Nancy notes that March is not only Linny’s birthday month, it's also known as being a windy month, so it is perfect month for our book, The Shadow of the Wind. This book by Carlos Ruiz Zafon was published in 1988, so this is the oldest book we’ve selected for the book club. The Shadow of the Wind was originally written in Spanish and was translated into English in 2004. There are three sequels to the book: The Angel’s Game (2009), The Prisoner of Heaven (2013) and The Labyrinth of the Spirits (2018). The author died at 55 in 2020. The novel has sold millions of copies worldwide. Linda and Nancy discuss the parallels within this story of Daniel and Julian. Nancy reflects on other well-known examples of stories within stories. Linda saw the book primarily as a coming-of-age story. Nancy agreed and said she also enjoyed the themes of of secrecy and true love. Linda, ever the romantic, liked the love story most. Nancy said she was surprised the author was mostly silent on the horror of Julian inadvertently falling in love with his own step-sister. Linda liked that each character makes decisions about his/her own life. Her favorite character was Fermin Romero de Torres. He is a colorful personality that brightens the darkness of the book. Nancy's favorite character is Jacinta, Penelope’s nanny. Linda and Nancy discuss the ambiguous ending what it means for the fates of these characters.