One Hundred Years of Solitude (P.S.)
by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
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Book Reviews of One Hundred Years of Solitude (P.S.)
Book Review: Great novel with a few distractions.
Summary: 4 Stars
This novel grabbed me almost immediately, and I was sure it would not let go until I had finished it. Unfortunately, however, it did let go for a while, and even pushed me out sometimes.
It begins beautifully with the founding of Macondo, and the visits of the gypsies to that small village. The introductory chapters are bright and uplifting. Unfortunately, near the middle of the book, it slows down tremendously and becomes largely mundane. Particularly when Marquez writes about the wars of Colonel Aureliano Buendia. During these parts, he seems to shift the tone of his writing, which is likely appropriate considering the shift in subject matter, but it just felt flat and dry compared to the beginning of the book. Fortunately, the rest of the novel after the accounts of the wars regains its earlier pace and style.
My other complaint is that Marquez used his character names over and over again, and other than a small reference to the cycle of the family curse, there seemed to be little reason to burden the reader with so many Aureliano's and Jose Arcadio's. There was Jose Arcadio Buendia, (2)Jose Arcadio(s), Jose Arcadio Segundo, and Arcadio. Colonel Aureliano Buendia, Aureliano Jose, Aurelianos, Aureliano (x2), Aureliano Segundo, and even a reference to 17 of Colonel Aureliano Buendia's offspring all with the first name Aureliano, four of which are introduced as secondary characters. There is even a small amount of repetition in the female character's names. Whether this name game would have been plausible within the lives of the characters or not doesn't matter to me. I never felt that there was a compelling reason for Marquez to burden his readers with the trick.
With those complaints aside, it is a great novel. Marquez conveys very well the loneliness felt by his characters. His characters are sometimes unaware of how lonely they are, but Marquez makes their solitude apparent to the reader. Several of the characters aren't fleshed out very well, but the book isn't as much about the characters as it is about the recurring theme of solitude that they experience.
Definitely a novel worth reading to gain a feel for Marquez' mastery of written emotion, but be warned that it is easy to become frustratingly lost in the quagmire of repetitive names. (Fortunately, there is a simple family tree before the first chapter which helps to clear up some of the seemingly unnecessary confusion with the names.)
Book Review: Spellbinding.
Summary: 5 Stars
After striking out at Borders Express one evening, I was at a loss for what novel to read next, the store having been exhausted of their copies of "The Tin Drum," "Stranger In A Strange Land" and "The Golden Notebook." The Manager, noticing my distant pauses, asked me if I'd like to have a look at the best book he'd ever read. I said I would.
Such was my accidental crossing of paths with Marquez's "One Hundred Years Of Solitude," a sprawling, epic story of several generations of the Buendia family in early South America. From the very first page I couldn't put this thing down. I've read a lot of books this year but none of them can compare to the simple yet graceful poise of this masterpiece. Marquez expertly mixes fantasy with the staunch realism of raising and nurturing a family in a newly formed society.
It begins with patriarch Jose Arcadio Buendia and his wife Ursula just after having trekked many, many miles with a small group of nomads in search of a good piece of earth in which to plant the seeds of a new community. Slowly but surely they build their homes and expand their families amid vividly created stories from the author's own mind and experiences. The characters in this book are incredible. There were the random exploits of the wild Gypsy sorcerer Melquiades, the raging sexuality of the giant Jose Arcadio Jr., the hateful sadomasochism of spinster Amaranta - every persona gets a chance to shine in this story of 100 years in the line of a great family, each one of them obsessed in some way with a solitary form of existence.
It's fascinating to read about a story that begins with people who don't even have words for certain things in this world and ends after having depicted great advances in moving pictures. It's like voyeuristically peeking into an actual piece of history. So absorbed was I with this piece that I didn't even notice until after reading a review on Amazon.com that the word "solitude" is written on almost every page of the book. Repetition doesn't usually get by me so easily; in fact, it annoys me to no end. But everything else about this thing shines so brightly that I didn't have the eyes to notice the things that I'd normally consider flaws. Steeped in thought-provoking symbolism, radically attacking the world of politics, literally filled with the taboos of pedophilia and incest and murder, this is without a doubt one of my favorite novels of all time.
Book Review: It isn't your fault if you haven't read this classic novel yet.
Summary: 5 Stars
It isn't your fault if you haven't read this classic novel yet. Rather than read people's reviews you should just buy the book and begin this incredible journey!
