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3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
In this book, Gabriel Garcia Marquez gives us his vision of an emblematic figure of modern South American history: Simon Bolivar, "El Libertador." Herald and hero of independence, a vigorous defender of Latin American unity, Simon Bolivar is a legend whose Nobel Prize in literature proposes, somewhat irreverently, to tell the story of the last days the tone of "grandeur and decadence."
[b:The General in His Labyrinth|23884|The General in His Labyrinth|Gabriel García Márquez|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1361537151l/23884._SY75_.jpg|1066730], it is, therefore, the account of the last trip, the flight when Bolivar resigned, and the various former rulers of Spain, instead of uniting as the Libertador would like, tear each other apart. Weakened by many years of wars, travels, and palace intrigue, Bolivar is dying at only 47 years old. Gabriel Garcia Marquez depicts him as an older man who rambles and oscillates beyond like a pendulum between the memory of past glories and the bitterness of dying without achieving Latin American unity. Therefore, this historical and glorified story constitutes an attempt to humanize an icon adored and undoubtedly unrecognized as a man, with his illusions and disillusions, weaknesses, and mood swings.
Under the pen of Garcia Marquez, Bolivar becomes a somewhat pathetic and endearing older man. This reading is also an awareness of our relationship to history and "great men," all of whom have known something without knowing who they were. Beyond the historical narrative, this reflects the author subtly invites us and is central to appreciating the novel.
[b:The General in His Labyrinth|23884|The General in His Labyrinth|Gabriel García Márquez|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1361537151l/23884._SY75_.jpg|1066730], it is, therefore, the account of the last trip, the flight when Bolivar resigned, and the various former rulers of Spain, instead of uniting as the Libertador would like, tear each other apart. Weakened by many years of wars, travels, and palace intrigue, Bolivar is dying at only 47 years old. Gabriel Garcia Marquez depicts him as an older man who rambles and oscillates beyond like a pendulum between the memory of past glories and the bitterness of dying without achieving Latin American unity. Therefore, this historical and glorified story constitutes an attempt to humanize an icon adored and undoubtedly unrecognized as a man, with his illusions and disillusions, weaknesses, and mood swings.
Under the pen of Garcia Marquez, Bolivar becomes a somewhat pathetic and endearing older man. This reading is also an awareness of our relationship to history and "great men," all of whom have known something without knowing who they were. Beyond the historical narrative, this reflects the author subtly invites us and is central to appreciating the novel.
adventurous
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
really thought i’d give this like 3 ish stars, but by the end i realized he had painted such a detailed picture of characters that i was absolutely affected by their ends: he made me get to know the general and his men without my even realizing it.
“How will I ever get out of this labyrinth?” has had me in a chokehold since 2014 when I read Looking For Alaska. Holy shit. Marquez is an amazing writer. I really wasn’t sure how I would do with historical fiction, but I really enjoyed it. I cannot wait to read more of his work.
i like the way he thinks but i hate the way he thinks about things (women)
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Like all of García Márquez's books this was beautifully written. This book is worth reading for the prose alone it's that gorgeous. On top of that, Simón Bolívar is a very interesting person to read about, he is El Libertador, the man who liberated most of South America from Spanish rule and tried to unite the continent. GGM's character study of the general during his last months is really well done and shows a side of Bolívar most history books wouldn't touch.
It's so well done you'd almost forget that absolutely NOTHING happens in this book.
It's so well done you'd almost forget that absolutely NOTHING happens in this book.
challenging
informative
tense
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
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I couldn't get through it, which is extra-tragic because I loved Love in the Time of Cholera and especially 100 Years of Solitude.
I couldn't get through it, which is extra-tragic because I loved Love in the Time of Cholera and especially 100 Years of Solitude.