“Destiny is usually just around the corner. Like a thief, a hooker, or a lottery vendor: its three most common personifications. But what destiny does not do is home visits. You have to go for it.”

Spanish novelist and screenwriter of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, he crafted atmospheric, gothic-inflected stories blending mystery and melancholy. His most famous work, *The Shadow of the Wind*, became a global sensation for its layered narrative and haunting atmosphere.