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3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A meditation on disillusionment, the lives of the great men, and the frustratingly unconquerable messiness of Latin America governance. This is far less a dreamy work of magical realism than 100 years, rather an almost documentary account (that is, I feel obliged to mention, imagined, despite being informed by tirelessly detailed research by Garcia Marquez) of Bolivar's final days.
The most fascinating aspects of this novel is the portrayal of a great man partly fallen from grace but thoroughly and tragically disillusioned. The notion that one's decay is tied to one's mind and soul more than one's body is implied in every passage with beautiful language.
It's strange to say as well, but this is a useful work to understand the subtler shades of the Latin American conscience. The primary critical conversation on this work is centered around the controversially critical treatment of the typically lionized Latin American George Washington. Garcia Marquez's Bolivar rains down gloomy presciences of the continent's ungovernability, endemic violence, and brutality. And yet, the shadow of a man still feels fiercely about his failed Gran Colombia. One of my favorite sections is when Bolivar rebukes a French diplomat's smug condescension with a smoldering anger that contradicts his simultaneous pessimism.
It's hard to ignore the magnetism of Bolivar, the myth. His ideas of pan-Americanism are powerful and compelling today, not only to Bolivarian heads of state and citizens of countries he liberated, but even to an outsider like me. For me, tarnishing the myth by imagining Bolivar in his final days as bleak, weak, pitiful, but yet fierce is not offensive, but it just adds the richness of his legacy; he too is human, his flaws make him and his ideas and accomplishments no less remarkable.
The most fascinating aspects of this novel is the portrayal of a great man partly fallen from grace but thoroughly and tragically disillusioned. The notion that one's decay is tied to one's mind and soul more than one's body is implied in every passage with beautiful language.
It's strange to say as well, but this is a useful work to understand the subtler shades of the Latin American conscience. The primary critical conversation on this work is centered around the controversially critical treatment of the typically lionized Latin American George Washington. Garcia Marquez's Bolivar rains down gloomy presciences of the continent's ungovernability, endemic violence, and brutality. And yet, the shadow of a man still feels fiercely about his failed Gran Colombia. One of my favorite sections is when Bolivar rebukes a French diplomat's smug condescension with a smoldering anger that contradicts his simultaneous pessimism.
It's hard to ignore the magnetism of Bolivar, the myth. His ideas of pan-Americanism are powerful and compelling today, not only to Bolivarian heads of state and citizens of countries he liberated, but even to an outsider like me. For me, tarnishing the myth by imagining Bolivar in his final days as bleak, weak, pitiful, but yet fierce is not offensive, but it just adds the richness of his legacy; he too is human, his flaws make him and his ideas and accomplishments no less remarkable.
Not the easiest book to get through- it was too depressing and tiring watching someone waste away. Thought the process was so long-drawn, till the general finally took his last breath. Suddenly it wasn't long-drawn anymore. Being unnecessarily lengthy was perhaps a huge strength of the story, that rightfully highlighted the state of a person wasting away- often times people waste away and die a slow, long death. On one hand you cant wait for the end to come, while on the other, you dread the end.
Surprisingly, I was almost close to tears right when the story ended. This is probably more of a long (fictional) recount rather than a story.
Surprisingly, I was almost close to tears right when the story ended. This is probably more of a long (fictional) recount rather than a story.
A book that I like the idea of more than the act of reading it.
The General in His Labyrinth is Gabriel García Márquez's fictional rendition of Simón Bolívar's last months as he makes his final exit from Bogotá, travels down the Magdalena River, then goes to Cartagena and finally to Santa Marta where he dies. Along the way many incidents of Bolívar's life and history are told through flashbacks, reminiscences, and chance encounters with people from the past. It is told beautifully, like a novel or a poem. At the same time, as far as I can tell, it is very historically accurate (beyond filling in a number of gaps in Bolívar's final months, when he was abandoned by many of his followers and not keeping up the same pace of dictating letters), judging from both the author’s note at the end where García Márquez describes his extensive consultations with historians and others as well as from the concordance with Marie Arana’s Bolívar biography. All in all, re-reading The General in His Labyrinth felt exactly like that—going through memories with someone that, despite his various inconsistencies, had always had one fixed goal—the liberation and unification of South America. And someone who made enormous strides towards achieving his first goal while living to see the crumbling of his second goal.
Re-reading this after reading a biography of SB was the perfect way to
Re-reading this after reading a biography of SB was the perfect way to
Maybe 2.5? This felt very different from the other GGM I have read but much like them unfortunately I just had a hard time with this one :/
Tadinya mau ngasih rating 3 bintang aja karena temponya lambat dan terlalu banyak nama. Meski berniat ngasih 3 bintang aja, saya ngga bisa pungkiri kalo narasinya indah (thanks to the translator) dan melankolinya tour de force sang general tersampaikan dengan baik.
tapi akhirnya, setelah baca additional content dmn G. G. M membocorkan behind the scenes pengerjaan novel ini yang digarapnya selama 2 tahun, satu bintang pantas utk ditambahkan ke dalam rating karena saya tipikal pembaca yg appreaciate dgn riset & special effort penulis.
review lengkap, menyusul di posbar bbi oktober ini.
tapi akhirnya, setelah baca additional content dmn G. G. M membocorkan behind the scenes pengerjaan novel ini yang digarapnya selama 2 tahun, satu bintang pantas utk ditambahkan ke dalam rating karena saya tipikal pembaca yg appreaciate dgn riset & special effort penulis.
review lengkap, menyusul di posbar bbi oktober ini.
emotional
informative
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
I definitely would have enjoyed this book more if I had known more about Simon Bolivar going into it, but it was still an interesting and beautifully written read.