zazzy's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Rape, Racism, Racial slurs, and Colonisation
woolfen's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 - 4 Stars.
This was a difficult read - it keeps you out with sentences that run across pages, with full stops few and far between. It took a bit of time to get into, but once I realised that this book is effectively a Latin American version of Kafka's 'The Trial', it all clicked. The kafkaesque nature of the unknowable 'El Caudillo' - the general, the stud, the one who gives the orders - parsed through the lens of Márquez's magical realism, is a difficult and complex character. Contemporary Latin America was going through a depressingly similar experience of comic tyrants, so far removed from daily life, except for their violent bounds into reality, are effectively more akin to romanticised figments of collective imagination.
This was a difficult read - it keeps you out with sentences that run across pages, with full stops few and far between. It took a bit of time to get into, but once I realised that this book is effectively a Latin American version of Kafka's 'The Trial', it all clicked. The kafkaesque nature of the unknowable 'El Caudillo' - the general, the stud, the one who gives the orders - parsed through the lens of Márquez's magical realism, is a difficult and complex character. Contemporary Latin America was going through a depressingly similar experience of comic tyrants, so far removed from daily life, except for their violent bounds into reality, are effectively more akin to romanticised figments of collective imagination.
jmwise1's review against another edition
5.0
The most challenging book I’ve ever read.
This is my third of his, but Probably my least favorite Garcia Marquez so far, just bc of how challenging it was and how disturbing at parts, but that’s the point.
I just love his writing. Just as beautiful and rich writing as 100 years, but, as the blurb in the back said, this one is not a celebration of life like 100 years, but rather a look at a tyrannical dictator through the course of his life.
Like 100 years too, time is circular - ESPECIALLY in this one. Even worse. But still there seemed to be a method to madness. Literally.
It was so challenging bc there were about like 3 periods “.” In the entire 255 page book. It was stream of consciousness. It was very hard to figure out who was talking and to whom, since there were no quotation marks. But I kind of understand why this was done - it was told like it was one long breath uttered by a grandmother that knows the story like the back of her hand. It’s a story that has already been passed down through the generations.
This is like a dystopian so I liked the Criticisms/ lessons given regarding corruption.
I just love this author he is one of my favorites , even tho it was very difficult and disturbing.
This is my third of his, but Probably my least favorite Garcia Marquez so far, just bc of how challenging it was and how disturbing at parts, but that’s the point.
I just love his writing. Just as beautiful and rich writing as 100 years, but, as the blurb in the back said, this one is not a celebration of life like 100 years, but rather a look at a tyrannical dictator through the course of his life.
Like 100 years too, time is circular - ESPECIALLY in this one. Even worse. But still there seemed to be a method to madness. Literally.
It was so challenging bc there were about like 3 periods “.” In the entire 255 page book. It was stream of consciousness. It was very hard to figure out who was talking and to whom, since there were no quotation marks. But I kind of understand why this was done - it was told like it was one long breath uttered by a grandmother that knows the story like the back of her hand. It’s a story that has already been passed down through the generations.
This is like a dystopian so I liked the Criticisms/ lessons given regarding corruption.
I just love this author he is one of my favorites , even tho it was very difficult and disturbing.
lucyscandalo's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
calling_sister_midnight's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
ixchel's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
diggitalot's review against another edition
2.0
En OK bok men för mig är den inte mer än OK. Troligtvis hade jag tyckt att den var bättre om jag kunnat vara mer koncentrerad vid läsningen.
sarahglabb's review against another edition
3.0
I'm being nice, it was going to be two stars. I almost couldn't stand some parts, and sentences would go for three pages long. It was insane and it's very repetitive. The main character is very interesting and you cannot help but hate him. Ugh...
I feel like I need to re-read this and I probably will hence the three stars, I probably should read some other book by him first then return to this one.
I feel like I need to re-read this and I probably will hence the three stars, I probably should read some other book by him first then return to this one.
emmalouiseprice's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
3.0
dannymason_1's review against another edition
3.0
This is an incredible book that I sadly didn't fully enjoy because I couldn't get past the paragraphless, stream of consciousness style.