| Barcelona in books |
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The detective Pepe Carvahlo is surely one of the most emblematic ones, created by Manuel Vázquez Montalbán who passed away in 2003. Through this character the writer described and sometimes criticised the social and political changes Barcelona went through the second end of the 20th century. Another very popular author who set most of his stories in Barcelona is  Eduardo Mendoza, whose most famous novel is The city of Marvels. He describes the city as labyrinthic, dark and sometimes even gloomy at night, while crowded and noise at daytime.Especially in its fist novel, The Truth about the Savolta Case, we find many references to Barcelona, talking about some very characteristic places: Plaça Catalunya, Las Ramblas and Barceloneta quarter.  More recently it was released the worldwide bestseller The Shadow of the Wind, written by Carlos Ruiz Zafón. The author describes the centre of Barcelona with richness of details. Especially he talks about Sant Antoni quarter, where the main character lives, Gothic quarter, with mentions to Plaça Felipe Neri, C/ Ferrán and C/ Santa Ana and the Tibidabo, where some other characters live.Another recent success has been The Cathedral of the Sea, by Ildefonso Falcones, which takes place back in a 14th century Barcelona, during the  Inquisition. The church the title refers to is Santa Maria del Mar, placed in the Borne area and it is the first example of Catalan Gothic architecture. It was built in honour of the fishermen patron, as the little ship hanging at the altar indicates. The church is also known as the people cathedral because it has been built thanks to the physical and economical help of the quarter inhabitants, who were traditionally fishermen.The book describes the whole Borne, the quarter around the church, with its narrow streets where we can still feel some of the ancient times spirit.
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During the years, Barcelona has been chosen by different writers as set of their novels, inventing their own stories about the city and their own characters. All the characters that walked in its streets left their marks and are still talking to us whenever we pass by some of the spots they were in.
