously or otherwise, the reader has already begun cross-referencing an index of comparison points: other books with similar style, comparable diction, analogous theme, congruent historical or geographical setting, parallel plot, etc. These will become the benchmarks against which this new entry will be measured -- and the water mark will be high, for indeed "novel" comes from the Latin novus or "new", and readers will expect recent entries to build upon and therefore plausibly surpass the achievements of those who have gone before; mere regurgitation or mimicry merit little praise.
And therein lies my problem with "The Library of Shadows", the latest submission in the subgenre of supernatural literary thriller. The author dearly wishes to be placed on a shelf alongside recent bestsellers such as "The Club Dumas", "The Dante Club", Elizabeth Kostova's "The Historian", and even masters such as Umberto Eco. This categorization is not subjective on my part: Arturo Perez-Reverte is mentioned by name in the text, as is "The Name of the Rose", and special attention is given to a reading of "The Divine Comedy". These unsubtle allusions could be amusingly self-referential in a genuine genre entry, but come across as almost embarrassingly pleading in a novel of this calibre.
For the fact is that "Library" does not measure up to the standards it self-selects and so desperately echos. Its fantastic suppositions beggar belief, lacking even the internal logic so critical to establishing suspension-of-disbelief and effective empathy between reader and text. The "whodunnit" aspect of the mystery, the morality play of motivations, as well as the supernatural element which sets the plot in motion, are all presented with such clumsy cliches that I found myself wondering if this was a book written for children. Indeed, with one or two snips of the editor's scissors, this could make excellent juvenile fiction, an easy on-ramp to spark interest in better books featuring similar themes: dark and dank libraries filled with forgotten folios, musty old tomes of legend and lore whose cryptic secrets spell ecstasy or horror for the unwary reader.
Sadly, this book is unlikely to be ever placed in those hallowed back-rooms, held behind counter and glass for curious cognoscente or discerning dilettante; I fear it is bound to remain ever caged in the sunlit paperback racks fronting friendly High Street shops. At best, it may provide an early map, a hint to precocious young readers that books do exist which can carry the recondite connoisseur down circuitous paths to more vivid visions and rewarding resolutions, when the time is right.
Today, two stars; for too little, too late.
By the end of the first chapter, the experienced reader will have established a ready model of the audience for whom this book was intended, the literary tradition it builds from and chooses to extend, the ancient themes it has picked up and will shortly re-tell with variations anew. Consciously or otherwise, the reader has already begun cross-referencing an index of comparison points: other books with similar style, comparable diction, analogous theme, congruent historical or geographical setting, parallel plot, etc. These will become the benchmarks against which this new entry will be measured -- and the water mark will be high, for indeed "novel" comes from the Latin novus or "new", and readers will expect recent entries to build upon and therefore plausibly surpass the achievements of those who have gone before; mere regurgitation or mimicry merit little praise.
And therein lies my problem with "The Library of Shadows", the latest submission in the subgenre of supernatural literary thriller. The author dearly wishes to be placed on a shelf alongside recent bestsellers such as "The Club Dumas", "The Dante Club", Elizabeth Kostova's "The Historian", and even masters such as Umberto Eco. This categorization is not subjective on my part: Arturo Perez-Reverte is mentioned by name in the text, as is "The Name of the Rose", and special attention is given to a reading of "The Divine Comedy". These unsubtle allusions could be amusingly self-referential in a genuine genre entry, but come across as almost embarrassingly pleading in a novel of this calibre.
For the fact is that "Library" does not measure up to the standards it self-selects and so desperately echos. Its fantastic suppositions beggar belief, lacking even the internal logic so critical to establishing suspension-of-disbelief and effective empathy between reader and text. The "whodunnit" aspect of the mystery, the morality play of motivations, as well as the supernatural element which sets the plot in motion, are all presented with such clumsy cliches that I found myself wondering if this was a book written for children. Indeed, with one or two snips of the editor's scissors, this could make excellent juvenile fiction, an easy on-ramp to spark interest in better books featuring similar themes: dark and dank libraries filled with forgotten folios, musty old tomes of legend and lore whose cryptic secrets spell ecstasy or horror for the unwary reader.
Sadly, this book is unlikely to be ever placed in those hallowed back-rooms, held behind counter and glass for curious cognoscente or discerning dilettante; I fear it is bound to remain ever caged in the sunlit paperback racks fronting friendly High Street shops. At best, it may provide an early map, a hint to precocious young readers that books do exist which can carry the recondite connoisseur down circuitous paths to more vivid visions and rewarding resolutions, when the time is right.
Today, two stars; for too little, too late.
May 14, 2020
Κάπου είχε ενδιαφέρον, αλλά τελικά μας καταπλάκωσε η αδιαφορία και η βαρεμάρα
September 9, 2009
I really wanted to like this book more than I did. The concept is so original and I am a great lover of books. I believe that books do have power for their readers. Making this more than metaphor within a fantasy context is ingenious.
I loved the way the paranormal reading experience is described. We get into the minds of the characters as they are exercising their abilities. I would have liked more engagement with the specific texts. I wanted to know more about how the particular books played the roles that they did.
There were also disappointments involving the author's technique. Not only was there a problem with plot predictability, but this book also has the weakness that I find most deplorable in fiction. The plot periodically comes to a crashing halt while the characters sit around and talk for a while. The author often informs us about events by having the characters discuss them rather than showing them. This can be the mark of an inexperienced writer, so I hope that Mikkel Birkegaard grows out of it. Authors don't always grow out of this habit, but I won't mention Dan Brown by name.
I loved the way the paranormal reading experience is described. We get into the minds of the characters as they are exercising their abilities. I would have liked more engagement with the specific texts. I wanted to know more about how the particular books played the roles that they did.
There were also disappointments involving the author's technique. Not only was there a problem with plot predictability, but this book also has the weakness that I find most deplorable in fiction. The plot periodically comes to a crashing halt while the characters sit around and talk for a while. The author often informs us about events by having the characters discuss them rather than showing them. This can be the mark of an inexperienced writer, so I hope that Mikkel Birkegaard grows out of it. Authors don't always grow out of this habit, but I won't mention Dan Brown by name.
March 12, 2020
(review in English below)
Uma história onde os livros são o ponto fulcral da narrativa e tudo gira à volta do acto da leitura? Era impossível resistir...
Gostei da leitura mas acho que o autor se entusiasmou demasiado, acabando por exagerar e deixando que a história perdesse, pelo menos para mim, alguma da magia que tinha criado com os pressupostos iniciais. Ao mesmo tempo, a narrativa ganha um ritmo que torna a leitura viciante.
Não vou elaborar sobre alguns aspectos, embora me apetecesse, porque não quero spoilar. Mas era interessante discutir a influência que um bom leitor pode ter sobre quem o ouve!...
A story where books are the centre of the narrative and everything revolves around the act of reading? I just couldn't resist...
I enjoyed this reading but I think the author got too carried away, overdoing it and causing the story to loose, at least for me, some of the magic he had managed to create with the initial premise. At the same time, the narrative takes on in such a way to make the reading addictive.
I won't elaborate on some aspects, although I wanted to, because I don't like to spoil. But it would be interesting to discuss the influence a good reader can have on those who are listening!...
Uma história onde os livros são o ponto fulcral da narrativa e tudo gira à volta do acto da leitura? Era impossível resistir...
Gostei da leitura mas acho que o autor se entusiasmou demasiado, acabando por exagerar e deixando que a história perdesse, pelo menos para mim, alguma da magia que tinha criado com os pressupostos iniciais. Ao mesmo tempo, a narrativa ganha um ritmo que torna a leitura viciante.
Não vou elaborar sobre alguns aspectos, embora me apetecesse, porque não quero spoilar. Mas era interessante discutir a influência que um bom leitor pode ter sobre quem o ouve!...
A story where books are the centre of the narrative and everything revolves around the act of reading? I just couldn't resist...
I enjoyed this reading but I think the author got too carried away, overdoing it and causing the story to loose, at least for me, some of the magic he had managed to create with the initial premise. At the same time, the narrative takes on in such a way to make the reading addictive.
I won't elaborate on some aspects, although I wanted to, because I don't like to spoil. But it would be interesting to discuss the influence a good reader can have on those who are listening!...
September 28, 2016
It was an okay-book, but I expected more from it. The cover was SO promising - Is it possible to die for reading? As a total book nerd I wanted to scream "yes!", grab this book and read it at once.
Okay, it might be exactly what I did. And though I enjoyed the idea (seriously, The Library of Shadows? Existing next to us for more than 2400 years? What could be more exciting?!), the book felt very flat. All of the characters felt flat and kinda one-sided and I couldn't associate myself with them. Again, the beginning was so promising - I just loved the simplicity in the scene where Jon met Katherina for the first time. Everything was so natural! But nothing changed later. No magic, no sparkles, not even one single glance with... idk, something. I almost laughed out loud when in the end Katherina said: "But we were in love..." Were you?...
So, summing up, the storyline was predictable and the characters, who caught my attention in the beginning, were static and sketchy. The book seems clumsy and lacks deepness. I really wanted to like it, but...
P.S. And in the end it wasn't even explained why Jon is so special. He just is. Well, okay then.
Okay, it might be exactly what I did. And though I enjoyed the idea (seriously, The Library of Shadows? Existing next to us for more than 2400 years? What could be more exciting?!), the book felt very flat. All of the characters felt flat and kinda one-sided and I couldn't associate myself with them. Again, the beginning was so promising - I just loved the simplicity in the scene where Jon met Katherina for the first time. Everything was so natural! But nothing changed later. No magic, no sparkles, not even one single glance with... idk, something. I almost laughed out loud when in the end Katherina said: "But we were in love..." Were you?...
So, summing up, the storyline was predictable and the characters, who caught my attention in the beginning, were static and sketchy. The book seems clumsy and lacks deepness. I really wanted to like it, but...
P.S. And in the end it wasn't even explained why Jon is so special. He just is. Well, okay then.
March 13, 2019
Oh my god I adored this book. How it only has an average of three stars is beyond me. This was gripping, it was suspenseful and it draws you in like no other. Given the content of the book it was amazing that it had a hold over me. It would be a disappointment if a book of this nature, about this kind of thing was uninteresting and could be put down, but this I had to drag myself away from and got annoyed when I was interrupted.
I simply loved it from start to finish, the characters were real, deep and were very well developed. Even if not everything was exposed and explained the first time we see them it is drawn out through the entire book so even in the final chapters we are still learning about them as people. It was intense, it was funny, it was sweet, action filled and dramatic, everything it needed to be very believable within its realm of possibility. Admittedly the story contained a victim of a man in horn rimmed glasses, a current pet peeve as it seems to be the only description of glasses I've come across recently. Not actually an issue story wise but since I have come across so many in recent books it was a little tiring. At least Birkegaard used about three different other glasses types as well which made me happy.
