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Zafon began his career in juvenile literature
before publishing the work, which became the most read Spanish
novel after Miguel de Cervantes' classic "Don Quixote",
Editorial Planeta said.
The novel - the first of a four-part series, which was
translated into over 40 languages worldwide - was in 2014
selected by British publisher Penguin Classics as one of 26
"classics of universal literature".
Zafon's editors paid homage to the author by quoting from one of
its passages: "Every book, every volume you see, has a soul. The
soul of the one who wrote it, and the soul of those who read it
and lived and dreamed with it," Editorial Planeta posted on
Twitter.
Barcelona-born but living in Los Angeles, California, Zafon was
one of the Spanish language's most successful writers, with
critics often comparing him to Charles Dickens for his dense,
Gothic style, fast-paced intrigue and colorful characters.
Zafon's enduring fascination with his native city was evident in
his works, where the mysteries of a bygone Barcelona loom as
significantly as any human character.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez tweeted: "One of the most
read and admired Spanish authors worldwide has left us. Carlos
Ruiz Zafon, a contemporary novelist of reference, leaves an
important mark in modern literature. Thank you for letting us
travel through your stories."
A message on Zafon's own Twitter account confirming his death
said: "We'll continue dreaming with every word he wrote."
(Reporting by Andrea Ariet and Clara-Laeila Laudette; Writing by
Clara-Laeila Laudett; Editing by Alison Williams)
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