Reviews with content warning for Stalking - Love in the Time of Cholera

Reviews tagging 'Stalking'

Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez

44 reviews

co32minus's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

CW and expectation setting for future readers: there is a significant amount of misogynoir (derogatory descriptions and speach about black women), and pedophilia in this book. It's set in Columbia during the cholera epidemic, the main characters are rich, and it was written in the 1980s. The tone reflects that.

Aside from those criticisms overall I'd say this book was decent, I'd be curious to read it in the original Spanish where I'm sure the poetry sings louder. The writing is very fluid, ebbing and flowing from one thought to the next which creates an interesting sensation of being told this story orally, or as if it's being recounted from an old memory (which fits the themes of love and age). It was personally harder for me to read because the chapters were so long I would have to stop reading in the middle of a thought and pick up later. I didn't feel particularly compelled by any of the characters, the dynamic of their youth was interesting and

once Fermina and Florentino reconnected as older people I really enjoyed their reflections on living and what it means to love after so much of your life has passed.

But I felt pretty on edge throughout the entire thing waiting for Fermina to give consent to Florentino who was obsessed with her and didn't take responsibility for his own emotions. I also expected cholera to be a bigger factor haha, but I think th book is more about "the time of" and not cholera. I think generally it's not my genre, I'm not a big fan of low stakes long form romance, but for those who love sustained longing you'd probably love this book (if the misogynoir and pedophilia don't turn you away.)

Content Warnings

lizzanator's review against another edition

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slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

It was difficult to find any redeemable aspects of this book as it glorifies rape, pedophilia, and stalking behaviors. None of the main characters are likeable and I can't say that I'm glad that they ended up together. I kept reading, hoping that there would be some character development or recognition of the stalking-like behavior of the main character, but nope. We're apparently supposed to celebrate that and be happy for them.

Content Warnings

dlindberg's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful reflective sad 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? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

theraindiary's review against another edition

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dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

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annatan's review against another edition

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hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

Content Warnings

wellyreads's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

1.25

Content Warnings

sara_o's review against another edition

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slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

I really hated this book. I’m kind of baffled by all the love it gets. I get that “it’s about a different time”, but the rampant misogyny, racism, weird glorification of rape, a main character who bookends his life by dabbling in pedophilia, and explicitly grooming a young girl when he’s in his 70s, then essentially abandoning her, the stalking... ugh. I just… hated it.

I know that the writing was sometimes beautiful, but in other parts, was practically purple. There were some sex scenes where I was thinking “if I read this exact prose in a standard, mass market romance, I would say it’s schlock and completely overwrought.” (no shade to mass market romance novels. I would rather read 1000 of those than this book).

I hated it.

Content Warnings