The writing style was good and allowed insights into characters as well as detailed but not over the top descriptions of people and places. Some of the language around descriptions of the bookshop or environment were beautiful and fitted nicely into the story, especially if seen by a character as it suited their perception of the world perfectly. The point of view changes throughout between a few of the characters. It is good because it allows you to get to know everyone through their own eyes and their interactions with other characters. But no matter whose point of view it is Birkegaard sometimes flows off into tangents of explanations after he hits on a point or topic. It is not a bad thing exactly, it helps explain a few things, surprisingly doesn't distract really from the story and then he manages to loop it back almost seamlessly to where he trailed off from. It is an interesting technique and it does expand on either the current character in particular, or just explain those around them and their own back story and perceptions by others.
The first half appears slow paced, not in a bad way though. You get to feel around the story and take in everything much like Jon does, you learn as he is exposed to the new information and situations. But then at the halfway mark it gets very exciting very quickly and I got rather excited as I knew this was where the action and adventure was going to begin.
Throughout the story so much is not said so you are trying to make your own assumptions, piece together clues, assume everything is clues and hints, trying not to suspect everyone. It was enthralling which was great because in a book about being so involved in a text it was amazing how engaged and into this book you get. It is very hard to draw yourself away from it, you want to know what is happening what will happen. It's so mysterious and you don't know what is connected and what isn't and it constantly keeps you guessing and eager to find out what is really going on. It is a bit like watching a crime show or something similar, you focus after awhile on people who keep popping up, trying to fill in mystery people with possible people you've already come across. You are suspicious of everyone who is mentioned because you are convinced they hold a greater purpose. It is amazing, your brain works overtime trying to think of all the possibilities and you read so much into everything in an effort to figure out the ending before being led there by Birkegaard. I don't think I've ever read a book of this kind before, it is very addictive and keeps you guessing constantly. I just can't believe it is a first novel, it is spectacular.
A version of this review was also published on my blog
I simply loved it from start to finish, the characters were real, deep and were very well developed. Even if not everything was exposed and explained the first time we see them it is drawn out through the entire book so even in the final chapters we are still learning about them as people. It was intense, it was funny, it was sweet, action filled and dramatic, everything it needed to be very believable within its realm of possibility. Admittedly the story contained a victim of a man in horn rimmed glasses, a current pet peeve as it seems to be the only description of glasses I've come across recently. Not actually an issue story wise but since I have come across so many in recent books it was a little tiring. At least Birkegaard used about three different other glasses types as well which made me happy.
The writing style was good and allowed insights into characters as well as detailed but not over the top descriptions of people and places. Some of the language around descriptions of the bookshop or environment were beautiful and fitted nicely into the story, especially if seen by a character as it suited their perception of the world perfectly. The point of view changes throughout between a few of the characters. It is good because it allows you to get to know everyone through their own eyes and their interactions with other characters. But no matter whose point of view it is Birkegaard sometimes flows off into tangents of explanations after he hits on a point or topic. It is not a bad thing exactly, it helps explain a few things, surprisingly doesn't distract really from the story and then he manages to loop it back almost seamlessly to where he trailed off from. It is an interesting technique and it does expand on either the current character in particular, or just explain those around them and their own back story and perceptions by others.
The first half appears slow paced, not in a bad way though. You get to feel around the story and take in everything much like Jon does, you learn as he is exposed to the new information and situations. But then at the halfway mark it gets very exciting very quickly and I got rather excited as I knew this was where the action and adventure was going to begin.
Throughout the story so much is not said so you are trying to make your own assumptions, piece together clues, assume everything is clues and hints, trying not to suspect everyone. It was enthralling which was great because in a book about being so involved in a text it was amazing how engaged and into this book you get. It is very hard to draw yourself away from it, you want to know what is happening what will happen. It's so mysterious and you don't know what is connected and what isn't and it constantly keeps you guessing and eager to find out what is really going on. It is a bit like watching a crime show or something similar, you focus after awhile on people who keep popping up, trying to fill in mystery people with possible people you've already come across. You are suspicious of everyone who is mentioned because you are convinced they hold a greater purpose. It is amazing, your brain works overtime trying to think of all the possibilities and you read so much into everything in an effort to figure out the ending before being led there by Birkegaard. I don't think I've ever read a book of this kind before, it is very addictive and keeps you guessing constantly. I just can't believe it is a first novel, it is spectacular.
A version of this review was also published on my blog
December 18, 2019
Certo che è così facile rimanere delusi da un libro dalle alte aspettative, pompato dall'editore come un nuovo trascendentale talento contemporaneo!
Che accozzaglia di nefandezze, gente! Credo che la cosa che mi rimarrà impressa di questo libro (?) sia solo "[Il Protagonista] unisce le mani con uno scrocchio", ripetuto credo qualche decina di volte qua e là per il libro. Probabilmente in Danimarca hanno problemi di artrite molto seri, sarà il freddo.
Fatto sta che a me ad ogni scrocchio mi aumentava il mal di testa, la nausea e l'insopportazione profonda verso i personaggi di questo romanzo(?). L'idea iniziale è buona e il libro parte bene, ma poi cade tutto a scatafascio dopo i primi capitoli e continua giù a rotolare verso la china per finire a schiantarsi nel burrone delle bestialità.
Ad un terzo del libro(?) t'immagini il resto e il finale, a metà lo sai di per certo e quando sei a tre quarti preghi i tuoi Dei che finisca alla svelta. Non capisco la spinta della casa editrice verso questa storia(?), ideata male e scritta peggio, che è proprio di livello nefando.
La storia è un insieme di stereotipi come i personaggi stessi (il buono/buonissimo, il cattivo/cattivissimo, l'amico/amicissimo "ti aiuto sempre io", la sperduta/trombata ragazza dal protagonista, la setta/settissima e perfidissima) che si muovono come macchiette all'interno di questa narrazzione che è davvero indigesta.
Ci sono dei passaggi di pattume letterario che è davvero raro trovare. Vi consiglio caldamente, statene lontani.
Che accozzaglia di nefandezze, gente! Credo che la cosa che mi rimarrà impressa di questo libro (?) sia solo "[Il Protagonista] unisce le mani con uno scrocchio", ripetuto credo qualche decina di volte qua e là per il libro. Probabilmente in Danimarca hanno problemi di artrite molto seri, sarà il freddo.
Fatto sta che a me ad ogni scrocchio mi aumentava il mal di testa, la nausea e l'insopportazione profonda verso i personaggi di questo romanzo(?). L'idea iniziale è buona e il libro parte bene, ma poi cade tutto a scatafascio dopo i primi capitoli e continua giù a rotolare verso la china per finire a schiantarsi nel burrone delle bestialità.
Ad un terzo del libro(?) t'immagini il resto e il finale, a metà lo sai di per certo e quando sei a tre quarti preghi i tuoi Dei che finisca alla svelta. Non capisco la spinta della casa editrice verso questa storia(?), ideata male e scritta peggio, che è proprio di livello nefando.
La storia è un insieme di stereotipi come i personaggi stessi (il buono/buonissimo, il cattivo/cattivissimo, l'amico/amicissimo "ti aiuto sempre io", la sperduta/trombata ragazza dal protagonista, la setta/settissima e perfidissima) che si muovono come macchiette all'interno di questa narrazzione che è davvero indigesta.
Ci sono dei passaggi di pattume letterario che è davvero raro trovare. Vi consiglio caldamente, statene lontani.
November 14, 2015
What a great book! I got it for Christmas and I'm not even sure what I thought it was about, but I was very wrong.
It's well-written, although the language isn't perhaps always the most interesting, but the characters are believable and there are some fantastic descriptions. What really sells the whole thing is that it's about BOOKS!
Let me put it like this:
What if reading was a superpower? What if by reading out loud you could change people's experience of a story, enhance their emotions and even change their opinion about something?
What it you could change the way other people read? If you could enter their mind and change their experience of the book, the story?
What if books had energy? A tangible energy certain people could feel? What if reading a book, the condition it's in or even a place could enhance that energy?
I'm thinking a few of you would love that, that a few of you even think about books like that. I know I do, and I love to see it made into something "real", to have it explored and have someone make something interesting out of it.
That's why this book is so great, because holy shit, what an AMAZING idea! And Mikkel Birkegaard makes it work, he makes it into a believable, wondrous and exciting ride.
I suppose it's a mystery novel, in ways, but it's also a bit of an adventure and a love letter to books and the experience of reading.
It definitely changed the way I look at and think of books, and how I treat them. It was also a buttload of fun. I recommend it to all of you.
It's well-written, although the language isn't perhaps always the most interesting, but the characters are believable and there are some fantastic descriptions. What really sells the whole thing is that it's about BOOKS!
Let me put it like this:
What if reading was a superpower? What if by reading out loud you could change people's experience of a story, enhance their emotions and even change their opinion about something?
What it you could change the way other people read? If you could enter their mind and change their experience of the book, the story?
What if books had energy? A tangible energy certain people could feel? What if reading a book, the condition it's in or even a place could enhance that energy?
I'm thinking a few of you would love that, that a few of you even think about books like that. I know I do, and I love to see it made into something "real", to have it explored and have someone make something interesting out of it.
That's why this book is so great, because holy shit, what an AMAZING idea! And Mikkel Birkegaard makes it work, he makes it into a believable, wondrous and exciting ride.
I suppose it's a mystery novel, in ways, but it's also a bit of an adventure and a love letter to books and the experience of reading.
It definitely changed the way I look at and think of books, and how I treat them. It was also a buttload of fun. I recommend it to all of you.
May 1, 2015
magia cărților? hai să-ți zic io despre magia cărților. magia cărților e atunci când cumperi o carte despre care tot bunul tău simț plus coperta a patra zice că e un bullshit cu pretenții. pentru că e la mintea cocoșului că dacă Danish Literary Magazine spune că Biblioteca umbrelor e o cloceală de Harry Potter, Indiana Jones și Codul lui DaVinci, atunci Biblioteca umbrelor nu poate fi altceva decât un bullshit cu pretenții. dar pentru că este o carte despre CĂRȚI și PUTEREA CĂRȚILOR și a CELOR CARE CITESC CĂRȚI și despre ANTICARIATE și BIBLIOTECI (v-a curs o băluță. curățați, vă rog, cu mâneca. așa), am insistat să o citesc. pînă aproape de final cînd am știut cum se va termina și am răsfoit ultimele 50 de pagini și gata. au trăit fericiți bla bla
November 25, 2009
LIBRI di LUCA
Membaca Bisa Membahayakan Jiwa Seseorang
Saat menghadiri prosesi pemakaman ayahnya, Luca Campelli, Jon melihat banyak orang yang tidak dikenalnya juga hadir mengikuti prosesi tersebut. Hasrat Luca Campelli untuk meninggal disekelilingi oleh buku-buku kesayangannya terwujud. Bahkan pidato perpisahannya pun dikutip dari berbagai buku
Sepeninggal ibunya, hubungan Jon dengan ayahnya tidak harmonis. Jon benar-benar tidak mengira, jika ia mendapat warisan sebuah toko buku antik, Libri di Luca, di Kopenhagen dengan penjaga toko yang mengidap dyslexia, Katherina Serta harus berurusan dengan sebuah perkumpulan membaca.yang tidak biasa!
