Two Stars

“It's war time, and the Carver family decides to leave the capital where they live and move to a small coastal village where they've recently bought a home. But from the minute they cross the threshold, strange things begin to happen. In that mysterious house still lurks the spirit of Jacob, the previous owners' son, who died by drowning.

With the help of their new friend Roland, Max and Alicia Carver begin to explore the strange circumstances of that death and discover the existence of a mysterious being called the Prince of Mist--a diabolical character who has returned from the shadows to collect on a debt from the past. Soon the three friends find themselves caught up in an adventure of sunken ships and an enchanted stone garden--an adventure that will change their lives forever.” Amazon ~ verbatim

The Prince of Mist is Carlos Ruiz Zafon’s first novel, originally published in Spain in 1993 as “El Principe de la Niebla, and marketed toward Young Adults. The Prince of Mist, for me, was a mediocre disappointment.

I will admit that there are a few flashes of decent prose to be found, but they are few and far between. The book provided little more than brief and unsatisfying glimpses into how the characters related to the unfolding story. Poor characterization, and uneven pacing, the book never managed to pull me in.

A somewhat deflating experience.

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