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A review by mzgeee53
Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Márquez's Love in the Time of Cholera is a sweeping tale of love, obsession, and the passage of time. The story follows Florentino Ariza's lifelong love for Fermina Daza, a love that begins in youth and endures through decades of separation and societal pressures. As the novel unfolds, we witness the intricate tapestry of their lives, set against the backdrop of a cholera epidemic and the evolving landscape of Colombia.
Márquez's lyrical prose and philosophical musings are undoubtedly captivating. His ability to weave intricate narratives and explore profound themes is on full display in Love in the Time of Cholera. However, the novel's main characters, Fermina Daza and Florentino Ariza, proved to be challenging to connect with. Daza's racist views and Ariza's pedophilia and womanizing tendencies made it difficult to fully invest in their relationship and root for their happiness.
While the novel's exploration of love, passion, and the human condition is thought-provoking, the characters' flaws ultimately hindered my enjoyment of the story. As a result, I found One Hundred Years of Solitude to be a more satisfying and compelling work.
Márquez's lyrical prose and philosophical musings are undoubtedly captivating. His ability to weave intricate narratives and explore profound themes is on full display in Love in the Time of Cholera. However, the novel's main characters, Fermina Daza and Florentino Ariza, proved to be challenging to connect with. Daza's racist views and Ariza's pedophilia and womanizing tendencies made it difficult to fully invest in their relationship and root for their happiness.
While the novel's exploration of love, passion, and the human condition is thought-provoking, the characters' flaws ultimately hindered my enjoyment of the story. As a result, I found One Hundred Years of Solitude to be a more satisfying and compelling work.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Chronic illness, Death, Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Excrement, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Colonisation, Pandemic/Epidemic