“Jadi menurutmu apa yang membuat seseorang bagus dalam membacakan sesuatu keras-keras, Jon?� Tanya Iversen, asisten ayahnya saat Jon berkunjung ke Libri di Luca, beberapa saat setelah pemakaman ayahnya. Selanjutnya Iversen menceritakan sebuah rahasia keluarga yang selama ini dipendam ayahnya. Keluarga Jon adalah Lector, dan para anggota perkumpulan membaca yang sering berkumpul di toko buku ayahnya juga para Lector.
Lector adalah mereka yang melatih sebuah seni yang berhubungan dengan kemampuan membaca seseorang. Seseorang bisa tergerak dengan apa yang dibaca oleh orang lain, mampu mempengaruhi orang tanpa disadari oleh mereka, mempengaruhi pandangan mereka akan tulisan, tema, atau hal lainnya. Juga bisa mengubah pendapat seseorang tentang sebuah masalah. Belakangan, kelompok ini terbagi menjadi dua, pemancar dan penerima.
Pemancar adalah jenis yang bisa mempengaruhi mereka yang mendengarkan sebuah bacaan dan oleh karenanya mampu mempengaruhi persepsi pendengar dan sikap terhadap tulisan yang sedang dibaca. Penerima adalah jenis yang lainnya dan Katherina adalah penerima! Peraturannya pun sangat gampang, jangan baca apapun di hadapan seorang penerima dan menghindari pembacaan yang dilakukan oleh seorang pemancar.
Saat Libri di Luca mengalami serangan pembakaran, Jon mulai mempertimbangkan untuk mengaktifkan dirinya. Tanpa disadarinya, Jon juga memiliki kemampuan itu. Kemampuan tersebut sangat membantu profesinya sebagai pengacara, terutama saat membacakan argumentasi penutupnya di pengadilan. Argumentasi penutupnya selalu memukau. Presentasinya ditulis kata demi kata dan sangat jarang menyimpang.
Konflik dengan salah satu klien terbesar di firmanya membuat Jon diberhentikan, hal ini memicu kenginannya untuk mengaktifkan dirinya. Proses mengaktifkan diri Jon, disebut juga Seance, nyaris menghancurkan ruang bawah tanah Libri di Luca. Kemampuan yang berada di dalam dirinya ternyata melebihi apa yang diperkirakan orang-orang, bahkan melebihi kemampuan yang dimiliki ayahnya.
Belakangan, Jon, Katherin dan Iversen menemukan adanya sebuah organisasi selain Perkumpulan Pencinta Buku yang sering bertemu di Libra di Luca. Organisasi tersebut dikenal dengan nama Organisasi Bayangan. Yaitu sebuah kelompok yang berjalan rahasia, di dalam bayangan.organisasi ini berbeda dengan Perkumpulan Pencinta Buku, para anggotanya terus menggunakan kekuatan mereka untuk aksi kejahatan atau setidaknya untuk memuaskan keinginan mereka sendiri.
Sebagai salah satu toko buku antik tertua di kopenhagen, Libri di Luca menjadi incaran Organisasi Bayangan. Buku-buku yang terdapat disana tidak hanya memiliki nilai sentimentil untuk seseorang penggemar buku. Mereka juga telah diisi energi menurut Luca bisa dialokasikan di dalam bangunan tersebut
Saat Jon berada di Mesir, ia mendapat informasi mengetahuai asal kekuatan keluarganya. Kisahnya dimulai dari perpustakaan yang ada di Alexandria, Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Selama lebih dari 700 tahun, perpuastakaan tersebut juga menjadi surga bagi pendidikan dan ilmu pengetahuan. Namun beberapa kejadian seperti Peperangan Alexandria, yang melibatkan Caesar, peperangan sehubungan dengan Cleopatra, serta perampokan telah mengosongkan isi perpustakaan
Demetrius, seorang filsuf, negarawan, penasehat dan kepala pustakawan pertama yang menyadari dan melakukan penelitian kekuatan tersebut. Dengan cepat ia menyadari apa yang sedang ditelitinya dan ia merahasiakan pengetahuan tentang kekuatan tersebut, dan mulai mendirikan organisasi. Saat itu organisasi berupa perkumpulan rahasia bagi mereka yang telah diaktifkan.
Dengan hancurnya perpustakaan, Alexandria juga kehilangan statusnya sebagai pusat pendidikan dan ilmu pengetahuan. Karena organisasi tersebut harus berada di tempat kemajuan sedang berkembang, maka perkumpulan itu pun pecah dan anggotanya menyebar ke seluruh dunia, mendirikan perkumpulan setempat, beberapa pegi ke Italia, disanakah cikal bakal kemampuan keluarga Jon berasal.
Thomas Armstrong dalam buku �7 Kinds of Smart: Menemukan dan Meningkatkan Kecerdasan Anda� mengemukan mengenai berbagai macam kecerdasan manusia. Salah satunya adalah kecerdasan linguistik/World Smart, yaitu kemampuan untuk menggunakan kata-kata secara efektif . Ciri-cirinya antara lain menikmati membaca buku, mengeja kata-kata dengan mudah, serta mempunyai kosakata yang luas. Jika mengacu pada hal ini, maka seseorang yang cenderung memiliki kecerdasan linguistik/World Smart, sangat berpotensi menjadi seorang Lector.
Bayangkan berapa banyak lector yang ada di dunia serta apa akibatnya jika mereka menyalahgunakan kekuatan tersebut. Maka kalimat yang berbunyi � Di tangan para Lector, sebuah buku bisa menjadi alat untuk membunuh manusia� sepertinya tidak berlebihan.Di sisi lain, sebuah buku cerita mengenai Pinokio dalam Bahasa Italia telah menyelamatkan nyawa Jon, Katherina dan Muhammad.
Selanjutnya bagaimana karier Jon sebagai pengacara? Apa hubungan antara Jon, klien terbesar firma hukumnya dengan Libri di Luca ? Lalu bantuan seeprti apa yang diberikan Muhammad, imigran ahli teknologi informasi dalam upaya menyelamatkan Jon? Serta apa peranan UNESCO dalam kasus ini?
Sepertinya anda harus mencari tahu sendiri dengan membaca buku ini^_^
Membaca Bisa Membahayakan Jiwa Seseorang
Saat menghadiri prosesi pemakaman ayahnya, Luca Campelli, Jon melihat banyak orang yang tidak dikenalnya juga hadir mengikuti prosesi tersebut. Hasrat Luca Campelli untuk meninggal disekelilingi oleh buku-buku kesayangannya terwujud. Bahkan pidato perpisahannya pun dikutip dari berbagai buku
Sepeninggal ibunya, hubungan Jon dengan ayahnya tidak harmonis. Jon benar-benar tidak mengira, jika ia mendapat warisan sebuah toko buku antik, Libri di Luca, di Kopenhagen dengan penjaga toko yang mengidap dyslexia, Katherina Serta harus berurusan dengan sebuah perkumpulan membaca.yang tidak biasa!
“Jadi menurutmu apa yang membuat seseorang bagus dalam membacakan sesuatu keras-keras, Jon?� Tanya Iversen, asisten ayahnya saat Jon berkunjung ke Libri di Luca, beberapa saat setelah pemakaman ayahnya. Selanjutnya Iversen menceritakan sebuah rahasia keluarga yang selama ini dipendam ayahnya. Keluarga Jon adalah Lector, dan para anggota perkumpulan membaca yang sering berkumpul di toko buku ayahnya juga para Lector.
Lector adalah mereka yang melatih sebuah seni yang berhubungan dengan kemampuan membaca seseorang. Seseorang bisa tergerak dengan apa yang dibaca oleh orang lain, mampu mempengaruhi orang tanpa disadari oleh mereka, mempengaruhi pandangan mereka akan tulisan, tema, atau hal lainnya. Juga bisa mengubah pendapat seseorang tentang sebuah masalah. Belakangan, kelompok ini terbagi menjadi dua, pemancar dan penerima.
Pemancar adalah jenis yang bisa mempengaruhi mereka yang mendengarkan sebuah bacaan dan oleh karenanya mampu mempengaruhi persepsi pendengar dan sikap terhadap tulisan yang sedang dibaca. Penerima adalah jenis yang lainnya dan Katherina adalah penerima! Peraturannya pun sangat gampang, jangan baca apapun di hadapan seorang penerima dan menghindari pembacaan yang dilakukan oleh seorang pemancar.
Saat Libri di Luca mengalami serangan pembakaran, Jon mulai mempertimbangkan untuk mengaktifkan dirinya. Tanpa disadarinya, Jon juga memiliki kemampuan itu. Kemampuan tersebut sangat membantu profesinya sebagai pengacara, terutama saat membacakan argumentasi penutupnya di pengadilan. Argumentasi penutupnya selalu memukau. Presentasinya ditulis kata demi kata dan sangat jarang menyimpang.
Konflik dengan salah satu klien terbesar di firmanya membuat Jon diberhentikan, hal ini memicu kenginannya untuk mengaktifkan dirinya. Proses mengaktifkan diri Jon, disebut juga Seance, nyaris menghancurkan ruang bawah tanah Libri di Luca. Kemampuan yang berada di dalam dirinya ternyata melebihi apa yang diperkirakan orang-orang, bahkan melebihi kemampuan yang dimiliki ayahnya.
Belakangan, Jon, Katherin dan Iversen menemukan adanya sebuah organisasi selain Perkumpulan Pencinta Buku yang sering bertemu di Libra di Luca. Organisasi tersebut dikenal dengan nama Organisasi Bayangan. Yaitu sebuah kelompok yang berjalan rahasia, di dalam bayangan.organisasi ini berbeda dengan Perkumpulan Pencinta Buku, para anggotanya terus menggunakan kekuatan mereka untuk aksi kejahatan atau setidaknya untuk memuaskan keinginan mereka sendiri.
Sebagai salah satu toko buku antik tertua di kopenhagen, Libri di Luca menjadi incaran Organisasi Bayangan. Buku-buku yang terdapat disana tidak hanya memiliki nilai sentimentil untuk seseorang penggemar buku. Mereka juga telah diisi energi menurut Luca bisa dialokasikan di dalam bangunan tersebut
Saat Jon berada di Mesir, ia mendapat informasi mengetahuai asal kekuatan keluarganya. Kisahnya dimulai dari perpustakaan yang ada di Alexandria, Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Selama lebih dari 700 tahun, perpuastakaan tersebut juga menjadi surga bagi pendidikan dan ilmu pengetahuan. Namun beberapa kejadian seperti Peperangan Alexandria, yang melibatkan Caesar, peperangan sehubungan dengan Cleopatra, serta perampokan telah mengosongkan isi perpustakaan
Demetrius, seorang filsuf, negarawan, penasehat dan kepala pustakawan pertama yang menyadari dan melakukan penelitian kekuatan tersebut. Dengan cepat ia menyadari apa yang sedang ditelitinya dan ia merahasiakan pengetahuan tentang kekuatan tersebut, dan mulai mendirikan organisasi. Saat itu organisasi berupa perkumpulan rahasia bagi mereka yang telah diaktifkan.
