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kari_f's review against another edition
I was very much looking forward this book, as the author is considered to be one of the great forerunners of magical realism, which is one of my favorite genres to read. The magical realism parts of the book were excellent, and I appreciated the writing style. It’s clear the author knows how to write beautifully, and the magical realism elements were chaotic and brilliant. Alchemy and contagious insomnia and arising from the dead… I was living for all of these elements!
But.
I could not get over the trash men in this book, who all seem to have the same name and the same misogynistic viewpoints. I wasn’t digging the incest, the child prostitution, the child marriage trafficking, the literal big dick energy that meant an arrogant man could do whatever he wanted with no consequences, and the stereotypical simpering females fawning over him because of his physical endowments.
I typically give a book 100 pages before I decide not to finish it, and it’s rare I decide not to finish. But this book induced one hundred pages of anger and disgust, and we were only a few years into the solitude.
I’m a bit devastated about this, because I really did love his writing style. I wish we’d gotten more insight into Ursula, because she’s the character I truly cared about while reading this book.
taylorjayne's review against another edition
No absolutely not. I cannot read about literal children who's bodies are sold and who are married when they literally don't know how to clean themselves. Where's the brain bleach? DNF'd
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Infidelity, and Pedophilia
kozi_99's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
urphangoria's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
gothhotel's review against another edition
5.0
this is not a review, it's mostly about myself & my changing approach to this book. suck it, algorithm, private journals are for wimps
i read this and did the New Criticism shtick they tesch for AP lit as my elective book in my last year of high school. i walked in totally ignorant of latin america, having no context or guidance beyond a list of rhetorical devices to identify and the Wikipedia page on magical realism. well i thought the book was brilliant and did the project with gusto, unpacking symbols like i was working in a warehouse, i mean, you know how it is. for a long time i considered "one hundred years of solitude" my favorite book.
do i still think that? I don't know. what i remember remains impressive and beautiful, but I've probably cherry picked without knowing. there's got to be so much i missed fumbling around in the dark without a crumb of context, acting like I didn't need it. even a single undergrad class on contemp latin american lit made it clear to me how little i knew about latin america and that i still don't know shit, couldn't even scratch the surface.
but I'm loath to reread for the dumbest reason ever: i don't wanna spoil a good memory. i'm afraid that coming back now with my big eddicated brain would taint how i remember it, as a puzzle unfolding, a map to be read, a city of glass never seen in its entirety - memories of a simpler time, i guess, when the mystery of Close Reading felt like holy ritual and not an act of colonization. but then i owe it to myself to return, not as a puzzler or map-reader or a symbol-hunter but as a friend, to let it wash over me, to bask, to swirl up the mental stew of images and phrases from this book, which bubble up unbidden every now and then. there must be a reason they stuck around, i think. maybe some day I'll find it out.
i read this and did the New Criticism shtick they tesch for AP lit as my elective book in my last year of high school. i walked in totally ignorant of latin america, having no context or guidance beyond a list of rhetorical devices to identify and the Wikipedia page on magical realism. well i thought the book was brilliant and did the project with gusto, unpacking symbols like i was working in a warehouse, i mean, you know how it is. for a long time i considered "one hundred years of solitude" my favorite book.
do i still think that? I don't know. what i remember remains impressive and beautiful, but I've probably cherry picked without knowing. there's got to be so much i missed fumbling around in the dark without a crumb of context, acting like I didn't need it. even a single undergrad class on contemp latin american lit made it clear to me how little i knew about latin america and that i still don't know shit, couldn't even scratch the surface.
but I'm loath to reread for the dumbest reason ever: i don't wanna spoil a good memory. i'm afraid that coming back now with my big eddicated brain would taint how i remember it, as a puzzle unfolding, a map to be read, a city of glass never seen in its entirety - memories of a simpler time, i guess, when the mystery of Close Reading felt like holy ritual and not an act of colonization. but then i owe it to myself to return, not as a puzzler or map-reader or a symbol-hunter but as a friend, to let it wash over me, to bask, to swirl up the mental stew of images and phrases from this book, which bubble up unbidden every now and then. there must be a reason they stuck around, i think. maybe some day I'll find it out.
octa's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
emna507's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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? It's complicated
5.0
mansikwatra's review against another edition
4.0
The desolation of buendia family inspires a very melancholic reaction in your heart. The story does get repetitive now and then but this repetition is an essential part of the plot. The end, however is the plunge into the sea of utter despair. A good book. salute to gabo!! :)
annsopiee's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Took me a month to finish. Very unnecessary mentions of pedophilia and incest..
and why the fuck is everyone named the same? It’s very hard to keep track of which of the 300 Aurelianos or Arcadios the story is about
and why the fuck is everyone named the same? It’s very hard to keep track of which of the 300 Aurelianos or Arcadios the story is about
hunziker's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
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? Yes
5.0