I first read this while living in a rural South American village over 30 years ago and it provided insight into the people around me as well as those where I grew up in the Detroit area! What! At each reading I marvel at how Garcia Marquez weaves images and events into an enjoyable show imagined inside your head.
This outstanding novel weaves a story of intriguing and oftentimes absurd history that causes you to reflect eventually on today's political and economic events. While written about different countries, cultures, and times from our own, yet as humans we are still movtivated by the same things. As one reads about outlandish happenings and goings on in a far away land you suddenly realize you are facing today's reality presented in a much different form.
While the size of the book is daunting you soon become familiar with Aureliano Bunedia, Ursula and the other characters. The book snuggles into your being like a very good friend and you feel compelled to open it up to see just what is happening now, just as one talks with the neighbors, co-workers or family members. Avoid surprise at discovering you start carrying the book with you to snatch a few paragraphs while waiting in line at the supermarket or while commuting to work. You won't be able to put this down for very long and will miss it when you aren't reading it.
Spanish version or English version doesn't really matter as you get so caught up in the events that you start dreaming about the book..... However, I'd caution that unless you have a top notch Spanish vocabulary, like those that have taken university level courses in Spanish, this book and Garcia Marquez will challenge your vocabulary and limit the images in your mind. You may wish to begin with the English version and then on a second or third read do the Spanish version. Yeah, I know, I only used to read books one time, too. This book you will read again and again. Good reading!
R.H. Curtis
www.robertoshidokan.com
Book Review: Like a Painting by Salvador Dali: Complex and Surreal
Summary: 5 Stars
This is not a conventional novel and readers will have to re-think how they look at a novel. I kept trying to understand exactly what was happening, until I got to page 135 and read the following passage and then it became clear.
"A trickle of blood came out under the door, crossed the living room, went out into the street, continued on in a straight line across the uneven terraces, went down steps and climbed over curbs, passed along the Street of the Turks, turned a corner to the right and another to the left, made a right angle to the Burendia house, went under the closed door, crossed through the parlor, hugging the walls as to not stain the rug, went on to the other living room, made a wide curve to avoid the dining room table, went along the porch with the begonias, "
What does this all mean? It is clear that the novel is not based on reality but instead has a dream like quality to the story. It is an allegory or myth. Was it all a dream by the narrator?
The other literary feature is the use of names which is repetitive and similar. There are so many similar names and new characters that it is almost impossible to keep everything clear so the plot always has a certain level of chaos. Mixed in with that, the novel has the numerous unions between family members, revolutions, exaggerations, and the use of profanity by the characters. What are we to make of all of this chaos? In fact what exactly does Marquez mean by the word "solitude?" He seems to use it to represent social isolation between characters in the novel.
Finally, all of the names and the relations tend to mix up the concept of time. The time does not seem to be linear. There seems to be cross generational discussions, even though we have five or six generations of people all related.
This is an unusual novel like almost no other. The read is slow and complicated or a slow read is required to extract all the details. In any case, it takes more than one read.
Very unusual: 5 stars.
Book Review: A Student Review
Summary: 5 Stars
One Hundred Years of Solitude tells the tale of the Buendia family and the town of Maconda, whose history is as enchanting as it is enthralling. It's the story of gypsies and scientists, banana plantations and dancing Italians. This is the birth of magical realism: a story that's entirely absurd and inventive, and at the same time entirely true.
The writing is as magical as the story; it's easy to see why Marquez won a Nobel Prize. The book flows beautifully together, but at the same time the words can be so spectacular it's almost difficult to breathe.
Do expect to be put off a little by the nature of the story. Some people may even be offended by the seemingly careless disregard of incest, suicide, and sexuality in the book. Some of the events are somewhat bizarre and disturbing, but they tend to take second place to the writing and overall emotion of the book.
The only other issue readers may have with the book is that the actual plot is not always clear. Names tend to be used multiple times, making it difficult to follow the story. But often times, the sense of ambiguity actually enhances the experience of reading the novel.
This is a book meant to be experienced more than it is meant to be read. You have to be prepared to abandon your sense of reality; over thinking can actually complicate things. It's easy to become frustrated with the seeming repetitiveness of the tale, but the minute you let your mind wander, everything, from the flying carpets to the ramblings of a gypsy, makes sense.
At the same time, it's very easy to become emotionally attached to the story. The characters seem to effortlessly gain your trust one moment, only to abandon it the next. The choices they make seem to affect you as if you knew the characters personally. That's the magic of Marquez's writing. The characters may as well be alive; because everything they do changes the way you live.
All in all, a simply extraordinary novel.