Jump to content

One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez


Angury

Recommended Posts

I was unable to find a current thread about this novel, so felt I should start one having just finished this book today.

 

This is a book that has popped up time and again every time I have searched for a new book to read. However, it was only after Marquez's death in 2014 that I decided to add this book to my ever-widening to-read list. I have heard the novel's genre described as 'magic realism' of which I am not too familiar, and was therefore a little apprehensive about beginning this book. However, it seems to have received rave reviews, so I decided to start it a few days ago.

 

 

This is quite a surreal book, and I'm unsure how I feel about it. On the one hand, it took me a while to get into the mindset of this 'magical realism.'

On the other hand, once I was able to delve into the characters lives, I couldn't stop. The idea of life going round in a circle, of history repeating itself time and again is illustrated beautifully in this book. Seeing the rise and fall of the village through the eyes of different generations also hits home the inevitability of time.

 

 

It was certainly an enjoyable read, and a step outside of my comfort zone. I'm not sure whether it is a book that will stay with me, but I can see why it has captured so many peoples imaginations. In a way, it shows humanity in its most raw form - it strips away the layers of etiquette, culture and society that I guess I am so used to in other novels. It is pure in its illustrations of human emotion and relationships, and I guess for me that's what made it stand out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I loved it. Like you, it took me a while to get into it and it was a challenge but such an enjoyable one and it's always great to read something original and that little bit different. It's stayed with me too but I definitely want to revisit it because it's so multi layered. It has one of the most striking endings I've ever come across .. just so clever, imaginative and inventive. I've also read Love in the Time of Cholera which I enjoyed too but not quite as much.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I read this mostly while I was on holiday and I'm glad I did because I too found it not an 'easy' read. It was quite outside my reading comfort zone and while I did enjoy the experience it didn't blow me away. I can see why it is held in such regard though as the writing is really clever and it's a book that would benefit from re-reading.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

I read it, I must admit i didn't find it enjoyable. I was really looking forward to it as everyone seems to love it. I was disappointed..maybe worth another read?

 

I think that like many books, it either clicks with you or doesn't and if you didn't enjoy it then it probably isn't worth another read.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I read it quite a while ago, and mostly remember how I felt after finishing it. Don't remember much of the story lines in it, there were several, the use of language was unlike anything I had read before. It was an amazing experience. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

Hmmm, it certainly a Marmite type of book; I absolutely loved it!

 

I read it twice probably...it's one of my favourite books. Obviously, after that I went to read other Marquess's books but they were not that special ( at least not for me)

Yeah, I've had a few of Marquez's books after Solitude, and they were good, but not the spellbinding as Solitude. Edited by Marie H
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hmmm, it certainly a Marmite type of book; I absolutely loved it!

 

Yeah, I've had a few of Marquez's books after Solitude, and they were good, but not the spellbinding as Solitude.

I suppose you can only do one masterpiece...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I suppose you can only do one masterpiece...

Yeah, maybe I was asking too much, and there a handful of other books are excellent, especially Chronicle of a Death Foretold, and Of Love and Other Demons.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, maybe I was asking too much, and there a handful of other books are excellent, especially Chronicle of a Death Foretold, and Of Love and Other Demons.

I remember reading Love in the time of Cholera and didn't like the plot so I was trying to persuade myself that book has to be good because it's Marquez...I'm just finishing the book where Marquez was mentioned on several occasions and one of the characters using a nickname of Colonel Aureliano Buendia from 100 years of Solitude 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I remember reading Love in the time of Cholera and didn't like the plot so I was trying to persuade myself that book has to be good because it's Marquez...I'm just finishing the book where Marquez was mentioned on several occasions and one of the characters using a nickname of Colonel Aureliano Buendia from 100 years of Solitude 

yeah, I have had problems with Love in the time of Cholera; it is very difficult to get into, and so far I still haven't get far for more than a couple of chapters, then I....drift off. Strange that it is the only Marquez book that I can't seem to get into.   

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had no idea Marquez had also written Love in the Time of Cholera - I feel a bit silly now. That's another book that has been on my TBR pile for quite a while now.

 

Do you guys think it's worth giving a go? As much as I enjoyed One Hundred Years of Solitude, it's not the type of book I normally read, nor do I think it's the sort of book I'd read again. So I'm not sure how I'd feel reading another of Marquez's books - although I don't know how different each of his works are from one another.

Edited by Angury
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Although I did enjoy the meandering languid story of One Hundred Years of Solitude,  I prefer Love In The Time of Cholera, and it sits on my (in-my-head) longish list of favourite books. I think with all of his books they either 'click' straightaway or they are a struggle. I struggled a bit with OHOS, but LITTOC captivated me from the off. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had no idea Marquez had also written Love in the Time of Cholera - I feel a bit silly now. That's another book that has been on my TBR pile for quite a while now.

 

Do you guys think it's worth giving a go? As much as I enjoyed One Hundred Years of Solitude, it's not the type of book I normally read, nor do I think it's the sort of book I'd read again. So I'm not sure how I'd feel reading another of Marquez's books - although I don't know how different each of his works are from one another.

If you are hopeless romantic - give it a go. Otherwise, well 100 yos is special, while love itoc...there is still some charm about it but...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

I've always wanted to read 100 Years, this thread makes me want to give it a go!

 

Edited: I forgot why I haven't, it's not released on Kindle yet. Cholera has though. That's too bad.

Edited by Anna Begins
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I have read quite a few of his books, I think they are mostly set in the same semi-fictionalised Latin American country and have a similar feel. I personally feel his shorter works are better. They have a distilled quality - Chronicle of a Death Foretold has stuck with me even though I read it over twenty years ago.

 

If you are not sure about whether you'll like his work, maybe try one of the short story collections such as No-one Writes to the Colonel.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

I just finished watched the Crash Course videos on this novel which have given me insight into its background and how the storyline represented the real world - particularly its links with the history of Columbia.

 

Would highly recommend watching the two, very short videos:

 

 

Edited by Angury
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...