A review by emilymf
Of Love and Other Demons by Gabriel García Márquez

challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

I really loved the writing style and the idea. The writing is very straightforward with the facts but also offers wonderful descriptions and quotes. I liked being able to see the perspectives of the people around Sierva Maria, and although I wish I knew more of her perspective I think the book works well with this angle. There were a lot of names of places I didn't recognize, so I wish I had a version with footnotes or something to give some context. There's a lot of racism/religious intolerance from various characters. The main drawback for me is how nonchalantly the relationship between a 12 year old and 36 year old is portrayed -- there isn't much acknowledgement of how predatory this is, especially given the power dynamic as well. There's also a lot of discussion of the mom's bowel movements that was less fun to read. I really liked the writing I just think sometimes there were too many or too little details. I would read more by this author though.