The Shadow of the Wind: Days of Ashes: Chapter 4 Summary & Analysis

The Red House was completely different from anything Clara had read before. She compares the experience of reading it to the excitement of a first kiss. It made her realize she could live “intensely” despite her lack of sight. By this time, Daniel is spellbound by Clara’s charm and barely listening to what she’s saying.

Clara spent years looking for Carax’s work in shops and libraries, without success. Later, Roquefort heard a rumor about a strange person obtaining copies of Carax’s work by any means necessary and immediately burning them.

In the meantime, the Civil War had ended, and Clara returned to Barcelona with her mother. The city was not the place they remembered, haunted by the brutality of the war and the memory of Clara’s dead father. Clara’s mother hired an investigator to look into his death, and the detective discovered that he was killed by a man named Javier Fumero, who worked as a hired thug for the anarchists, communists, and fascists, changing his loyalty to align with whichever party was in power. Now, Fumero is a feared and respected police officer. Clara’s mother faded away in grief and now Clara’s home is with her uncle, whom she adores.

Daniel volunteers to read out loud to Clara and is surprised when she accepts. Daniel believes she knew he was in love with her and wonders why she befriended him. He concludes it was because of their shared love of literature and to alleviate her loneliness and sense of loss. Barceló returns with the book, and Daniel offers to return the next day and read a few chapters to Clara. Barceló laughs at his impertinence, but Clara accepts the offer.