Dengan hancurnya perpustakaan, Alexandria juga kehilangan statusnya sebagai pusat pendidikan dan ilmu pengetahuan. Karena organisasi tersebut harus berada di tempat kemajuan sedang berkembang, maka perkumpulan itu pun pecah dan anggotanya menyebar ke seluruh dunia, mendirikan perkumpulan setempat, beberapa pegi ke Italia, disanakah cikal bakal kemampuan keluarga Jon berasal.
Thomas Armstrong dalam buku �7 Kinds of Smart: Menemukan dan Meningkatkan Kecerdasan Anda� mengemukan mengenai berbagai macam kecerdasan manusia. Salah satunya adalah kecerdasan linguistik/World Smart, yaitu kemampuan untuk menggunakan kata-kata secara efektif . Ciri-cirinya antara lain menikmati membaca buku, mengeja kata-kata dengan mudah, serta mempunyai kosakata yang luas. Jika mengacu pada hal ini, maka seseorang yang cenderung memiliki kecerdasan linguistik/World Smart, sangat berpotensi menjadi seorang Lector.
Bayangkan berapa banyak lector yang ada di dunia serta apa akibatnya jika mereka menyalahgunakan kekuatan tersebut. Maka kalimat yang berbunyi � Di tangan para Lector, sebuah buku bisa menjadi alat untuk membunuh manusia� sepertinya tidak berlebihan.Di sisi lain, sebuah buku cerita mengenai Pinokio dalam Bahasa Italia telah menyelamatkan nyawa Jon, Katherina dan Muhammad.
Selanjutnya bagaimana karier Jon sebagai pengacara? Apa hubungan antara Jon, klien terbesar firma hukumnya dengan Libri di Luca ? Lalu bantuan seeprti apa yang diberikan Muhammad, imigran ahli teknologi informasi dalam upaya menyelamatkan Jon? Serta apa peranan UNESCO dalam kasus ini?
Sepertinya anda harus mencari tahu sendiri dengan membaca buku ini^_^
January 31, 2023
I began this book almost a year ago then half way through I got kind of side tracked and read a lot of Adelaide Writer’s Week books and many others and I sort of forgot about it. I’m not sure if this had an affect on how I felt abut this as I found it rather confusing despite really wanting to like it?
It’s translated from the Danish by Tina Nunnally. A lot of the reviews here I’m assuming are Danish. It’s about a beautiful antiquarian bookshop but a very different bookshop called Libri di Luca owned by Luca Campelli. It’s very difficult to describe the story but if you like a touch of fantasy and intrigue you would enjoy it. One part stating how he would take a book a hold it to his chest and breathe in its smell did resonate with me! I’ve done that often in old book shops and in the old University library I used to work in also my very old public library in Scotland. Sadly that is no longer there demolished not to be replaced by one of those awful modern ones.
Something very strange happens to Luca on this first night he’s back in his shop after being away a week. He dies a very violent death and his son Jon inherits the shop. Jon hasn’t been back to the shop for 20 years after his mother died.
An arson attempt happens not long after his fathers death and Jon wants to learn more of why and if it’s related to his fathers past. He becomes close to Katherine vehicle worked in the shop. The bookshop has been a secret meeting place of a society of book lovers and readers who have kept a tradition of great power passed down from the great library of Alexandria. Someone is trying to destroy their power and Jon and his new found friends are in danger. I’ve never read the Da Vinci Code but did see the movie and this has a touch of the same intrigue in this story.
It’s translated from the Danish by Tina Nunnally. A lot of the reviews here I’m assuming are Danish. It’s about a beautiful antiquarian bookshop but a very different bookshop called Libri di Luca owned by Luca Campelli. It’s very difficult to describe the story but if you like a touch of fantasy and intrigue you would enjoy it. One part stating how he would take a book a hold it to his chest and breathe in its smell did resonate with me! I’ve done that often in old book shops and in the old University library I used to work in also my very old public library in Scotland. Sadly that is no longer there demolished not to be replaced by one of those awful modern ones.
Something very strange happens to Luca on this first night he’s back in his shop after being away a week. He dies a very violent death and his son Jon inherits the shop. Jon hasn’t been back to the shop for 20 years after his mother died.
An arson attempt happens not long after his fathers death and Jon wants to learn more of why and if it’s related to his fathers past. He becomes close to Katherine vehicle worked in the shop. The bookshop has been a secret meeting place of a society of book lovers and readers who have kept a tradition of great power passed down from the great library of Alexandria. Someone is trying to destroy their power and Jon and his new found friends are in danger. I’ve never read the Da Vinci Code but did see the movie and this has a touch of the same intrigue in this story.
January 13, 2010
Mungkin saya termasuk salah satu orang yang tidak bisa lepas dari buku. Buku adalah penghibur, pembuka jendela ilmu, penuntun khayalan yang tak berbatas, sampai yang sederhana: sebagai pengisi waktu saat harus menunggu atau mengantri.
Tapi bagaimana jika kegiatan membaca buku ternyata tidak sekadar menikmati sebuah cerita? Bagaimana jika buku yang kaubaca keras-keras bisa memengaruhi orang yang mendengarnya hingga mau menuruti keinginanmu? Sebaliknya, bagaimana jika kau, sebagai pendengar, bisa memengaruhi orang yang sedang membaca, untuk berpikir sesuai keinginanmu?
Ide menarik ini dilontarkan Mikkel Birkegaard dalam novel perdananya, Libri di Luca. Dia menggambarkan bahwa di sekeliling kita bertebaran orang-orang dengan kemampuan seperti tersebut di atas, para Lector yang terbagi menjadi dua kelompok, pemancar dan penerima.
Tokoh utama dalam buku ini, Jon Campelli, dihadapkan pada fakta mengejutkan tersebut, ketika mewarisi toko buku antik dari ayahnya yang meninggal secara tak wajar. Ayahnya adalah seorang pemancar hebat, dan tidak diragukan lagi, bakat itu pun mengalir dalam darah Jon, seorang pengacara handal yang awalnya skeptis pada hal-hal 'tak masuk akal' seperti itu.
Dengan bantuan teman-teman ayahnya, Jon mulai memasuki dunia rahasia para Lector, menguak kenyataan pahit yang membuat ayahnya mengasingkan dia selama dua puluh tahun, sampai menyelidiki penyebab kematian ayahnya. Penyelidikan yang pada akhirnya mempertemukan Jon dengan kelompok Lector yang ingin menguasai dunia, dengan kemampuan mereka memengaruhi orang lewat bacaan.
Menarik karena Birkegaard mengaitkan ide ini dengan fakta sejarah ketika para Pustakawan menempati posisi terhormat di Alexandria. Dengan perpustakaan Bibliothica Alexandrina yang menakjubkan, Alexandria di Mesir menjadi pusat ilmu pengetahuan dunia ribuan tahun yang lalu. Sekilas mengingatkan saya pada novel Da Vinci Code, yang juga memadukan fiksi dan sejarah secara apik.
Ketegangan cerita yang terbangun perlahan-lahan hingga memuncak di bagian akhir, cukup membuat penasaran walaupun kita sudah bisa menebak siapa yang akan menang. Seperti khasnya cerita thriller, kejutannya adalah orang-orang yang disangka teman ternyata adalah musuh, atau sebaliknya.
Tokoh utama juga tidak dibiarkan kering tanpa sentuhan kisah cinta. Meskipun klise, tampaknya plot percintaan di antara peperangan tetap menjadi bumbu penyedap andalan yang gurih.
Sayangnya, saya sedikit terganggu dengan terjemahan (atau penyuntingan?) yang terasa kurang mulus. Pemakaian akhiran -kan serta penggunaan kata ganti 'ia' untuk kata benda yang kurang pas cukup sering saya temui. Saya juga menemukan 'makanan saji cepat' dan 'langit biru dalam' yang mungkin maksudnya 'makanan cepat saji' dan 'langit biru gelap' ?
Namun, terlepas dari itu, Libri di Luca adalah bacaan lezat yang berhasil membuat saya makin mengagumi kekuatan yang terkandung dalam sebuah buku. Sekaligus, jadi sedikit berhati-hati jika bertemu orang yang sangat pandai membacakan cerita dari buku, sampai membuat pendengarnya terbuai :)
Tapi bagaimana jika kegiatan membaca buku ternyata tidak sekadar menikmati sebuah cerita? Bagaimana jika buku yang kaubaca keras-keras bisa memengaruhi orang yang mendengarnya hingga mau menuruti keinginanmu? Sebaliknya, bagaimana jika kau, sebagai pendengar, bisa memengaruhi orang yang sedang membaca, untuk berpikir sesuai keinginanmu?
Ide menarik ini dilontarkan Mikkel Birkegaard dalam novel perdananya, Libri di Luca. Dia menggambarkan bahwa di sekeliling kita bertebaran orang-orang dengan kemampuan seperti tersebut di atas, para Lector yang terbagi menjadi dua kelompok, pemancar dan penerima.
Tokoh utama dalam buku ini, Jon Campelli, dihadapkan pada fakta mengejutkan tersebut, ketika mewarisi toko buku antik dari ayahnya yang meninggal secara tak wajar. Ayahnya adalah seorang pemancar hebat, dan tidak diragukan lagi, bakat itu pun mengalir dalam darah Jon, seorang pengacara handal yang awalnya skeptis pada hal-hal 'tak masuk akal' seperti itu.
Dengan bantuan teman-teman ayahnya, Jon mulai memasuki dunia rahasia para Lector, menguak kenyataan pahit yang membuat ayahnya mengasingkan dia selama dua puluh tahun, sampai menyelidiki penyebab kematian ayahnya. Penyelidikan yang pada akhirnya mempertemukan Jon dengan kelompok Lector yang ingin menguasai dunia, dengan kemampuan mereka memengaruhi orang lewat bacaan.
Menarik karena Birkegaard mengaitkan ide ini dengan fakta sejarah ketika para Pustakawan menempati posisi terhormat di Alexandria. Dengan perpustakaan Bibliothica Alexandrina yang menakjubkan, Alexandria di Mesir menjadi pusat ilmu pengetahuan dunia ribuan tahun yang lalu. Sekilas mengingatkan saya pada novel Da Vinci Code, yang juga memadukan fiksi dan sejarah secara apik.
Ketegangan cerita yang terbangun perlahan-lahan hingga memuncak di bagian akhir, cukup membuat penasaran walaupun kita sudah bisa menebak siapa yang akan menang. Seperti khasnya cerita thriller, kejutannya adalah orang-orang yang disangka teman ternyata adalah musuh, atau sebaliknya.
Tokoh utama juga tidak dibiarkan kering tanpa sentuhan kisah cinta. Meskipun klise, tampaknya plot percintaan di antara peperangan tetap menjadi bumbu penyedap andalan yang gurih.
