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3.84 AVERAGE
3.84 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
funny
fast-paced
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
medium-paced
I reckon most will know of Gabriel Garcia Marquez from his seminal work: 100 Years of Solitude. This short little book has certain shades of that giant work of literature; less expansive and ambitious but undeniably written with Marquez's customary rich language, detailed, memorable family units and far more focused than 100 Years of Solitude. There is not the same level of stunning writing as in Marquez's masterpiece but this novel does share a similar nonlinearity, forcefully mixing the setup of events with the tragic end result to tremendous effect (the reader is reminded on nearly ever page of Santiago Nasar's imminent murder). The title of the book describes the story well enough; a murder mystery of sorts, in which the mystery is less about who killed Santiago Nasar but rather how everyone in the town failed to prevent it, despite the murder being foretold. The following excerpt should prepare readers for what to expect:
He was so perplexed by the enigma that fate had touched him with, that he kept falling into lyrical distractions that ran contrary to the rigor of his profession. Most of all, he never thought it legitimate that life should make use of so many coincidences forbidden literature, so that there should be the untrammelled fulfillment of a death so clearly foretold.
What follows is a tragic unravelling of a dizzying number of named witnesses packed into such a short book; each having their own justifications to excuse their part in allowing such a murder to take place. There are moments of happenstance and coincidence, confusion and revenge, but most of all, the sense of collective contradiction; the townspeople who were warned of the murder laugh it off as implausible and yet still crowd around in anticipation of the event, bystanders shrug off their inaction as an uncontrollable realization of destiny (they are foretold of murder, not forewarned), even the murderers themselves, doubting their own cause, eventually believe the victim to be already doomed to death independent of their own actions and so go about their bloody business without remorse.
Again like 100 Years of Solitude, this novel can be difficult to warm to because hardly any of the characters act like human beings. There's a surreal (even self-aware) fatalism pervading all their quirks and behaviours. Characters act queer and dramatic, full of symmetries and ironies, lulling a reader with literary contraptions, predestination, fate and picturesque tragedy. So when the actual murder itself comes, gory, brutal and without poetics, despite knowing it's coming, it's horrifying and vicious and you can't help but feel a bit personally complicit in the story yourself.
I reread this book for the first time since high school for a book club. It was fun to revisit and remember why I liked it so much in the first place. It has beautiful imagery, a wonderful mystical and mysterious vibe, and it can be quite funny at times when people show how inept they are. I also appreciate the feminist/anti-machismo themes and the criticism of religion, government, and human nature. This is still the only one of García Márquez's works that I have read, but I think it is a good one that more people should read.
Vergeleken met zijn andere boeken die ik al gelezen heb, vond ik dit toch maar teleurstellend...
dark
funny
tense
medium-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
This quick, enjoyable read features very realistic characters. It sends the reader to a lively trip into Caribbean Colombia at the turn of the 20th century - dvelving into themes of honor and justice.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Domestic abuse
Me gustó mucho la manera en la que Gabo relata esta historia ya que el libro trata sobre la muerte de Santiago Nasar pero desarrollada desde el punto de vista de varios personajes que se dan cuenta que lo piensan matar y algunos de ellos tratan de evitar, cada relato te da información sobre la acusación que se le hace a Santiago.
Segundo libro de Gabriel que leo y no aguanto por leer el tercero me está gustando muchísimo su manera de escribir.
Segundo libro de Gabriel que leo y no aguanto por leer el tercero me está gustando muchísimo su manera de escribir.
Al principio, el libro me parecía un poquito pesado, ya que es lo que me pasa normalmente cuando leo por primera vez a un escritor, pero luego se me pasó. Me parece curiosa la forma en la que empieza y termina la historia y como prácticamente nadie decide hacer nada para avisar a Santiago Nasar.