Reviews

One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez

bespectacled's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

daniealexa_c_s's review against another edition

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5.0

"Entonces empezó el viento, tibio, incipiente, lleno de voces del pasado, de murmullos de geranios antiguos, de suspiros de desengaños anteriores a las nostalgias mas tenaces"

Mi segunda vez leyendo este libro, en un período de tiempo mas prolongado que en mi primera lectura, me reafirma mi adoración por este libro. Me deja en claro, además, que en el momento de abrir sus páginas y comenzar a leer, Gabo me atrapa con sus palabras y me lleva a Macondo sin importar si el ambiente a mi alrededor sea propicio para transportarme.

bluereen's review against another edition

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3.0

"The need to feel sad was becoming a vice as the years eroded her. She became human in her solitude."

"He really had been through death, but he had returned because he could not bear the solitude."

***

Finally got around to reading this great classic! Partial credit goes to my PI 100 prof who lowkey raved about the book. At first, it was a tough read. Marquez's worldbuilding infused with imagery and magical realism was definitely unlike anything I've read before (not that I have much experience). Also, that darn Buendía family tree with all the same names! But it got easier to distinguish them eventually...

I wouldn't call this a favorite of mine because I'm not sure if I've grasped the novel well enough in its entirety—but my takeaway is how every Buendía member is extremely lonely. Case in point: it's impossible to count the number of times "solitude" is inscribed in the text. Nevertheless, it doesn't come off as redundant because the way Marquez describes each member's experience with solitude feels so intimate and unique.

The book is a thorough examination on the rise and fall of the Buendía family; I just know I'll be thinking about the ending for a long time. What an epic way to wrap up this cult masterpiece.

niffigs's review against another edition

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reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

alisarae's review against another edition

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4.0

I had a lot of problems getting started, and had to let go of the desire for a plot in the normal sense of the word. But once I got past that, I thought it was lovely.

See my full review: One Hundred Years of Solitude: Does anyone else have trouble remembering what it is about?

jackmchenry's review

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adventurous reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

janey's review against another edition

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5.0

I love this book, and I love the musicality of the language so, in a way, listening to it as an audiobook was lovely. However, I think it's harder to keep the names straight listening to it, so I wouldn't recommend audiobook as the first read.

lydia02's review against another edition

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challenging emotional mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

benbru's review against another edition

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mysterious reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

plompverlori's review against another edition

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5.0

Van begin tot eind werd ik meegesleept in het meeste werkelijke en onwerkelijke. Deze twee tegenstrijdigheden leefden echter harmonieus samen in dit boek waar elke zin uitmaakt en met zorg lijkt te zijn vervaardigd.

Naast het gebruik van taal, lange zinnen en uitgebreide beschrijvingen die in verhouding staan met de oneindigheid en de trage snelheid van de inhoud, is het magisch. Er komen gebeurtenissen in voor die in hun magie compleet voorstelbaar zijn in onze wereld.

Bovendien schuilt achter het eenzame verhaal van het gedoemde geslacht van de Buendia’s een hele geschiedenis van Latijns-Amerika: van de tijd van nederzettingen tot kolonialisatie en het ontstaan van een republiek met wisselende politiek.

De eenzaamheid was tastbaar gemaakt door de fantasievolle personificaties van ieders noodlottige bestaan. Vooral voor de twee Remedios, Rebeca en Ursula had ik een enorm zwak.

Tenslotte wil ik nog even afsluiten met dit: “Terwijl Macondo de herovering van de herinneringen vierden, schudden José Arcadio Buendiá en Melquíades het stof van hun oude vriendschap. De zigeuner was van plan in het dorp te blijven. Hij was inderdaad dood geweest, maar was teruggekeerd omdat hij de eenzaamheid niet kon verdragen.”