Sayangnya, saya sedikit terganggu dengan terjemahan (atau penyuntingan?) yang terasa kurang mulus. Pemakaian akhiran -kan serta penggunaan kata ganti 'ia' untuk kata benda yang kurang pas cukup sering saya temui. Saya juga menemukan 'makanan saji cepat' dan 'langit biru dalam' yang mungkin maksudnya 'makanan cepat saji' dan 'langit biru gelap' ?
Namun, terlepas dari itu, Libri di Luca adalah bacaan lezat yang berhasil membuat saya makin mengagumi kekuatan yang terkandung dalam sebuah buku. Sekaligus, jadi sedikit berhati-hati jika bertemu orang yang sangat pandai membacakan cerita dari buku, sampai membuat pendengarnya terbuai :)
June 14, 2009
To my surprise, this book turned out to be a fantasy! The plot is about a fight between two groups of readers with superpower or Lectors.
The protagonist is a lawyer with no interest in book business until his father, a well-respected shopowner, died (murdered). He inherits the shop and discovers a new secret world, in which reading has the power to alter people's mind. Lectors were divided into 2 groups after an incident in his family. And now, when they were close to unite again, violent actions and even murder began to happen again.
The storyline is simple. You discover the system, learn the power, find love and then you fight. End of story.
What I like is the way the writer describes the power-using scenes. The flow of the story which the reader can alter to a certain extent, the charge of old books, the way that each book has its own sound---all these are trivias that I, as a book-lover, enjoy very much. Really imaginative.
This book reminds me a little bit of Inkheart, in which the girl can bring the character she read out from the novel. Anyway, I think Library of Shadows is better in details and narrative.
The only flaw (the reason why I gave it 3 instead of 4 stars) is that the good guys are so naive, so optimistic and...chicken. Hard to believe that someone with superpower can all be this humble and naive. I wonder how they survive this long.
The protagonist is a lawyer with no interest in book business until his father, a well-respected shopowner, died (murdered). He inherits the shop and discovers a new secret world, in which reading has the power to alter people's mind. Lectors were divided into 2 groups after an incident in his family. And now, when they were close to unite again, violent actions and even murder began to happen again.
The storyline is simple. You discover the system, learn the power, find love and then you fight. End of story.
What I like is the way the writer describes the power-using scenes. The flow of the story which the reader can alter to a certain extent, the charge of old books, the way that each book has its own sound---all these are trivias that I, as a book-lover, enjoy very much. Really imaginative.
This book reminds me a little bit of Inkheart, in which the girl can bring the character she read out from the novel. Anyway, I think Library of Shadows is better in details and narrative.
The only flaw (the reason why I gave it 3 instead of 4 stars) is that the good guys are so naive, so optimistic and...chicken. Hard to believe that someone with superpower can all be this humble and naive. I wonder how they survive this long.
January 4, 2010
Buku memang mempunyai kekuatan yang dapat menjadi dahsyat. Buku dapat membawa kita bahagia, marah, sedih, hingga tergugu bercucuran air mata. Buku bahkan dapat membawa kita melompat menjadi bagian dari plot cerita sebagai pelaku. Buku tertentu pun dapat membuat kita serasa ingin cepat-cepat mengetahui akhir cerita sekaligus berlambat-lambat menahan diri karena tak ingin segera berpisah.
Pertama mulai membaca buku ini hingga ke pertengahan, saya membayangkan GRI menjadi suatu perkumpulan pemancar dan penerima. Dalam bentuk sederhana, yang satu membantu yang lain untuk berkonsentrasi pada cerita dan memperkuat arti bacaan. Sementara yang lain, dengan bacaannya mampu mempengaruhi calon pembaca lainnya untuk turut terjun dalam indahnya suatu cerita. Sederhananya barangkali ini terjadi melalui review-review yang ditulis.
Namun semakin mendekati ke akhir cerita, sama seperti Jon Campelli yang mengalami kebingungan antara kebenaran organisasi bayangan dan bibliophilia society, saya pun menjadi ragu untuk mempertahankan pemikiran saya tadi.
Ya... pada akhirnya buat saya, membaca adalah suatu kesenangan dan bukan paksaan. Tetaplah bahwa hanya cerita menarik bagi saya yang mampu menarik mata ini untuk terus membaca, membawa hati ini untuk lebur ke dalam cerita. Biarlah jika sesekali suatu buku tak hendak saya selesaikan dan biarlah pula jika sesekali saya tak mengindahkan review yang begitu menarik bagi orang lain. Karena waktu saya hanyalah milik saya.....
Tambahan:
Buku yang bercerita tentang buku dan perpustakaan seharusnya dicetak pada kertas yang lebih baik sebagai penghargaan. Karena dari kisah seperti ini, tumbuh dan mekarlah kecintaan terhadap buku.......
Pertama mulai membaca buku ini hingga ke pertengahan, saya membayangkan GRI menjadi suatu perkumpulan pemancar dan penerima. Dalam bentuk sederhana, yang satu membantu yang lain untuk berkonsentrasi pada cerita dan memperkuat arti bacaan. Sementara yang lain, dengan bacaannya mampu mempengaruhi calon pembaca lainnya untuk turut terjun dalam indahnya suatu cerita. Sederhananya barangkali ini terjadi melalui review-review yang ditulis.
Namun semakin mendekati ke akhir cerita, sama seperti Jon Campelli yang mengalami kebingungan antara kebenaran organisasi bayangan dan bibliophilia society, saya pun menjadi ragu untuk mempertahankan pemikiran saya tadi.
Ya... pada akhirnya buat saya, membaca adalah suatu kesenangan dan bukan paksaan. Tetaplah bahwa hanya cerita menarik bagi saya yang mampu menarik mata ini untuk terus membaca, membawa hati ini untuk lebur ke dalam cerita. Biarlah jika sesekali suatu buku tak hendak saya selesaikan dan biarlah pula jika sesekali saya tak mengindahkan review yang begitu menarik bagi orang lain. Karena waktu saya hanyalah milik saya.....
Tambahan:
Buku yang bercerita tentang buku dan perpustakaan seharusnya dicetak pada kertas yang lebih baik sebagai penghargaan. Karena dari kisah seperti ini, tumbuh dan mekarlah kecintaan terhadap buku.......
November 9, 2019
Ανία και εξωφρενικότητες (αν μπορω να δημιουργήσω τη λέξη).
Ο συγγραφέας απευθύνεται στους απανταχού βιβλιόφιλους που λαχταρούν αναγνώσματα με βιβλιοθήκες γεμάτες παλιά σκονισμένα και σπάνια βιβλία, καλούς και κακούς ή βασανισμένους αναγνώστες και προσπαθεί, ανεπιτυχώς, να μιμηθεί βιβλία του είδους.
Ο ήρωας είναι ένας πολύ επιτυχημένος δικηγόρος, ο οποίος μετατρέπεται εν μία νυκτί σε ιδιοκτήτη παλαιοβιβλιοπωλείου, το οποίο δεν είναι καθόλου αυτό που φαίνεται. Τον εισάγουν σε έναν κόσμο λετόρων, πομπών, δεκτών και εν τέλει σεκτών, για να προσπαθήσει με τις μεγάλες ικανότητες του και τη βοήθεια μιας κοκκινομάλλας δυσλεκτικής, πλην όμως με ιδιαίτερες αναγνωστικές δυνάμεις (περιττό να πούμε επίσης, όμορφης, εξαιρετικού ψυχισμού, ελεύθερης και απολύτως ταιριαστής ηλικίας με τον ήρωα) να σώσει τον κόσμο.
Κατανοείτε περί τίνος ομιλούμε, θαρρώ...
Το αποκορύφωμα ήταν στις τελευταίες από τις 500 σελίδες, όπου την πληρώνει η βιβλιοθήκη της Αλεξάνδρειας, η οποία φιλοξενεί την ξέφρενη φαντασία του συγγραφέα και αναγκάζεται να υποστεί τα πάνδεινα εξωφρενικά και γελοία.
Έκανα αμάν να τελειώσει, αν και audiobook, αν και το χρωμάτιζε ωραία ο Ηρακλής Στρούγκης.
Ε, μα δε μπορεί ο ελέφαντας, επειδή φοράει μίνι, να γίνει Κλώντια Σίφερ...
Ο συγγραφέας απευθύνεται στους απανταχού βιβλιόφιλους που λαχταρούν αναγνώσματα με βιβλιοθήκες γεμάτες παλιά σκονισμένα και σπάνια βιβλία, καλούς και κακούς ή βασανισμένους αναγνώστες και προσπαθεί, ανεπιτυχώς, να μιμηθεί βιβλία του είδους.
Ο ήρωας είναι ένας πολύ επιτυχημένος δικηγόρος, ο οποίος μετατρέπεται εν μία νυκτί σε ιδιοκτήτη παλαιοβιβλιοπωλείου, το οποίο δεν είναι καθόλου αυτό που φαίνεται. Τον εισάγουν σε έναν κόσμο λετόρων, πομπών, δεκτών και εν τέλει σεκτών, για να προσπαθήσει με τις μεγάλες ικανότητες του και τη βοήθεια μιας κοκκινομάλλας δυσλεκτικής, πλην όμως με ιδιαίτερες αναγνωστικές δυνάμεις (περιττό να πούμε επίσης, όμορφης, εξαιρετικού ψυχισμού, ελεύθερης και απολύτως ταιριαστής ηλικίας με τον ήρωα) να σώσει τον κόσμο.
Κατανοείτε περί τίνος ομιλούμε, θαρρώ...
Το αποκορύφωμα ήταν στις τελευταίες από τις 500 σελίδες, όπου την πληρώνει η βιβλιοθήκη της Αλεξάνδρειας, η οποία φιλοξενεί την ξέφρενη φαντασία του συγγραφέα και αναγκάζεται να υποστεί τα πάνδεινα εξωφρενικά και γελοία.
Έκανα αμάν να τελειώσει, αν και audiobook, αν και το χρωμάτιζε ωραία ο Ηρακλής Στρούγκης.
Ε, μα δε μπορεί ο ελέφαντας, επειδή φοράει μίνι, να γίνει Κλώντια Σίφερ...
September 2, 2009
This story was absolutely AMAZING! Also fascinating, spell-binding and heart-poundingly gripping. This is Mr. Birkegaard's first novel and I sincerely hope that we will be treated to another book very soon. It's an outstanding story in which I found myself avidly involved and the postulations are not that far-fetched. By that I mean when I read a book ~ especially one that's got my undivided attention ~ it very much plays like a movie. But that's all I'll say.
Originally published (and of course written) in Danish, I have to give kudos to the translator; she did a fantastic job and the story reads as though it was written in English; smooth and flawless.
Originally published (and of course written) in Danish, I have to give kudos to the translator; she did a fantastic job and the story reads as though it was written in English; smooth and flawless.
December 19, 2016
This book had something of the Da Vinci code and was very promising from the beggining but somehow i was a bit dissapointed by the end of the book.Overally,the concept was very original and powerful but there was something missing.I definately expected more.Nice try mr Birkegaard but i wasn't convinced!!!!!!!
