The city of steam

Quote by Carlos Ruiz Zafón.

Quote by Carlos Ruiz Zafón.

The intention of the Spanish writer Carlos Ruiz Zafón with The city of steam was to perform "a tribute to all the readers of his work". It is a book that brings together the known stories of him plus some unpublished stories. Launched in 2020, this publication also represents a farewell on the part of the author, since that same year he died in Los Angeles due to colon cancer.

Being a compilation text, The city of steam is an unequivocal reference to the evolution of the creative process of the Barcelona writer. It should be noted that Ruiz Zafón —film buff and admirer of television— conceived his writings under a scheme similar to that of an audiovisual script. Therefore, one of the distinctive characteristics of his lyrics is the facility to evoke fluid images in the minds of readers.

Analysis of The city of steam

For connoisseurs of Ruiz Zafón novels, the four unpublished stories serve to delve into the origin of the tetralogy of The cemetery of the forgotten. In consecuense, The city of steam recalls the atmosphere and reawakens readers' empathy towards the characters of the aforementioned saga.

In any case, there is no need to have read the predecessor books of the Iberian author to understand the stories presented in this compilation publication. Although it is possible to understand each story individually, they make up an exceptional set. In addition, the length (usually short) of the stories makes them easy to read.

style and themes

Some Spanish literary critics have described The city of steam and synthesis of the “zaphonian style”. Among the frequent features of his stories are the descriptions of Barcelona along with gothic fiction and the
paranormal events. Similarly, many of the settings are set in the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries.

Likewise, mystery is perennial in most of Ruiz Zafón's arguments; therefore, its protagonists usually have the intention of revealing secrets. At this point, one of its great merits is how it conveys a sense of naturalness by mixing real events with fantasy. These events take place in the midst of intriguing situations that include suspense, love and adventure.

character psychology

One of the usual topics in The city of steam is the figure of the maternal object, which, in turn, manifests itself in two antagonistic forms. The first is the idealized mother through the portraits of young, noble women with impeccable morality. These women almost always appear in white clothing —in defense of their purity— and wrapped in an enigmatic halo.

On the other hand, the "other mother" exposed by Ruiz Zafón is a devalued, despised (or contemptible), feared woman and prone to prostitution or witchcraft. Equally, the Catalan writer details the architecture —cemeteries, buildings, squares, parks, labyrinths, cathedrals and the whole of Barcelona— in order to delve into the “cartography” of the female psyche.

Reception

The "price to pay" for a best-selling author is usually the high expectation generated with each new publication. About, the majority of readers' opinions placed in literary portals affirm that it is a worthy final book by Carlos Ruiz Zafón. Not surprisingly, the average rating on sites (like Amazon, for example) is 4/5.

Therefore, The city of steam It is a highly recommended book, even for readers who are not fans of the fantasy genre. The reason: although the supernatural appears repeatedly, the lyrics seem endowed with plausibility. In addition, the interest of the plot is not focused on miraculous issues, the important thing is the experiences of the characters.

the total farewell

Carlos Ruiz Zafón: books

Carlos Ruiz Zafón: books

The city of steam it is a book surrounded by nostalgia in itself. In fact, The Reader is initially achieved with the following statement from the publisher: "Welcome to a new book, unfortunately the last, Zaphonian." Further, the posthumous publication completed a panorama quite full of melancholy around a writer read by millions around the world.

About the Author

He was born in Barcelona on September 25, 1964. He was the son of Justo Ruiz Vigo and Fina Zafón, an insurance agent and a housewife, respectively. In the Catalan metropolis course studies at the Sant Igasi school and at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. In this house of studies he obtained a degree in Information Sciences, which allowed him to forge a successful career as a publicist.

It was in 1992. when he made a radical decision: get away from the world of advertising to assume his literary vocation. The following year his debut feature appeared, The Prince of Mist (winner of the Edebe Award). Thanks to the aforementioned award, Ruiz Zafón was able to fulfill his dream of living in Los Angeles, United States. There, he worked as a screenwriter while writing new novels of his own.

Literary career

His debut book was also the beginning of a series of juvenile fiction, The mist trilogy, completed with the palace of mist (1994) and September lights (1995) Then it was published Marina (1999) and his first narrative for adults, The wind's shadow (2001) The latter, with more than 15 million copies sold, established Ruiz Zafón internationally.

Carlos Ruiz Zafon.

Carlos Ruiz Zafon.

In total, the Spanish writer published seven novels, some of which have been translated into up to forty languages and have been deserving of multiple awards. Among the most notorious are: Best Foreign Book in France (2004), Book to Remember 2004 (New York Central Library), Euskadi Silver Award (2008) and the Nielsen Award (United Kingdom).

Tetralogy The cemetery of the forgotten

  • The wind's shadow (2001)
  • The game of the angel (2008)
  • The Prisoner of Heaven (2011)
  • The labyrinth of spirits (2016)

stories included in The city of steam

  • "Blanca and goodbye"
  • "Nameless"
  • “A lady from Barcelona”
  • "Fire Rose"
  • "Prince Parnassus"
  • "Christmas Legend"
  • "Alice, at dawn"
  • "Men in Grey"
  • "The Steam Woman"
  • “Gaudi in Manhattan”
  • "Apocalypse in two minutes".

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