You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.


I really liked this book. Despite the story being very disturbing in nature, I thoroughly enjoyed this short read. At some points I even (do I dare to say it?) felt sorry for this lonely old man.

Disgusting. Yuck. 

Qué consuelo nos queda, más que el s3xo, a nosotros los que no tenemos amor?

“El año de mis noventa años quise regalarme una noche de amor con una adolescente virgen.”

Bueno... Este libro es MUY difícil de reseñar.
En primer lugar, cabe mencionar que este año estoy tratando activamente de leer aunque sea 1 libro por mes que NO sea thriller/terror/distopía/suspenso (al revés de mi reto personal del año pasado), por lo cual me decidí por esta obra.

Gabriel García Márquez es un nombre de un peso literario inmenso, que merece todo el respeto del mundo. Sin embargo, he de comfesar que tengo el mismo conflicto con este libro que tienen muchos de sus detractores...
Parece una apología a la pedofilia.

Y es que esta obra fue escrita en el año 2004, año que recuerdo bien. Yo tenía 13 años, (un año menos que "Delgadina", la niña que funge como objeto de deseo del protagonista), y me hubiera parecido reprobable y repulsivo que un viejo de 89 o 90 años se "enamorara" de mí. Aunque no me tocara. Aunque sólo me viera dormir. Me cuesta trabajo defender esta obra como "hija de su tiempo" (como puede suceder con muchas otras), ya que el año 2004 es muy reciente, y esto ya no era bien visto socialmente.

La pluma de García Márquez es, como siempre, ligera. Sin embargo, me es difícil creer que este libro hubiera alcanzado el renombre que tiene (o incluso visto la luz del día) de no haber sido porque la escribió él, ya estando consolidado.

Le dí varias vueltas, pero tengo que dejarlo en Dos Estrellas.

Can't say I gave my full attention to this, will have to re-read someday
reflective fast-paced

I have to admit that it was really difficult for me to read this book.
Not because of the writing, which is excellent and finely crafted, but because of the main character. I would have appreciated more a whole book about his memories and regrets, I'm sure I would have loved that. The trigger here is his 90th birthday and the present he wants to give to himself. When he starts obsessing about his own desire to own a poor 14-years-old girl, who happens to be sold as a prostitute and still has to experience and learn what intimacy is, the story became honestly disgusting for me. I also didn't appreciate the fact that we don't know the real name of the girl, as she remains sadly just something that this creepy old man wants to possess, and not a (very unfortunate) character with a voice.
2 stars only because of the brilliant writing style.

I'm torn. The writing style is lovely, but the subject matter is incredibly taboo. Protagonist unlikeable, though honest.

This novel is like 'love in the time of cholera' literally. A 90-yr old man fell in love for the first time to a 14-yr old Lolita/whore in the making.

Somehow like Lolita but there is more love involved here, which is nicer. The story is disturbing and twisted but is elegantly written.
challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Uncomfortable read but worth it. What I took from it was an interesting commentary on colonialism/power and journalism: that the two are inseparable.
dark reflective fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

"Fluttuavo fra nuvole erratiche e parlavo con me stesso davanti allo specchio nella vana illusione di accertare chi ero": 
García Márquez riesce, con assoluta eleganza, a raccontare la storia di un uomo che non ha mai conosciuto l'amore e che, per sua stessa ammissione, non è mai andato con una donna senza pagarla. 
"Memoria delle mie puttane tristi" raccoglie i pensieri di un protagonista che, al momento di compiere novant'anni, riflette sulla mancanza di amore nella sua vita, sulla prostituzione nella sua afosa città sudamericana e sulla vita solitaria di un pensionato senza legami. È una toccante riflessione sulla vecchiaia e sulla morte, e su come un novantenne può arrivare a comportarsi come un adolescente innamorato. È una storia che ignora e scardina i pregiudizi sulla vecchiaia e sull'amore. 
Márquez scrive come coloro che vivono in pace perché pronti ad accogliere la morte, e che hanno scoperto che non è mai troppo tardi per iniziare a vivere.