Marina by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Marina

By Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Reader Response: The book cover, an enigmatic portrayal of a seemingly beautiful red rose, instantly caught my attention. In front of Chapter one, there is “A Note From The Author,” addressed to me, the Reader, admitting that the book I was about to begin was his very favorite. For some reason, Zafon’s ominous tone and stylistic obscurity, even in this initial letter, drew me in. From there on out, I was hooked.  The book begins with a powerful statement: “We only remember what never really happened” (Zafon, Pg. 1).  Zafon’s style is rich, complex and filled with vast imagery that paint images of the beautiful streets of Barcelona, the setting of the novel, for his readers. The plot follows the story of a young boy, Oscar, seeking a sense of belonging when he meets the mysterious Marina and encounters the adventure of a lifetime. Marina introduces Oscar to a particular mystery she is itching to solve. As the events unfold, Oscar and Marina quickly realize the complexity of the matter concerning issues way beyond their own maturity level and innocent imaginations. They form a bond with each other that only people who have suffered through so much together can understand. Their understated love story, along with the impending disaster of the unfolding mystery, makes this book one impossible to put down for teachers and students alike. I began this book in class as a way to spark my student’s interest in reading and my students took me by total surprise with their pure investment in the character’s lives. They ended up acquiring the book and finishing it before me. This book provides you with a timeless experience of heart-break, identity crises and loss. 

Evaluator Response: This story is incredibly engaging, yet it requires a solid vocabulary—or at the least the willingness to seek out definitions. One can definitely read the book without a dictionary, but if students are provided with about 10 words that Zafon uses over and over again, their experience will only be enriched by their solidified understanding. Every chapter ends on a sort of cliff-hanger that forces the reader to keep turning the pages. Chapter 1 begins with this idea that, “We only remember what never really happened,” and ends with, “We all have a secret buried under lock and key in the attic. This is mine…” (Zafon, Pgs.1,3). Students thus are told right off the bat to question the narrator’s validity; nonetheless, readers grow to trust Oscar and his memories. The story is told through Oscar’s eyes and the reader empathetically intertwines themselves with him. The reader is anxious to uncover the secrets of the successful mind behind the Barcelona medical company while impatiently waiting for Oscar and Marina to realize their love for each other. As the plot continues to twist and turn, the ending leaves readers shocked, perplexed and unsettled.  The story sticks with readers and makes them want to seek out Zafon’s other literary works.

Teacher Response: There are so many complex themes prevalent within this book that it’s hard to solely categorize this story into one particular genre. Although the ending involves some shocking imagery that justified the “Gothic” descriptions, I still believe that teachers could include this in a narrative writing curriculum or as a way to engage students at the beginning of class with a 5-minute read-aloud. The descriptions of the streets of Barcelona are ridiculously spot-on and historically accurate in accordance to the time-period. This book was translated from Spanish to English and thus involves some Spanish names that interested my students who come from Hispanic backgrounds. This book allowed my students to read about children who look like them and speak like them. It allowed me, as a teacher, to hold up a mirror for my students rather than instruct them to look out of an unfamiliar window. Students could definitely practice comprehension strategies through making personal connections with the raw emotions of the characters. Both Marina and Oscar experience immense loss, along with other typical teenage struggles of identity, beauty and fear of their own worth. With all the cliffhangers, students can make inferences as to what is about to happen next and compare their predictions with the actual unexpected events. Zafon keeps both the teacher and the students guessing. It was an extremely enriching experience to watch my students react to the dense concepts within the story.  Zafon also sends a simultaneously strong—yet subtle—moral message that death is a part of life and humans are literally incapable of controlling everything. The book is humbling and urges students to enjoy their life, demand what they deserve and live each day with gratitude and sincerity. Lastly, Zafon reminds students of the temporary nature of youth itself—once it’s gone, it truly is gone forever. The places of your youth will only seek to exist in your memories.

Literacy Coach Response: This book should be used to target stronger readers as a way to improve their comprehension and challenge their minds. It is often challenging to grow your advanced students, yet Marina provides teachers with the tools to do just that. There are many exercises that teachers could use to spark growth through vocabulary, comprehension, including inferences and synthesizing, as well as visualization tactics to accompany the vivid imagery of the novel. Moreover, since there is so much going on in the plot, teachers can empower students to self-monitor their own understanding through comprehension checks and personal journals that ask students to respond to various plot developments. The strongest way that this book can be utilized, however, is to draw thoughts out of your students. There are so many issues of morality that Marina brings up—what do you think? I want to know because your voice matters.  It allowed me to cultivate valuable discourse within my classroom— a rarity that I do not take for granted. Honestly, the opportunities are vast and I feel like I learned more from my students than I ever had through discussions of this book.