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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
Frankly speaking... this book was one of the longest ones i have read..after Ayn Rand.
But no doubt a classic, in the manner of expression, story-telling and characters. It took some time to get used to the ornamental manner of English used, which was typical to that era. But once you get the hang of it, the story totally absorbs you into the lives of Florentino Ariza and Fermina Daza. It's not a sweet run-of-the-mill romance , but takes you along a timespan of more than 50 years, when Florentino waits for Fermina to respond to his undying love for her, while she gets married, has children and grows old. Along this time, he meets multiples ladies, struggles with life and builds up a position in the society, while she's struggling with her domestic life.
The story is pretty bold for the time it was written in, with generous amount of eroticism. But you can make out, that it is a master's work of art and done aesthetically. There are some guest appearances made by the Cholera outbreak ;-) , but didn't quite get the hang of it being a major part of the story.
Especially since these days, I have this particular inclination towards reading classics, I'm glad to have added this book in my Read collection.
But no doubt a classic, in the manner of expression, story-telling and characters. It took some time to get used to the ornamental manner of English used, which was typical to that era. But once you get the hang of it, the story totally absorbs you into the lives of Florentino Ariza and Fermina Daza. It's not a sweet run-of-the-mill romance , but takes you along a timespan of more than 50 years, when Florentino waits for Fermina to respond to his undying love for her, while she gets married, has children and grows old. Along this time, he meets multiples ladies, struggles with life and builds up a position in the society, while she's struggling with her domestic life.
The story is pretty bold for the time it was written in, with generous amount of eroticism. But you can make out, that it is a master's work of art and done aesthetically. There are some guest appearances made by the Cholera outbreak ;-) , but didn't quite get the hang of it being a major part of the story.
Especially since these days, I have this particular inclination towards reading classics, I'm glad to have added this book in my Read collection.
Disfruté muchísimo este libro más que por la historia, por la forma en la que escribe Gabriel García Marquez, en serio me impresionó demasiado como describía cualquier suceso o acción y yo pensaba "a mi jamás se me hubiera ocurrido decribirlo de esta forma o comparar esto con aquello" y de una manera tan detallada, pero al final siempre funcionaba. Y sobre la historia en si, es un triángulo amoroso de toda una vida con un final muy bonito y que todo el tiempo se sintió muy real.
I didn't like some parts, but the overall writing is fine.
„Duše se milují od pasu nahoru, těla od pasu dolů.“
Velmi příjemný román o lásce a stárnutí. Márquezův styl psaní mi sedl, jeho smysl pro detailní popisy jsou dechberoucí, přesto si jednu hvězdičku nechám ještě v záloze a věřím, že mě dokáže jiným dílem obohatit ještě o kapku víc.
Pozn. Netušila jsem, jaká jsou kapustňáci (v knize hojně zmiňovaní) neuvěřitelně rozkošná zvířata.
Velmi příjemný román o lásce a stárnutí. Márquezův styl psaní mi sedl, jeho smysl pro detailní popisy jsou dechberoucí, přesto si jednu hvězdičku nechám ještě v záloze a věřím, že mě dokáže jiným dílem obohatit ještě o kapku víc.
Pozn. Netušila jsem, jaká jsou kapustňáci (v knize hojně zmiňovaní) neuvěřitelně rozkošná zvířata.
The prose is beyond beautiful; however, I just had a hard time with the heartbroken protagonist who was also the novel's catalyst: a perverted sex addict stalker. Again, the descriptive prose was redemptive and inspiring, a great travelogue. Thanks to the skill of the writer, I'm ready to read more Marquez, hopefully he will leave out the corrosive view of love as a disease in the next plot...here's hoping.
I'm not sure how to rate this book. I read it in college and remember enjoying it. I enjoyed the writing once again, melodic and haunting at times...very descriptive...so much story was told within its pages. I had a hard time with some of the love affairs, especially the one with the young relative...reading it in 2020 felt a lot harder than perhaps it did when I read it the first time.
Absolutely sobbing (because: old love) but also yes this book has spice (because: old love). 8.75/10.
Oh Jesus. I can't explain the millions of ways I hated this book. So I will just post the conversation I had with some of my friends about it.
~~~~~~~~~ Below there be spoilers~~~~~~~~~~~
Tia - I just finished reading "Love in the Time of Cholera" and would like to suggest a rename to "Love in the Time of Cocksuckers." I'm going to go cut myself now.
A - Gah!
S - Ah. I loved that book. I actually own it. For something completely different, I started reading The Omega Point by Whitley Strieber. Solar storms, TPTB hiding in underground bunkers... It was on the paperback rack of the grocery store and I couldn't pass it up. LOL
~~~~INSERT RANDOMNESS~~~~~
S - So, Tia... who do you think had the more tragic life... Fermina or Florentino? Or someone else?
Tia - S, I think I hate everyone in the book. I mean look at our protagonists: 1) A woman who changes her mind about being in love in a split second, marries for money, and thinks black people smell funny. 2) A girly man who can't get over his first love but instead makes his penpal crush his excuse for avoiding having a normal life and who sleeps with anything that moves including a child who is entrusted to him as guardian. "Come kiss Uncle's dickey-bird." 3) A man who eats asparagus so that he can smell his piss and fondles his patients.
Yes I hate everyone.
Surely I haven't seen a more sad pathetic pack of losers since the "T"-Birds in Grease 2.
