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wasupe12's review against another edition
3.0
"One Hundred Years of Solitude" has been on my re-read list for years. I decided re-reading now would be a perfect way to memorialize Gabo Márquez.
I remember being totally fascinated with "One Hundred Years" in my 20s and, am sure I would have given it five stars then if Goodreads has existed.
Unfortunately, for me, that mystical, fantastical, magical realism that I read then did not age with me. That said, I have believe it is me and where I am in life, and not the writing. The writing did not change, the story did not change, only I changed.
Maybe I will try it again in another 30 years to see if I've circled back around.
I remember being totally fascinated with "One Hundred Years" in my 20s and, am sure I would have given it five stars then if Goodreads has existed.
Unfortunately, for me, that mystical, fantastical, magical realism that I read then did not age with me. That said, I have believe it is me and where I am in life, and not the writing. The writing did not change, the story did not change, only I changed.
Maybe I will try it again in another 30 years to see if I've circled back around.
rainbow1218's review against another edition
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Magical realism is just not for me. The story is beautifully written, but fantastical and nonsensical all at the same time. The absurdity kept me from investing in any character. Cycles of repeated mistakes passed down through generations coupled with the same names really made it hard to follow. Consistent themes of sexual deviancy, aimless living, and despair.
Three stars given the literary merit and ingenuity, but I seriously disliked the book.
Three stars given the literary merit and ingenuity, but I seriously disliked the book.
jay_sy's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez is a story that follows three generations of the Buendia family and the question of whether they can escape the effects of the past.
Thoughts while reading:
-I’m not quite sure what this is about, but I’m really enjoying it so far. I feel bad for Ursula though, having to deal with all the whims of her husband who is caught up by new ideas
-There is a lot going on and a lot of characters. It can be hard to keep track of them, and their relationships are so entangled. There’s also a lot of uncomfortable things that happen to the women
-Considering the dramas that the characters get caught up in, it’s interesting to see Ursula’s insights about them once she gets old and blind and perceives them in a new light. I didn’t care for Amaranta (especially with how she treated Rebecca) until Ursula’s views put her in a new light. Remedios the Beauty was fascinating though, with how she was completely uninterested in social convention and people thought she was simple-minded, yet she still drove men insane
-Meme’s story made me so sad. I wish she could have been with her lover. I disliked Fernanda but this made me dislike her more
Something about the book almost felt like a dark fairy tale. I definitely had characters confused a few times, and didn't always know what was happening. From what I gather, this is one of those books that hits a lot harder if you grew up in Latin America, and while reading it, I couldn't help thinking that there was a whole history I was missing out on, simply because I wasn't taught it. I generally enjoyed the women's stories more than the men's, but some of the incidents were very harrowing (like the Banana massacre and how it was forgotten). Perhaps this is one of those books that I would appreciate more with another reading, but as it is, I would give it 3 out of 5
Thoughts while reading:
-I’m not quite sure what this is about, but I’m really enjoying it so far. I feel bad for Ursula though, having to deal with all the whims of her husband who is caught up by new ideas
-There is a lot going on and a lot of characters. It can be hard to keep track of them, and their relationships are so entangled. There’s also a lot of uncomfortable things that happen to the women
-Considering the dramas that the characters get caught up in, it’s interesting to see Ursula’s insights about them once she gets old and blind and perceives them in a new light. I didn’t care for Amaranta (especially with how she treated Rebecca) until Ursula’s views put her in a new light. Remedios the Beauty was fascinating though, with how she was completely uninterested in social convention and people thought she was simple-minded, yet she still drove men insane
-Meme’s story made me so sad. I wish she could have been with her lover. I disliked Fernanda but this made me dislike her more
Something about the book almost felt like a dark fairy tale. I definitely had characters confused a few times, and didn't always know what was happening. From what I gather, this is one of those books that hits a lot harder if you grew up in Latin America, and while reading it, I couldn't help thinking that there was a whole history I was missing out on, simply because I wasn't taught it. I generally enjoyed the women's stories more than the men's, but some of the incidents were very harrowing (like the Banana massacre and how it was forgotten). Perhaps this is one of those books that I would appreciate more with another reading, but as it is, I would give it 3 out of 5
taymart's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kellysparks's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Incest
janiemcgann's review against another edition
dark
funny
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
tumblyhome_caroline's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? Yes
5.0
quuzii's review against another edition
5.0
After first reading this nearly ten years ago, I returned to it with a curiosity as to whether or not it would still hold the same appreciation. It did. Admittedly, the book can sometimes feel a bit tedious, but that I attribute more to the fact that it demands a lot from its reader. As a review that I read made clear, Garcia Marquez doesn't waste words. The sentences are chosen for a reason, with seemingly little regard for fluff. It has a density to it that takes a bit of getting used to, but once I sank into the richness of it, I realized I loved it now as much as I did then. The final chapter, in particular, is beautiful, and inspires a certain longing now as it did upon first read.
kal9000's review against another edition
5.0
This is my perfect novel. Tolstoy-esque in it's grandeur yet full of surreal, dream-like instances which elevate it to a new type of reading experience. There may have been times when G. G. Marq ran with the character development just to see what happened, especially toward the end, but overall I fell in love with it's carnal beauty and forlorn isolation.