Las luces de septiembre. (September Lights).

Reviewed by Betsy Duarte Shepard, Wakefield Middle School, Tucson, AZ -- Críticas, 2/1/2008

Ruiz Zafón, Carlos.
Spain/U.S.: Planeta. 2007. 317p. ISBN 978-0-06-156557-1. $21.95.

5Up–After the death of her father, 14-year-old Irene, along with her mother and brother, moves to a small town on the coast of Normandy. Her mother will work as a housekeeper for a wealthy and mysterious man. An inventor and toy maker, Lazarus lives alone in a large mansion that is full of secrets, enigmatic rooms, automatons, and menacing shadows. It is here, in this foggy seaside town, that Irene experiences her first summer love as she befriends Ismael. The teens uncover the mystery of the lights surrounding the abandoned lighthouse and come face to face with the evil shadow that inhabits the mansion—a horrifying experience that will bind them throughout time. Ruiz Zafón’s rich use of language and powerful imagery will engage readers from the beginning and hold them captive until the very end. With its perfect mix of mystery, adventure, and romance, this book will also attract reluctant readers. Recommended for school and public libraries, as well as bookstores.

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