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A review by anbal
Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez
challenging
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Just read One Hundred Years of Solitude instead. I read that first and went into Love in the Time of Cholera with such high hopes. Love in the Time of Cholera is like a hollowed out version of 100 years, with none of the idealism, morality and authenticity.
This was such a slog to read, redeemed only by García Márquez's effortless writing and some moments of levity mainly at the beginning. I loved the initial relationship between Fermina and the doctor described at the beginning, which felt very real. I could see a lot of my parents and grandparents in it. It was the only part that felt grounded in reality and, as the book continued, it became more and more ridiculous. Florentino Ariza is a terrible person who never redeems himself, but his actions are portrayed by the author as inevitable and faultless. It just made for an uncomfortable read. Maybe the ending was supposed to be absurd, and we are supposed to laugh at the lovers in their dotage and, if so, I suppose it's a better book.
Also there are some pretty horrific rape scenes
This was such a slog to read, redeemed only by García Márquez's effortless writing and some moments of levity mainly at the beginning. I loved the initial relationship between Fermina and the doctor described at the beginning, which felt very real. I could see a lot of my parents and grandparents in it. It was the only part that felt grounded in reality and, as the book continued, it became more and more ridiculous. Florentino Ariza is a terrible person who never redeems himself, but his actions are portrayed by the author as inevitable and faultless. It just made for an uncomfortable read. Maybe the ending was supposed to be absurd, and we are supposed to laugh at the lovers in their dotage and, if so, I suppose it's a better book.
Also there are some pretty horrific rape scenes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape