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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
It's clear why this book is a classic. The writing is beautiful, insightful and powerful. To me, though, the true love story was between Fermina and her husband, not Florentino's life long obsession with Fermina. Florentino comes across to me like a true villain, getting more unlikeable with every page.
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book took a bit of persistence to get through because of its descriptiveness. And for about the first half I was wondering if it would end up being a book will interesting turn of phrase and good descriptions but not much content to write home about. In the end, I was very pleased and satisfied with the book.
adventurous
emotional
funny
informative
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
hopeful
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Toxic relationship
funny
lighthearted
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Took me over 4 years to finish this book because I couldn't get into it
Una de las novelas más hermosas que he leído.
adventurous
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This book was such a painful read, I needed to switch to the audiobook to finish it off. The author just perpetually goes round and round bringing up unending random topics. All the characters seem so insufferable and boring. Especially Florentino. I do not know how people can read this and think it is a love story. The main character is annoying not to mention a horrible person. Waiting 50 years for a romance? Grooming? Pedophilia? Am I supposed to sympathise with this man? Is this supposed to be endearing? If you asked me one message this story was supposed to share, I wouldn’t be able to tell you. The only saving grace was the authors writing.
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This is a classic I've been meaning to read for a long time. It's beautifully written and Márquez (and the translator) are talented with words. I enjoyed the forays into characters and events in the wider city- but it really did not age well.
There's problematic depictions of race, largely in keeping with the time of writing. The relationships between men and women feel pretty superficial- although the story validates obsession as love- and usually exploitative. Most of the women are conveniently available for sex at a moments' notice and even Fermina Daza, who is unobtainable for most of the narrative, spends quite a lot of time caring for old men. Nice for them, I suppose. It lost me altogether when a sudden and violent rape was depicted as a positive sexual awakening for the female survivor, and dispatched in a few lines- followed by a page and a half on how traumatic and upsetting it is for men to go bald. It was also pretty slow.
I can see why it reached classic status, but it's not for me at all
There's problematic depictions of race, largely in keeping with the time of writing. The relationships between men and women feel pretty superficial- although the story validates obsession as love- and usually exploitative. Most of the women are conveniently available for sex at a moments' notice and even Fermina Daza, who is unobtainable for most of the narrative, spends quite a lot of time caring for old men. Nice for them, I suppose. It lost me altogether when a sudden and violent rape was depicted as a positive sexual awakening for the female survivor, and dispatched in a few lines- followed by a page and a half on how traumatic and upsetting it is for men to go bald. It was also pretty slow.
I can see why it reached classic status, but it's not for me at all
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Suicide, Death of parent
Minor: Pregnancy, War