February 15, 2015
Muy bueno! Lo recomiendo. Me gustaría ver este libro llevado al cine. Las imágenes que se describen y los efectos especiales que conllevarian.....
August 29, 2017
Oh, how I love books about books!
September 11, 2018
This book was a good surprise.
What I like the most was his original idea, although it also have great and interesting characters, good descriptions and fast paced action.
What I like the most was his original idea, although it also have great and interesting characters, good descriptions and fast paced action.
August 5, 2020
My general impression of this book for the most part was “maybe it’s the translation, because this book is doing nothing for me.� Another reason why I didn’t have much of a feeling for the book was that the writer has a dyslexic character who plays a pivotal role in the story, but couldn’t be bothered to actually research dyslexia. (The writer seems to believe that dyslexic people are across the board completely unable to learn how to read and need to have magical assistance in order to obtain even *basic comprehension. What was I talking about again? Oh, right; the story and my inability to stay interested in it.)
Our Hero is a young lawyer named Jon Campelli who receives word that his estranged father Luca has died. Luca is the owner of a book store and since Luca had no will, Jon now owns the place since he is the next of kin. It turns out that the books store is the meeting place of a secret organization of people with a peculiar psychic or magical talent. This talent enables them to influence the mind of the person they are reading to aloud. These people refer to themselves as Lectors, and his father was one of them. (It turns out that Jon has been using this ability to influence people during his cases, which is borderline unethical I would think, since he didn’t know he was using the talent in the first place.) It also turns out that Jon is extremely powerful.
After learning a little bit about the Lectors and meeting Our Heroine Katherina, a dyslexic “receiver� Lector who has the ability to amplify and direct the talents of a “transmitter� Lector, Jon discovers that all is not well with this secret organization. There is a rift between the receivers and transmitters that has split the organization in half for the past twenty years. The reason for the rift is that ha number of murders and ‘accident� had possibly been arranged by the receivers. This created a feud, and apparently, no one ever considered the possibility that there might have been another organization that was targeting their organization except for Luca, Jon’s father. Who is now dead and there is a suspicion of murder.
Also, there is a business man who tries to get Jon to give up the book store and when he can’t, gets Jon fired from the firm he was working at.
This was a very dry book for me, and I could not get into it. I could see that there was a lot of interesting ideas but my impression of the writing was of something flat and colorless. I wasn’t very interested in the characters, and I was eternally annoyed by the uncorrected misperceptions of dyslexia. (At one point, Our Hero makes a comment to the effect that a dyslexic book store clerk would be useless. At another point Katherina is narrated as saying that she was completely unable to read–at all.) This book will possibly be more interesting to someone who doesn’t get terminally annoyed when a writer goofs up learning disabilities, or someone who does not mind not very interesting descriptions of a court case.
*The Reviewer understands that there is a variation in severity for dyslexia and that some dyslexics can’t read at all. The Reviewer however is not certain that The Writer knows this.
Our Hero is a young lawyer named Jon Campelli who receives word that his estranged father Luca has died. Luca is the owner of a book store and since Luca had no will, Jon now owns the place since he is the next of kin. It turns out that the books store is the meeting place of a secret organization of people with a peculiar psychic or magical talent. This talent enables them to influence the mind of the person they are reading to aloud. These people refer to themselves as Lectors, and his father was one of them. (It turns out that Jon has been using this ability to influence people during his cases, which is borderline unethical I would think, since he didn’t know he was using the talent in the first place.) It also turns out that Jon is extremely powerful.
After learning a little bit about the Lectors and meeting Our Heroine Katherina, a dyslexic “receiver� Lector who has the ability to amplify and direct the talents of a “transmitter� Lector, Jon discovers that all is not well with this secret organization. There is a rift between the receivers and transmitters that has split the organization in half for the past twenty years. The reason for the rift is that ha number of murders and ‘accident� had possibly been arranged by the receivers. This created a feud, and apparently, no one ever considered the possibility that there might have been another organization that was targeting their organization except for Luca, Jon’s father. Who is now dead and there is a suspicion of murder.
Also, there is a business man who tries to get Jon to give up the book store and when he can’t, gets Jon fired from the firm he was working at.
This was a very dry book for me, and I could not get into it. I could see that there was a lot of interesting ideas but my impression of the writing was of something flat and colorless. I wasn’t very interested in the characters, and I was eternally annoyed by the uncorrected misperceptions of dyslexia. (At one point, Our Hero makes a comment to the effect that a dyslexic book store clerk would be useless. At another point Katherina is narrated as saying that she was completely unable to read–at all.) This book will possibly be more interesting to someone who doesn’t get terminally annoyed when a writer goofs up learning disabilities, or someone who does not mind not very interesting descriptions of a court case.
*The Reviewer understands that there is a variation in severity for dyslexia and that some dyslexics can’t read at all. The Reviewer however is not certain that The Writer knows this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 25, 2010
buku yang berbeda dari buku yang ada selama ini, buku yang bercerita tentang buku. dan buku yang seakan ditulis olah seorang pembaca, bukan seorang penulis seperti yang kita temukan pada buku-buku kebanyakan.
mengapa buku ini ditulis oleh seorang pembaca? karena pencerita mampu 'menggenggam' pembaca dan mempertahankan na untuk tetap mengikuti bacaan yang ada di hadapan na. seakan memahami sungguh dimana titik bosan atau titik lelah pembaca dan ketika pembaca siap untuk menutup buku untuk beristirahat sejenak... maka pencerita menaikan tempo cerita atau membuat pernyataan-pernyataan yang menggugah rasa ingin tahu pembaca untuk melanjutkan kembali membaca na, tanpa merasa lelah tentu saja. kemampuan yang hebat.
rasa inilah yang juga diangkat oleh pencerita dalam buku na. bahwa membaca bisa menjadi hal yang berbahaya. 'pemancar' yang mempengaruhi orang dengan bacaan na dan 'penerima' yang mempengaruhi orang dengan memainkan emosi pembaca. kemampuan ini mengantarkan jon pada konspirasi besar yang lebih dari sekedar kelompok pembaca. kepada orang-orang yang berusaha menguasai dunia dengan kemampuan baca na.
buku bukan merupakan sesuatu yang pasif tetapi dapat digunakan sebagai senjata (dalam hal ini bukan hanya sekedar buat nimpuk kepala orang) tergantung siapa yang memegang na. bahkan... jika ada senjata api maupun senjata biologis untuk menyiksa orang, buku dapat menjadi alat yang lebih mematikan tanpa ketahuan. memungkinkan juga untuk digunakan sebagai alat penyiksa jika diperlukan, pengganti siksaan-siksaan fisik untuk mencuci otak seseorang. sungguh-sungguh imajinasi yang terbentuk dari pembaca. kembali lagi... penulis yang menempatakan diri sebagai pembaca.
saat kita membaca maka banyak bagian otak yang diaktifkan. membaca adalah kombinasi dari mengenali simbol dan pola, menghubungkn na dengan suara dan mengumpulkan na menjadi suku kata sampai akhir na kita mampu menginterpretasikan arti sebuah kata
wawasan baru bukan, ternyata membaca bukan sekedar memahami atau menikmati isi bacaan. membaca melatih otak, proses yang berkesinambungan sampai si pembaca memahami maksud dari isi bacaan yang dia baca.
untuk itulah kisah ini layak dapat bintang 4. hanya saja... 1 bintang terpaksa diambil lagi karena 'kekacauan' (menurut anggapan rhe, pada editorial ma pemilihan kata untuk terjemahan na) pada buku na. karena membaca adalah menghubungkan simbol, jadi kesalahan ketik yang sering terjadi di dalam na sangat mengacau tempo membaca. seakan ada sandungan kecil ketika kita mulai berjalan dah menemukan tempo na. harus kembali menyesuaikan tempo ulang cz sandungan tadi. bahkan ada nama salah satu tokoh (bukan sentral) yang mengalami kesalahan penyebutan. pufh.... kecerobohan kecil yang mengganggu.
...hadir dalam debu rak-rak buku, di balik bayangan antara lemari buku, dan udara yang enggan bersirkulasi...
March 15, 2015
Questo romanzo è una cretinata a trecentosessanta gradi. Nonostante il tema affrontato sia assai diverso, probabilmente per il tipo di scrittura Birkegaard si è ispirato a Dan Brown o a Faletti. O meglio, a Dan Brown o a Faletti quando andavano in prima elementare, ammesso e non concesso che l’abbiano mai frequentata. Personalmente, dati i successivi risultati letterari, propendo per il no. Figuratevi dunque cosa può essere lo stile.
Anche a voler tentare un minimo di commento, almeno sui contenuti, non saprei proprio da che parte cominciare, visto che la storia fa acqua da tutte le parti e che i personaggi sono più piatti del Giudice Morton di “Chi ha incastrato Roger Rabbit� dopo che è stato fatto passare sotto lo schiacciasassi.
Non mi riesce neppure di tirare fuori qualche spiritosaggine al riguardo, benché queste “ciofeche� di solito stimolino la mia vena comica. Credo che se mi sottoponessero ad un esame elettroencefalografico mentre ripenso a questo romanzo, il risultato sarebbe una linea retta che più retta di così non potrebbe essere.
Che dire? Ormai pubblicano proprio tutti, compresi “cani e porci�. E non è mica tanto bella questa cosa. Che le persone stiano gradualmente disimparando a scrivere già l’avevo capito. Persino qui, su aNobii, un luogo in cui ci aspetterebbe che la frequentazione quotidiana della lettura fosse di stimolo per esprimersi meglio, mi sono imbattuta in commenti con errori grammaticali e sintattici da far accartocciare le orecchie. Ma che la mediocrità espressiva potesse addirittura arrivare a godere dello status di normalità mi intristisce molto.
Al primo che sento ancora parlare male de “I promessi sposi� giuro che sparo addosso una sventagliata di mitra. “Uomo avvisato, mezzo salvato� dice il proverbio. Dunque, state in guardia, marrani.
:-)
Anche a voler tentare un minimo di commento, almeno sui contenuti, non saprei proprio da che parte cominciare, visto che la storia fa acqua da tutte le parti e che i personaggi sono più piatti del Giudice Morton di “Chi ha incastrato Roger Rabbit� dopo che è stato fatto passare sotto lo schiacciasassi.
Non mi riesce neppure di tirare fuori qualche spiritosaggine al riguardo, benché queste “ciofeche� di solito stimolino la mia vena comica. Credo che se mi sottoponessero ad un esame elettroencefalografico mentre ripenso a questo romanzo, il risultato sarebbe una linea retta che più retta di così non potrebbe essere.
Che dire? Ormai pubblicano proprio tutti, compresi “cani e porci�. E non è mica tanto bella questa cosa. Che le persone stiano gradualmente disimparando a scrivere già l’avevo capito. Persino qui, su aNobii, un luogo in cui ci aspetterebbe che la frequentazione quotidiana della lettura fosse di stimolo per esprimersi meglio, mi sono imbattuta in commenti con errori grammaticali e sintattici da far accartocciare le orecchie. Ma che la mediocrità espressiva potesse addirittura arrivare a godere dello status di normalità mi intristisce molto.