S - LOL It sure ain't a fairy tale, that's for sure, but if that's what you were expecting, I can see why you hate everybody. :)
Tia - I really wasn't expecting anything. I vaguely remembered hearing about it and I saw it had won all kinds of awards and it was on sale at the bookstore. Damn you bargain bin, damn you!
S - I think that's what I loved about it; everyone is so imperfect. It's probably the least romantic romantic novel.
W - lol oh i hate that.
Tia - S... there's imperfect and then there's fucked up. I am imperfect and the guy who smears his fecal matter on the wall of the public bathroom is fucked up. All these people were fucked up.
S - LOL! To each his own. :*
Tia - Indeed. I like reading about somewhat average people who have a good story and you like reading about fucked up people who sniff their husbands underwear. We're all different like that. :p
S2 - Ew seriously? Underwear sniffing? That's a deal-breaker for me.
S - LOL Ya know... I love all types of stories. This is another personal favorite. It may be more to your liking. http://www.amazon.com/Roaches-Have-King-Five-Title/dp/1852427469/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
Tia - Hey that actually sounds pretty funny. You might like Perdido Street Station, it's not funny but it's suitably skewed. http://www.amazon.com/Perdido-Street-Station-China-Mieville/dp/0345459407/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1308339472&sr=1-3
J - Good for you, Tia. You didn't fall into the trap. You're not supposed to like any of those people. Those who try think they're being all romantic, but really, they are screwed up people. You didn't catch the disease. ; )
S - J is correct. :) Tia... I can lend you Roaches if you'd like.
Tia - So the point of the book was to ramble on and on about every little insignificant, and sometimes perverted, detail of the mundane lives of 3 people who you're meant to strongly dislike who don't, in actuality, love each other? ::bangs head against the wall::
W - suspended belief takes many forms Tia.... :p
~~~~~~~
So mixed reviews from my friends, but I hated it. Hated it. Serious serious burn it if I see it again hate. We're talking Ethan Frome levels of hate here.
~~~~~~~~~ Below there be spoilers~~~~~~~~~~~
Tia - I just finished reading "Love in the Time of Cholera" and would like to suggest a rename to "Love in the Time of Cocksuckers." I'm going to go cut myself now.
A - Gah!
S - Ah. I loved that book. I actually own it. For something completely different, I started reading The Omega Point by Whitley Strieber. Solar storms, TPTB hiding in underground bunkers... It was on the paperback rack of the grocery store and I couldn't pass it up. LOL
~~~~INSERT RANDOMNESS~~~~~
S - So, Tia... who do you think had the more tragic life... Fermina or Florentino? Or someone else?
Tia - S, I think I hate everyone in the book. I mean look at our protagonists: 1) A woman who changes her mind about being in love in a split second, marries for money, and thinks black people smell funny. 2) A girly man who can't get over his first love but instead makes his penpal crush his excuse for avoiding having a normal life and who sleeps with anything that moves including a child who is entrusted to him as guardian. "Come kiss Uncle's dickey-bird." 3) A man who eats asparagus so that he can smell his piss and fondles his patients.
Yes I hate everyone.
Surely I haven't seen a more sad pathetic pack of losers since the "T"-Birds in Grease 2.
S - LOL It sure ain't a fairy tale, that's for sure, but if that's what you were expecting, I can see why you hate everybody. :)
Tia - I really wasn't expecting anything. I vaguely remembered hearing about it and I saw it had won all kinds of awards and it was on sale at the bookstore. Damn you bargain bin, damn you!
S - I think that's what I loved about it; everyone is so imperfect. It's probably the least romantic romantic novel.
W - lol oh i hate that.
Tia - S... there's imperfect and then there's fucked up. I am imperfect and the guy who smears his fecal matter on the wall of the public bathroom is fucked up. All these people were fucked up.
S - LOL! To each his own. :*
Tia - Indeed. I like reading about somewhat average people who have a good story and you like reading about fucked up people who sniff their husbands underwear. We're all different like that. :p
S2 - Ew seriously? Underwear sniffing? That's a deal-breaker for me.
S - LOL Ya know... I love all types of stories. This is another personal favorite. It may be more to your liking. http://www.amazon.com/Roaches-Have-King-Five-Title/dp/1852427469/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
Tia - Hey that actually sounds pretty funny. You might like Perdido Street Station, it's not funny but it's suitably skewed. http://www.amazon.com/Perdido-Street-Station-China-Mieville/dp/0345459407/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1308339472&sr=1-3
J - Good for you, Tia. You didn't fall into the trap. You're not supposed to like any of those people. Those who try think they're being all romantic, but really, they are screwed up people. You didn't catch the disease. ; )
S - J is correct. :) Tia... I can lend you Roaches if you'd like.
Tia - So the point of the book was to ramble on and on about every little insignificant, and sometimes perverted, detail of the mundane lives of 3 people who you're meant to strongly dislike who don't, in actuality, love each other? ::bangs head against the wall::
W - suspended belief takes many forms Tia.... :p
~~~~~~~
So mixed reviews from my friends, but I hated it. Hated it. Serious serious burn it if I see it again hate. We're talking Ethan Frome levels of hate here.
challenging
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I want to give this book both a higher and lower rating at the same time. On one hand I found the way in which the story was told masterful and I respect Marquez’s take on love as something both beautiful and ugly. That being said, I have some real difficulties with the blurred line between abuse and love and it is hard not to read several parts as a romanticization of abusive relationships. I don’t yet what part will stay with me more over time.