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sheila_p's review against another edition
2.0
I feel a little guilty rating this book because I didn't actually finish it. What I did read was mostly painful. I have to throw out there, I have never been a fan of the writer or the genre. I picked up this book as part of a book club commitment and for a friend. I am always left feeling like I am missing something when reading GGM or that I am just not smart enough to get him. I also find his writing dark or maybe it would be better described as death draped in bright colors but for me there is always this sense of foreboding. That could be because I am waiting to understand something. There is a reason GGM is as loved as he is by so many, I just haven't figured it out yet.
clarkness's review against another edition
4.0
So, first of all, I have been reading this off and on for about three years now and I finally decided about two weeks ago to give it a serious effort from the beginning. This is more than just an interesting collection of stories; it's a document of Marquez's growth as a writer. The first third of the book is frankly pretty terrible. It's filled with failed experiments in which Marquez grows closer to developing his signature magical realism, but these experiments instead come off as ghost stories that get bogged down in maudlin torpor. Then, something clicks. The next two thirds of the book are incredible. Marquez finds his voice and more importantly, he starts to serve the story. The characters go somewhere instead of stagnating in their own ghastliness. The stories themselves are richer and they say something. The three standouts are "A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings", "The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World" and "The Incredible and Sad Tale of Innocent Erendira and Her Heartless Grandmother".
iamnader's review against another edition
3.0
Love most of his writing, but this was just ok. Some of the stories were great.
lydiabeth's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
ramonaleanna's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
busco's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
bobbo49's review against another edition
4.0
Marquez spins his magic through the years, creating little vignettes of life, death and everything in between.
tmobil's review against another edition
4.0
Favorite Quotes
Perhaps this is what the stories meant when they called somebody heartsick. Your heart and your stomach and your whole insides felt empty and hollow and aching.
Perhaps this is what the stories meant when they called somebody heartsick. Your heart and your stomach and your whole insides felt empty and hollow and aching.
chroniqled's review against another edition
4.0
Really enjoyed this collection ♥️✨
Hoping to read Marquez’s novels in the future
Hoping to read Marquez’s novels in the future