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challenging dark reflective medium-paced
Strong character development: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

There is no war in Ba Sing Se, etc etc.

Overall, what an absolute marvel of a book. Disgusting, filthy, violent, frustrating. Time is fleeting but yet a circle, and we make the same mistakes but we cannot escape it, even in solitude. I still don’t know how I feel about this one. Mostly because its aesthetic design is so incredibly unique when compared to other books, like truly one of a kind. Almost biblical, in a way. I was both fascinated and horrified. It probably deserves 5 stars, but I don’t know if I have the strength to sit down and rate it. 

I was recommended to really slow down while reading this one, and I would recommend the same for others. Time moves so fast in this book, and you need an outside influence to ground you. I will also highly recommend creating nicknames as every character is named after each other and it gets quite confusing. Especially once the incest really begins to kick up, it’s hard to remember who’s a cousin, auntie, grandfather,  spouse, or all of the above…. And if you think incest is bad, there’s a huge mountain of filth to hike in this book. Incest is merely the trail sign, the starting line. Please check trigger warnings simply because I think it’s easier to count the triggers that aren’t in it, than what is actually included. 

Opening this book is like watching an incredibly well-written train crash, if you’re into reading that sort of thing. (Have I convinced you to read it yet? ahaha) 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging dark tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

WHAT WAS THAT

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging emotional reflective sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

The most amazing book I’ve ever read!

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging dark mysterious slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I barely understood what was going on or why this book is considered so iconic. 

Edit: after reading some analysis on the book afterwards, I understand a bit of the intrigue about the book, its unusual narrative and the "magical realism" theme. I realized at one point, i should focus on getting through the book rather than understanding it and trying to remember everyone's place in the timeline. It's a book to simply read and then be mystified by.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging dark funny sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous emotional medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

The Buendía men make George Foreman look like a joke lol. Seventeen sons with the same name?? And why are these men marrying literal children. 🤢

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging inspiring reflective medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: N/A
Strong character development: N/A
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark funny mysterious slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

this book was a challenging read! the writing was very stream-of-consciousness focused, and so there was less of a reading story, and more just like someone was telling a story in person. this is the first book i’ve read in the magical realism genre. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No

Expand filter menu Content Warnings