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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Stalking
Moderate: Child abuse, Pedophilia
emotional
reflective
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
pretty glorious.. quite weird and a little raunchy but i definitely found it easier to get into than one hundred years
I find that a rating of four stars means something different when the author is Gabriel Garcia Marquez than when it is someone less masterful..."Love in the Time of Cholera" is an incredibly well-written book, head and shoulders above 90% of what I read. But it is an exasperating book as well, and not quite as good as some of GGM's best writing ("100 Years of Solitude," perhaps, should win that honor). The first time I read this book, I was enchanted, and there are phrases and scenes that I still recall with deep pleasure 25 years later. The second time I read this book, the latin-male hubris drove me nuts, draining some of the joy from the reading and even from the memories of my first encounter with it. The third time I read it, I had reconciled myself to who GGM is as a writer, and was able to forgive him some of his sexism, much as I forgive Trollope or other writers from earlier ages and different cultures for not sharing my point of view. But I still saw how GGM's strongly macho sensibility weakened the writing and I believe that as time goes on, this will be considered a less essential book than "100 Years" or "The General in His Labyrinth."
Perhaps this is something like the difference between window-shopping for clothes at Macy's and at some haute couture boutique: you may be disappointed in this year's Chanel, you may compare it to the best Chanel and find it wanting, but it is undeniably in a completely different category of skill and artistry than what's readily available. And so it is with Marquez.
Perhaps this is something like the difference between window-shopping for clothes at Macy's and at some haute couture boutique: you may be disappointed in this year's Chanel, you may compare it to the best Chanel and find it wanting, but it is undeniably in a completely different category of skill and artistry than what's readily available. And so it is with Marquez.
I don’t know if I’ve ever been so conflicted on if I liked a book or not. Long story short: hated everything about the story but LOVED Marquez’s writing.
Literally not a single character was likeable, except possibly Aunt Escolástica or Tránsito Ariza. None of their actions were commendable. There was never a good choice made. None of them seemed to know what love was, but that’s the whole point of the story. It was frustrating for any moment of happiness to be followed with, “but that isn’t love.” At some points, I get it, but it seems like Marquez (or his characters) couldn’t understand that there were different kinds of love than the passionate and romantic kind.
I’m not even going to mention Florentino’s affairs, because if you’ve read the story, you likely know exactly what I’d say. If you haven’t read it, prepared to be the most disgusted you’ve ever been with a man from his teenage years to the end of his life.
Despite all the story aspects that I hated, Marquez’s writing was absolutely stunning. The prose and flow was fantastic throughout the entire story, even in the moments I hated. Marquez has a way of making you understand exactly what he’s saying even if he uses the most convoluted figurative language you’ve ever heard. It was his writing that made me enjoy this story even a little bit. That, and it was entertaining to see how the characters destroyed their lives with every action.
Literally not a single character was likeable, except possibly Aunt Escolástica or Tránsito Ariza. None of their actions were commendable. There was never a good choice made. None of them seemed to know what love was, but that’s the whole point of the story. It was frustrating for any moment of happiness to be followed with, “but that isn’t love.” At some points, I get it, but it seems like Marquez (or his characters) couldn’t understand that there were different kinds of love than the passionate and romantic kind.
I’m not even going to mention Florentino’s affairs, because if you’ve read the story, you likely know exactly what I’d say. If you haven’t read it, prepared to be the most disgusted you’ve ever been with a man from his teenage years to the end of his life.
Despite all the story aspects that I hated, Marquez’s writing was absolutely stunning. The prose and flow was fantastic throughout the entire story, even in the moments I hated. Marquez has a way of making you understand exactly what he’s saying even if he uses the most convoluted figurative language you’ve ever heard. It was his writing that made me enjoy this story even a little bit. That, and it was entertaining to see how the characters destroyed their lives with every action.
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault
Not sure how to rate this one. The writing is beautiful and I think he does a good job of capturing the atmosphere of South America in the late 19th and early 20th Century. However, that creates a problem as the (particularly) male attitudes of that time feel awkward to modern day readers
I suppose it is a love story but the main male character comes across as more obsessed than pining for the main female character. He embarks on a flurry of affairs over the 53 years he waits for his first love to be free of her husband mostly with unobtainable women (married) and behaves atrociously at times. His last affair with his ward who is 14 or 15 when it starts feels particularly odd to a modern day reader - it doesn't end well. He only seems to have one female acquaintance that he doesn't bed.
I liked the way he dealt with the characters aging and doesn't shy away from them being old at the end of the book when they finally reconnected. He also deals with the reality of a long marriage as well acknowledging that there are periods of good as well as bad and that things ebb and flow but time is a great healer. I've seen other reviews that describe her marriage as unhappy - I don't think it was just a normal long marriage which isn't always sunshine and roses.
Overall a slightly disturbing book but very well written (I also liked the fact they communicate by letter and that the male character was a bit of a poet). Just deals with historical truths that are hard to accept with modern eyes
I suppose it is a love story but the main male character comes across as more obsessed than pining for the main female character. He embarks on a flurry of affairs over the 53 years he waits for his first love to be free of her husband mostly with unobtainable women (married) and behaves atrociously at times. His last affair with his ward who is 14 or 15 when it starts feels particularly odd to a modern day reader - it doesn't end well. He only seems to have one female acquaintance that he doesn't bed.
I liked the way he dealt with the characters aging and doesn't shy away from them being old at the end of the book when they finally reconnected. He also deals with the reality of a long marriage as well acknowledging that there are periods of good as well as bad and that things ebb and flow but time is a great healer. I've seen other reviews that describe her marriage as unhappy - I don't think it was just a normal long marriage which isn't always sunshine and roses.
Overall a slightly disturbing book but very well written (I also liked the fact they communicate by letter and that the male character was a bit of a poet). Just deals with historical truths that are hard to accept with modern eyes
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Olipahan kirjan. Mietin pariin kertaan, että jätän tämän kesken. Halusin kuitenkin lukea loppuun saakka, jotta voin vihata kunnolla. 😆 Oli kirjassa kuintenkin hyviäkin osia!
➕Tykkään kirjoista, joissa seurataan päähenkilöitä läpi elämän. Se oli tässäkin teoksessa todella kauniisti tehty. Hahmot kasvavat ja elävät epätäydellisiä elämiä.
➖Rasismia, pedofiliaa, seksismiä, raiskauksia, insestiä. Aina kun ajatteli että ei pahemmaksi voi mennä, hups keikkaa sieltä päähenkilö Florentino Ariza aloittaa suhteen 14 vuotiaan sukulaisen kanssa. 🫠🙃
➖Aikanaan tää kirja on voinut olla ihana rakkaustarina, mutta nyt Florentino Ariza vaikutti lähinnä vaan stalkkerilta. Ja ei sillee kivalla tavalla. 🫠
➖Poukkoileva kerronta hämmensi välillä aika paljonkin, kun en ihan muistanut kenestä puhutaan.
Nojoo, en siis erityisesti suosittele. Ei nyt huonoin kirja, mutta paaaljon parempia löytyy helposti. Onneks tämäkin oli alunperin joltain naapurilta. 😅
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Incest, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Death of parent, Murder
