A review by noonjinx
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I only read this book because it’s one you are “supposed” to read, and I was expecting to struggle through and begrudgingly accept that it was clever like Midnight’s Children, but I ended up loving it.
It tells the story of seven generations of the Buendia family living in the remote Colombian town of Macondo. The family history is tied to the founding, growing, modernising and ultimate decay of the town. It really shouldn’t be so compelling because there are less than a hundred pages per generation, but it’s so beautifully written (and translated by Gregory Rabassa) that I couldn’t put it down. I don’t think there’s one sentence out of place in 400 pages.
In a single page it can jump between funny, sad and horrific. The tone and the magical realism are mesmerising and there is something delightful on every page. I loved the stories of prophesies, ghosts, magical plagues and hundred and fifty year old characters who turn up again when you’re least expecting them.
I don’t think I’ll ever forget the feeling I had when I suddenly realised where the ending was heading.
Definitely one I’ll come back to in the future.
It tells the story of seven generations of the Buendia family living in the remote Colombian town of Macondo. The family history is tied to the founding, growing, modernising and ultimate decay of the town. It really shouldn’t be so compelling because there are less than a hundred pages per generation, but it’s so beautifully written (and translated by Gregory Rabassa) that I couldn’t put it down. I don’t think there’s one sentence out of place in 400 pages.
In a single page it can jump between funny, sad and horrific. The tone and the magical realism are mesmerising and there is something delightful on every page. I loved the stories of prophesies, ghosts, magical plagues and hundred and fifty year old characters who turn up again when you’re least expecting them.
I don’t think I’ll ever forget the feeling I had when I suddenly realised where the ending was heading.
Definitely one I’ll come back to in the future.
Content Warnings
Moderate: War and Incest
Minor: Murder