Al primo che sento ancora parlare male de “I promessi sposi� giuro che sparo addosso una sventagliata di mitra. “Uomo avvisato, mezzo salvato� dice il proverbio. Dunque, state in guardia, marrani.
:-)
February 20, 2016
Wow! It took me a long time to get though this book!
Well, The Library of Shadows has such an interesting premise. The main character's father Luca mysteriously dies. He was an owner of a second-hand bookshop that our main character Jon inherits (oh, isn't that the dream of every bookworm?). But John is a quite succesful lawyer who hadn't seen his father in years and thus has no interest in the bookshop. Soon he finds out that there is much more to books than he ever expected.
In the society there are people that can enhance the reading experience. So called transmitters can influence people who listen to their reading, then we have receivers who can enhance the reading experience of the reader. This is amazing, right?
But I am so sad that the book didn't meet its potential. It could have been such an amazing story but it was a very mediocre story set in an interesting world. I also think the book could have been 150 shorter as it dragged quite a bit but of course, the book was long as heck but the ending was rushed! Just, why??
There was one more problem I had. I didn't get to know any characters, they just felt flat and I didn't feel for them. Besides, Jon is really frustrating, he accepts everything that happens to him... okay, your father died mysteriously... what could you possibly do? You found out that reading is basically magical process. Oh, that seems cool and totally plausible... You lost your job... well, there is nothing I can do about it - HE WAS JUST FRUSTRATING.
On the other hand I have to admit that the idea behind this book is unexpectedly unique for a debut novel.
Well, The Library of Shadows has such an interesting premise. The main character's father Luca mysteriously dies. He was an owner of a second-hand bookshop that our main character Jon inherits (oh, isn't that the dream of every bookworm?). But John is a quite succesful lawyer who hadn't seen his father in years and thus has no interest in the bookshop. Soon he finds out that there is much more to books than he ever expected.
In the society there are people that can enhance the reading experience. So called transmitters can influence people who listen to their reading, then we have receivers who can enhance the reading experience of the reader. This is amazing, right?
But I am so sad that the book didn't meet its potential. It could have been such an amazing story but it was a very mediocre story set in an interesting world. I also think the book could have been 150 shorter as it dragged quite a bit but of course, the book was long as heck but the ending was rushed! Just, why??
There was one more problem I had. I didn't get to know any characters, they just felt flat and I didn't feel for them. Besides, Jon is really frustrating, he accepts everything that happens to him... okay, your father died mysteriously... what could you possibly do? You found out that reading is basically magical process. Oh, that seems cool and totally plausible... You lost your job... well, there is nothing I can do about it - HE WAS JUST FRUSTRATING.
On the other hand I have to admit that the idea behind this book is unexpectedly unique for a debut novel.
July 23, 2014
Very entertaining thriller about books as magic. Set mostly in today's Copenhagen and featuring Lectors who really transform books and reading into magic, the novel is a page turner with very endearing characters and a very clean and readable style.
Fairly predictable in plot and with without too many nuances, heroes being heroic and villains being villainous so to speak, the novel succeeds because of its "book worship" setting and the endearing characters.
Highly recommended for any book lover and after it you will see the act of reading with different eyes
July 29, 2015
Me encantó el suspenso en cada término e inicio de los capítulos. Uno de los libros que te atrapa y sorprende desde principio a fin con tremendo concepto.
August 11, 2012
Toute personne passionnée par les livres s’est sans aucun doute posé, un jour, la question du pouvoir de la lecture. Et si elle était capable d’emporter les gens bien plus loin qu’ils ne le pensent ? Et de créer des évènements aussi terribles qu’inexplicables.
Dans la libraire des ombres, Mikkel Birkegaard nous emmène dans un monde fascinant, où certains personnages ont des capacités qui leur permettent d’influencer la perception des autres lorsqu’ils lisent, un pouvoir tout simplement exceptionnel. Mais qui dit pouvoir dit aussi bien souvent lutte pour la puissance, et de telles capacités peuvent bien sût être utilisées à mauvais escient.
C’est ce que Jon découvrira à la mort de son père, un libraire qu’il n’a pas vu depuis de nombreuses années. En se rendant à sa librairie, il découvrira l’existence de la société secrète à laquelle son père a consacré sa vie, et se retrouvera bien malgré lui entraîné dans une lutte pour la justice et la sécurité de tous.
Bien que le mystère domine dans ce roman � d’où sa classification parmi les policiers � il n’est pas si facile de le classer dans un genre bien défini. Entre enquête, histoire d’amour et éléments fantastiques, La librairie des ombres est un mélange incroyable qui ne cessera de nous étonner.
Nous entrons doucement dans l’histoire en suivant Jon, que nous apprenons à connaître, ainsi que sa vie, sa carrière d’avocat, et quelques personnages importants � qui joueront d’ailleurs par la suite un rôle capital dans l’intrigue. A la mort de son père, Jon découvre un monde entièrement nouveau, dont il ignorait complètement l’existence, étant donné qu’il n’avait pas eu de contact avec lui depuis bien longtemps. C’est avec émerveillement que tout passionné de livres entrera dans la librairie Libri di Luca, parcourra les longs rayons chargés de volumes anciens et rares, ressentira l’ambiance de la société secrète et découvrira petit à petit les incroyables pouvoirs des lettore.
Petit à petit, toutefois, et de manière presque imperceptible, on basculera dans le côté sombre de cette communauté réduite. Tout le monde ne veut pas faire le bien grâce à ses pouvoirs, et l’existence de la société est en danger, tout comme chacun de ses membres. Comment, dans un univers qu’il découvre à peine et dont il a encore tant à apprendre, Jon pourra-t-il mener son enquête et résoudre les mystères qui entourent la mort de son père ? Heureusement, il a l’aide de plusieurs personnes de confiance qui, à mesure de l’intrigue, deviennent de plus en plus attachants. Mais les morts s’enchaînent, et il faut faire vite. Et si l’un d’eux était en réalité un traître ?
Le roman est très bien ficelé, alternant les scènes rapides et pleines de surprises de l’enquête, les descriptions des personnages et des lieux et les informations sur les lettore. Ainsi, nous avançons sans pouvoir nous arrêter, comme si l’un de ces personnages aux pouvoirs incroyables agissait sur nous. On est porté à soupçonner tout le monde, tour à tour, mais les retournements de situation s’enchaînent, rendant ce jeu de devinettes relativement difficile. Certains éléments m’ont toutefois paru relativement faciles à comprendre, et j’ai été quelque peu déçue de vérifier un certain nombre de mes hypothèses�
Déception qui s’est vite envolée pour laisser place à l’admiration. Bien que le mystère ait été en grande partie dévoilé avant la fin, le suspense n’en devient pas moindre, et l’issue de la société reste incertaine jusqu’� la fin, qui m’a d’ailleurs réellement transportée. Je ne lisais pas les derniers chapitres, je les vivais littéralement aux côtés des personnages.
La plume de Mikkel Birkegaard y est certainement pour quelque chose. Simple, mais doté d’un vocabulaire recherché, rythmé par des dialogues et des descriptions, le tout avec des belles phrases bien construites, son style est un pur délice. A se demander si une telle société de lettore n’existerait pas réellement, et serait à vos côtés, en train de vous ensorceler pour que vous viviez réellement cette aventure.
A en juger par la traduction, le roman est tout simplement magnifique et à lire pour tous, dès l’adolescence. Entre fantastique et mystère, une histoire qui changera peut-être votre point de vue sur la lecture et qui vous fera réfléchir sur le pouvoir.
Dans la libraire des ombres, Mikkel Birkegaard nous emmène dans un monde fascinant, où certains personnages ont des capacités qui leur permettent d’influencer la perception des autres lorsqu’ils lisent, un pouvoir tout simplement exceptionnel. Mais qui dit pouvoir dit aussi bien souvent lutte pour la puissance, et de telles capacités peuvent bien sût être utilisées à mauvais escient.
C’est ce que Jon découvrira à la mort de son père, un libraire qu’il n’a pas vu depuis de nombreuses années. En se rendant à sa librairie, il découvrira l’existence de la société secrète à laquelle son père a consacré sa vie, et se retrouvera bien malgré lui entraîné dans une lutte pour la justice et la sécurité de tous.
Bien que le mystère domine dans ce roman � d’où sa classification parmi les policiers � il n’est pas si facile de le classer dans un genre bien défini. Entre enquête, histoire d’amour et éléments fantastiques, La librairie des ombres est un mélange incroyable qui ne cessera de nous étonner.
Nous entrons doucement dans l’histoire en suivant Jon, que nous apprenons à connaître, ainsi que sa vie, sa carrière d’avocat, et quelques personnages importants � qui joueront d’ailleurs par la suite un rôle capital dans l’intrigue. A la mort de son père, Jon découvre un monde entièrement nouveau, dont il ignorait complètement l’existence, étant donné qu’il n’avait pas eu de contact avec lui depuis bien longtemps. C’est avec émerveillement que tout passionné de livres entrera dans la librairie Libri di Luca, parcourra les longs rayons chargés de volumes anciens et rares, ressentira l’ambiance de la société secrète et découvrira petit à petit les incroyables pouvoirs des lettore.
Petit à petit, toutefois, et de manière presque imperceptible, on basculera dans le côté sombre de cette communauté réduite. Tout le monde ne veut pas faire le bien grâce à ses pouvoirs, et l’existence de la société est en danger, tout comme chacun de ses membres. Comment, dans un univers qu’il découvre à peine et dont il a encore tant à apprendre, Jon pourra-t-il mener son enquête et résoudre les mystères qui entourent la mort de son père ? Heureusement, il a l’aide de plusieurs personnes de confiance qui, à mesure de l’intrigue, deviennent de plus en plus attachants. Mais les morts s’enchaînent, et il faut faire vite. Et si l’un d’eux était en réalité un traître ?
Le roman est très bien ficelé, alternant les scènes rapides et pleines de surprises de l’enquête, les descriptions des personnages et des lieux et les informations sur les lettore. Ainsi, nous avançons sans pouvoir nous arrêter, comme si l’un de ces personnages aux pouvoirs incroyables agissait sur nous. On est porté à soupçonner tout le monde, tour à tour, mais les retournements de situation s’enchaînent, rendant ce jeu de devinettes relativement difficile. Certains éléments m’ont toutefois paru relativement faciles à comprendre, et j’ai été quelque peu déçue de vérifier un certain nombre de mes hypothèses�
Déception qui s’est vite envolée pour laisser place à l’admiration. Bien que le mystère ait été en grande partie dévoilé avant la fin, le suspense n’en devient pas moindre, et l’issue de la société reste incertaine jusqu’� la fin, qui m’a d’ailleurs réellement transportée. Je ne lisais pas les derniers chapitres, je les vivais littéralement aux côtés des personnages.
La plume de Mikkel Birkegaard y est certainement pour quelque chose. Simple, mais doté d’un vocabulaire recherché, rythmé par des dialogues et des descriptions, le tout avec des belles phrases bien construites, son style est un pur délice. A se demander si une telle société de lettore n’existerait pas réellement, et serait à vos côtés, en train de vous ensorceler pour que vous viviez réellement cette aventure.
