Significant Quotes
"What do you say?" "Will you join the team?" (pg84)
This quote happens towards the beginning of the book and is significant because it signifies the moment Fermin the beggar that Daniel and his Father had pulled off the streets will now become a part of the bookshop team which after time will lead to the partners of Daniel and Fermin in the Carax mystery.
"There's not much to tell," (pg165)
This quote was the beginning of Nuria's Carax story to Daniel claiming she "hardly" knew the guy and didn't "see" him often. Nuria lies to Daniel about all she knows about Carax cause later on in the story we find out in the manuscript she leaves for Daniel that she was the one who aided and lived with Carax/Coubert.
"One of them told me the firefighters had found a burned body in the debris" (pg421)
This quote is towards the end of the novel and is the second hint to the fact that Julian Carax really could be Lain Coubert. I predict that because meeting Lain Coubert earlier on in the story as a burned faceless man, and now reading this quote can show that is how he got his faceless appearance. We do find that the man pulled out of the debris was Julian Carax only now, Lain Coubert.
"That night, when I was trying to get to sleep, I turned my head on my pillow and noticed that the pen case was open. The pen was gone." (pg471)
This quote is significant because it signifies the turn around of Lain Coubert changing back into Julian Carax. When Carax/Coubert came to visit Daniel in the hospital after he had taken a bullet for him, Daniel told him to take his Victor Hugo pen and start writing again. He had thought it was all a dream but when he woke the pen was gone and time later he received a book written by an author he had never heard of, but when he started to read it he really knew who wrote it, Julian Carax. He had found his real self again.
This quote happens towards the beginning of the book and is significant because it signifies the moment Fermin the beggar that Daniel and his Father had pulled off the streets will now become a part of the bookshop team which after time will lead to the partners of Daniel and Fermin in the Carax mystery.
"There's not much to tell," (pg165)
This quote was the beginning of Nuria's Carax story to Daniel claiming she "hardly" knew the guy and didn't "see" him often. Nuria lies to Daniel about all she knows about Carax cause later on in the story we find out in the manuscript she leaves for Daniel that she was the one who aided and lived with Carax/Coubert.
"One of them told me the firefighters had found a burned body in the debris" (pg421)
This quote is towards the end of the novel and is the second hint to the fact that Julian Carax really could be Lain Coubert. I predict that because meeting Lain Coubert earlier on in the story as a burned faceless man, and now reading this quote can show that is how he got his faceless appearance. We do find that the man pulled out of the debris was Julian Carax only now, Lain Coubert.
"That night, when I was trying to get to sleep, I turned my head on my pillow and noticed that the pen case was open. The pen was gone." (pg471)
This quote is significant because it signifies the turn around of Lain Coubert changing back into Julian Carax. When Carax/Coubert came to visit Daniel in the hospital after he had taken a bullet for him, Daniel told him to take his Victor Hugo pen and start writing again. He had thought it was all a dream but when he woke the pen was gone and time later he received a book written by an author he had never heard of, but when he started to read it he really knew who wrote it, Julian Carax. He had found his real self again.
Literary Devices
Simile:
"They lay side by side, like chained maledictions." (pg418)
This simile is talking about the two coffins hidden in the Aldaya's mansion basement one with the name Penelope Aldaya and the other with her and Carax's kid that never lived past birth David Aldaya. This simile enhances this instead of saying they just lay side by side, the lay side by side like chained maledictions. Maledictions meaning a magical word or phrase uttered to usually bring upon evil, like a curse.
Metaphor:
"My head wrapped in a blaze of pain" (pg452)
This metaphor is used when Daniel had just been beat up by his old friend Tomas because Daniel finds out from him that apparently he got his sister pregnant. This metaphor is comparing his head to being wrapped in a blaze of pain after he had just been beaten up.
Metaphor:
"Skeleton of wires"
This metaphor is used obviously to describe the appearance of the wires. There were so many of them leading and mixed everywhere they were like a human skeleton with tones of bones all connection to different places. It was when Daniel snuck into the Fortuney's apartment and is describing all that is left of Carax's room.
Simile:
"with fallen leaves that rippled through the streets like silvery scales" (page 81)
This simile is used just to enhance the description of the ambiance of Barcelona at the time. It is talking about how it is Autumn and comparing the fallen leaves rippled through the streets to silvery scales.
Simile:
"Clara's naked body lay stretched out on white sheets that shone like washed silk"
This simile is used when Daniel walks in on Clara and her music teacher having a bit of fun, that lead to her music teacher beating him and throwing him to the streets where he meets Fermin, but this simile is used to enhance the sight that Daniel saw in the room. Comparing her naked body shining like washed silk.
Point of View
This story is told in first person from the perspective of Daniel, it gives the story the best feel and since he was the main character I think it was the best choice for this novel.
"They lay side by side, like chained maledictions." (pg418)
This simile is talking about the two coffins hidden in the Aldaya's mansion basement one with the name Penelope Aldaya and the other with her and Carax's kid that never lived past birth David Aldaya. This simile enhances this instead of saying they just lay side by side, the lay side by side like chained maledictions. Maledictions meaning a magical word or phrase uttered to usually bring upon evil, like a curse.
Metaphor:
"My head wrapped in a blaze of pain" (pg452)
This metaphor is used when Daniel had just been beat up by his old friend Tomas because Daniel finds out from him that apparently he got his sister pregnant. This metaphor is comparing his head to being wrapped in a blaze of pain after he had just been beaten up.
Metaphor:
"Skeleton of wires"
This metaphor is used obviously to describe the appearance of the wires. There were so many of them leading and mixed everywhere they were like a human skeleton with tones of bones all connection to different places. It was when Daniel snuck into the Fortuney's apartment and is describing all that is left of Carax's room.
Simile:
"with fallen leaves that rippled through the streets like silvery scales" (page 81)
This simile is used just to enhance the description of the ambiance of Barcelona at the time. It is talking about how it is Autumn and comparing the fallen leaves rippled through the streets to silvery scales.
Simile:
"Clara's naked body lay stretched out on white sheets that shone like washed silk"
This simile is used when Daniel walks in on Clara and her music teacher having a bit of fun, that lead to her music teacher beating him and throwing him to the streets where he meets Fermin, but this simile is used to enhance the sight that Daniel saw in the room. Comparing her naked body shining like washed silk.
Point of View
This story is told in first person from the perspective of Daniel, it gives the story the best feel and since he was the main character I think it was the best choice for this novel.