A en juger par la traduction, le roman est tout simplement magnifique et à lire pour tous, dès l’adolescence. Entre fantastique et mystère, une histoire qui changera peut-être votre point de vue sur la lecture et qui vous fera réfléchir sur le pouvoir.
October 27, 2016
Ini adalah untuk kedua kalinya saya membaca buku ini. Jadi, kemarin membaca tulisan yang membahas tentang buku-buku yang setting waktunya di bulan Oktober. Salah satu buku yang ada di daftar tersebut adalah buku ini, Libri di Luca. Eh Libri di Luca? saya udah baca nih, eh tapi ceritanya seperti apa ya? Kok lupa... Sekilas aja, ingat sih... tapi konflik tentang pengungkapan siapa pembunuh sang Lector, Luca Campelli itu gimana ya? Ya akhirnya baca ulang deh, kemarin itu... hehehe... Membacanya lumayan cepet untuk kali ini, dulu masih ingat banget hampir satu mingguan gitu deh, kemarin cuma dua hari ajaa.
Setelah membaca ulang? jawabnya... masih tetap suka sama buku ini. Ceritanya memang bagus sih, bagi yang sudah membacanya pasti setuju sama saya, buat yang belum baca, recommended banget pastinya. Oh apa? Ada yang gak suka sama buku ini? Yaa namanya "suka" dan "gak suka", pastinya relatif... ahh ya sudah, mari kita lanjut.
Saya tidak akan bercerita banyak tentang buku dan tokoh-tokoh cerita di dalamnya, apalagi tentang detail kisahnya, yang pasti di buku ini diceritakan tentang "kekuatan" membaca. Menarik kan? Jadi, aktivitas/kegiatan membaca seseorang, yang memang mempunyai suatu "kekuatan istimewa" bisa berakibat fatal, menghilangkan nyawa orang lain, bahkan tanpa disengaja. Duhh... ribet juga yah punya kekuatan seperti itu. Nah, mereka, orang-orang dengan kekuatan istimewa itu bisa mempengaruhi pikiran dan perasaan seseorang, saat seseorang tersebut sedang membaca buku. Mereka bisa menggoda dengan cerita mengagumkan, menjadikan dunia yang ada dalam buku terasa nyata. Mereka juga bisa menjerumuskan seseorang yang sedang membaca untuk memikirkan hal-hal yang mereka inginkan.
Sebenarnya mereka itu siapa? Penasaran? saya kasih bocoran sedikit deh yaa, mereka, orang-orang dengan kekuatan istimewa tersebut disebut Lector, yaitu anggota perkumpulan rahasia. Perkumpulan apa? Perkumpulan Pencinta Buku.
Wait... Perkumpulan Pencinta Buku? Kok rahasia? Nah itu, penasaran? Ayo cari tahu, kenapa sih ya perkumpulan pencinta buku aja rahasia-rahasiaan...
Jadi, ditangan seorang Lector, sebuah buku bisa menjadi sebuah senjata!.
Tentu saja, seperti halnya dalam kehidupan nyata, yang namanya "senjata" dan/atau "kekuatan" akan sangat bermanfaat bagi kita dan bagi orang-orang disekitar kita jika kita memanfatkannya dengan baik, dan pastinya ada saja orang-orang yang memanfaatkannya untuk hal-hal yang tidak baik. Itu tidak bisa dipungkiri. Begitu pula dengan para Lector.
Nah sudah mulai penasaran dan semakin penasaran bagaimana detail ceritanya? Oh ayolah cari dan baca buku ini. Sekali lagi, recommended!
Sebetulnya saya ingin memberikan 4 bintang untuk buku ini, tapi...saya tidak begitu suka dengan gaya bercerita penulis, kebanyakan narasi, jadi agak membosankan. Disatu sisi, mungkin maksudnya kita diajak untuk membayangkan jalan cerita, adegan, setting tempat, dan hal lainnya sekehendak kita sebagai pembaca. Tapi, disisi lain, seperti yang saya sampaikan tadi, dengan tema dan jalan cerita yang demikian, menurut saya, dialog para tokoh sangat penting untuk membuat cerita jadi lebih hidup. Jadi, 3 bintang saja yaa...
Ya sudah. Oke, sekian... dan terima kasih :D
Setelah membaca ulang? jawabnya... masih tetap suka sama buku ini. Ceritanya memang bagus sih, bagi yang sudah membacanya pasti setuju sama saya, buat yang belum baca, recommended banget pastinya. Oh apa? Ada yang gak suka sama buku ini? Yaa namanya "suka" dan "gak suka", pastinya relatif... ahh ya sudah, mari kita lanjut.
Saya tidak akan bercerita banyak tentang buku dan tokoh-tokoh cerita di dalamnya, apalagi tentang detail kisahnya, yang pasti di buku ini diceritakan tentang "kekuatan" membaca. Menarik kan? Jadi, aktivitas/kegiatan membaca seseorang, yang memang mempunyai suatu "kekuatan istimewa" bisa berakibat fatal, menghilangkan nyawa orang lain, bahkan tanpa disengaja. Duhh... ribet juga yah punya kekuatan seperti itu. Nah, mereka, orang-orang dengan kekuatan istimewa itu bisa mempengaruhi pikiran dan perasaan seseorang, saat seseorang tersebut sedang membaca buku. Mereka bisa menggoda dengan cerita mengagumkan, menjadikan dunia yang ada dalam buku terasa nyata. Mereka juga bisa menjerumuskan seseorang yang sedang membaca untuk memikirkan hal-hal yang mereka inginkan.
Sebenarnya mereka itu siapa? Penasaran? saya kasih bocoran sedikit deh yaa, mereka, orang-orang dengan kekuatan istimewa tersebut disebut Lector, yaitu anggota perkumpulan rahasia. Perkumpulan apa? Perkumpulan Pencinta Buku.
Wait... Perkumpulan Pencinta Buku? Kok rahasia? Nah itu, penasaran? Ayo cari tahu, kenapa sih ya perkumpulan pencinta buku aja rahasia-rahasiaan...
Jadi, ditangan seorang Lector, sebuah buku bisa menjadi sebuah senjata!.
Tentu saja, seperti halnya dalam kehidupan nyata, yang namanya "senjata" dan/atau "kekuatan" akan sangat bermanfaat bagi kita dan bagi orang-orang disekitar kita jika kita memanfatkannya dengan baik, dan pastinya ada saja orang-orang yang memanfaatkannya untuk hal-hal yang tidak baik. Itu tidak bisa dipungkiri. Begitu pula dengan para Lector.
Nah sudah mulai penasaran dan semakin penasaran bagaimana detail ceritanya? Oh ayolah cari dan baca buku ini. Sekali lagi, recommended!
Sebetulnya saya ingin memberikan 4 bintang untuk buku ini, tapi...saya tidak begitu suka dengan gaya bercerita penulis, kebanyakan narasi, jadi agak membosankan. Disatu sisi, mungkin maksudnya kita diajak untuk membayangkan jalan cerita, adegan, setting tempat, dan hal lainnya sekehendak kita sebagai pembaca. Tapi, disisi lain, seperti yang saya sampaikan tadi, dengan tema dan jalan cerita yang demikian, menurut saya, dialog para tokoh sangat penting untuk membuat cerita jadi lebih hidup. Jadi, 3 bintang saja yaa...
Ya sudah. Oke, sekian... dan terima kasih :D
August 2, 2012
Imagine if some people could change the way you feel, what you think and how you are likely to behave just by reading aloud to you? And what if those people could even kill you just by reading to you and make it look like natural causes?
This was a thoughtful, intelligent thriller that was also very exciting and had plenty of action. The writing was a bit different than I am accustomed to, but I think that is a factor of the book being translated from its original Danish and it did not take anything away from the entertainment of the story.
The "lectors" and "receivers" the two types of people who can affect how people feel and react by either reading or "enhancing" the effect of the reading on others are two groups who used to be a single organization, but had a split 20 years ago and are now suspicious of each other. The unofficial leader of the Lectors - Luca, is murdered at the start of the story, and the fall-out from that quickly spirals out-of-control, involving his estranged son, Jon, and the other employees of the bookstore Luca owned.
The characters are unique and they all add something different to the evolution of the plot, especially the two main characters, Jon [who suddenly discovers he's a Lector] and Katherina [a Receiver] who start out as ordinary people thrust into an extraordinary situation and have to adapt and very quickly find a way through murder attempts, kidnapping, and international conspiracies that could involve world domination. How they fight back is the basis of the very enjoyable story.
This is definitely a thinking-person's book, but it was a good read. If you are an avid reader or a book-lover, I recommend this to you.
This was a thoughtful, intelligent thriller that was also very exciting and had plenty of action. The writing was a bit different than I am accustomed to, but I think that is a factor of the book being translated from its original Danish and it did not take anything away from the entertainment of the story.
The "lectors" and "receivers" the two types of people who can affect how people feel and react by either reading or "enhancing" the effect of the reading on others are two groups who used to be a single organization, but had a split 20 years ago and are now suspicious of each other. The unofficial leader of the Lectors - Luca, is murdered at the start of the story, and the fall-out from that quickly spirals out-of-control, involving his estranged son, Jon, and the other employees of the bookstore Luca owned.
The characters are unique and they all add something different to the evolution of the plot, especially the two main characters, Jon [who suddenly discovers he's a Lector] and Katherina [a Receiver] who start out as ordinary people thrust into an extraordinary situation and have to adapt and very quickly find a way through murder attempts, kidnapping, and international conspiracies that could involve world domination. How they fight back is the basis of the very enjoyable story.
This is definitely a thinking-person's book, but it was a good read. If you are an avid reader or a book-lover, I recommend this to you.
December 24, 2016
A bookstore in Copenhagen, what could be a better setting for a mystery? Particularly if it is so well written, even in translation. However, what starts as a mystery veers off into something closer to The DaVinci Code. People are dying in ways that appear natural, but which those in the know are aware are murders that are being covered up. Jon Campelli inherits his father’s bookstore. Jon and his father have not been in contact for many years so Jon is somewhat surprised when his father’s faithful clerk reveals some of the secrets of the bookstore. His father’s death is suspicious. When a second person dies, and apparent suicide and the clerk is almost killed, Jon suspects the man who got him fired from his job as a lawyer at a prestigious firm is the clulprit. Jon has allies in Katherina, who works at the store and in his father’s friends who are part of a secret society of readers and receivers. Katherina is a receiver who helps Jon come to terms with his powers as a reader. Some readers it seems have the power through their oral readings to manipulate people. Jon, who has always been successful when reading his summing up statements to juries, clearly is one of these readers. Halfway through the book we move into a thriller with supernormal overtones as a conspiracy to take over the world by a group, who are somewhat like The Illuminati because of their powers, takes over the book. One keeps reading because the narrative is compelling even if one is reading silently and the book has steered the reader onto a wrong turn.
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