One Hundred Years of Solitude

This was a reread from many years ago. I found it difficult to sink into, and really had to force myself to midway. My pace picked up in the 2nd half. This Nobel was, of course, groundbreaking, and I was conscious of how its aspects of “magical realism” can no longer be read with the sort of wonder generated at the time of publication —for the very reason that this work inspired generations of writers to incorporate and develop this kind of imaginative leaps and suspension of disbelief. What was then so bold is now much more common place. However, Marquez’s deftness with language (albeit I read in translation) and poetic vision reach a kind of sustained hypnosis rarely achieved.

On a personal level, I craved more interiority from the mostly opaque characters, especially Ursula. I felt limited to surface observations and at more of a distance than while reading novels I find more compelling.

I also found a lot of glorification of toxic masculinity, notwithstanding the tragedy shown to follow in its wake. Still, there seemed a nobility and honesty conferred on acts/lives of selfishness and violence. Women were mostly relegated as care takers and agents of damage control, while the males had the agency, for better or, usually, for worse. In this same vein, there was much violence against & negligence of animals, passed over in such a way as to infer they do not even merit consideration. I credit this to gaps of both culture & time, but also an inescapable extension of that same toxic masculinity, despite women exhibiting an equally inhumane behavior & attitude—the women limited, of course, as the vehicles of the male author.

I’m glad I did the reread, s my memories of the experience were only vague shadows, mostly of the house & violent men. I’m left with the fuller narrative, and also a sense of the power and magic of the images, as well as a feeling of trepidation so ponder the strange and tragic circular futility of characters & generations portrayed in the epic.

While reading, I learned about the new Netflix adaptation, and have since watched a preview. I will likely watch, and expect it may be a rare instance of the screen outperforming the novel, not in its own time, but now in our world that has become very familiar with devices of magical realism, and because portraying the characters so stoically means there’s little complexity that might not be rendered visually. I’m interested to see how it’s handled.

Note: obviously, the novel is considered a masterpiece, and I fully concede it merits such consideration, based on what was at the time such a unique and bold approach, and also for the complexity and cohesion of the novel as a whole. I give 4 stars, not 5, based on my personal standard/preference of “readability,” and due to them lack of depth in female characters and casual violence to animals.

Unique. Lurid. Hallucinogenic. Glad the trip is finally over. I don't expect any flashbacks.

Love every minute. Beautiful prose and wild imagination

For any fiction lover, this is a must read. A literature classic that is a fantastical journey into the lives of the Buendía family. A must read!

"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.

so magical, deeply tragic, and a lot funnier than i was expecting. i will never experience a book like this again

Fantastic realism has opened my brain to new dimensions. I grieve the fact that I won’t be able to read this book for the first time ever again.

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

there is no proper way to describe this book or summarise it in a way that doesn’t make it seem so absurdly complicated that it might appear almost impossible to read, but it is a fever dream of over 400 pages, focusing on the doomed bloodline of the Buendías over 7 generations. in all this, Márquez doesn’t just chronicle the story of a family, but also of the lasting, infernal effects of colonialism. despite being inevitable and foreseeable, the ending lands with such ferocity it left me speechless; it was so well-delivered. i genuinely thought this would be harder to get through, overcomplicated by the cyclical nature of each generation (the family tree at the beginning was really helpful, and at some points, as i came to discover who was who, also very shocking), cursed to bear the same names as their predecessors and to follow down the same destructive, depraved, and solitary paths, but it was not. it was actually quite accessible, although in some parts not easy to stomach (it is a story filled with incest, violence, and pedophilia). that being said, the magical realism aspects were weaved in so masterfully, they almost felt so natural, that it's making me reconsider my previous adversity for the genre (the yellow flowers raining from the sky following José Arcadio's death remains my favourite part).

by the time that the original cast of characters dies off, i have to admit i doubted for a moment that Márquez could continue to keep me interested in the story, and was i wrong! as soon as we reach the deluge, the entire story feels even more intensified, more insane. and it all culminates with the ending, the only possible ending for an endless cycle of a family cursed from the very beginning by violence, depravity, and an endemic, unbearable solitude, that no one but the Buendías could ever truly properly understand. there is probably a lot that went over my head in this first read, and i will have to come back to it again sometime, after i’ve properly digested it.

it was a solid 4 stars for me, but i think the ending catapulted it up to 5 stars. what a journey!

"100 años de soledad" es una obra maestra de la literatura escrita por el aclamado autor colombiano Gabriel García Márquez. Publicada en 1967, esta novela épica es una amalgama de realismo mágico, historia, mito y folclore que cautiva al lector desde la primera página hasta la última. La historia se desarrolla en el ficticio pueblo de Macondo, fundado por la familia Buendía, cuya línea genealógica es el hilo conductor de la narrativa. A lo largo de varias generaciones, la novela sigue las vidas y desventuras de los miembros de la familia Buendía, desde la fundación de Macondo hasta su eventual declive y desaparición. A medida que la historia avanza, García Márquez teje una trama densa y multigeneracional, llena de eventos extraordinarios, personajes inolvidables y un profundo sentido de la soledad y el aislamiento humano. El realismo mágico impregna cada página de la novela, llevando al lector a un mundo donde lo fantástico y lo mundano coexisten en perfecta armonía. Los eventos surrealistas, como lluvias de flores amarillas, personas que ascienden al cielo en sábanas, y una mujer que asciende al cielo con sábanas, se entrelazan con la historia política y social de América Latina, creando una narrativa que es a la vez íntima y universal. Los personajes de "100 años de soledad" son vibrantes y complejos, cada uno con sus propias luchas y aspiraciones. Desde el patriarca visionario, José Arcadio Buendía, hasta la matriarca obstinada, Úrsula Iguarán, pasando por el solitario y melancólico Aureliano Buendía, los personajes cobran vida en las páginas de la novela, dejando una impresión duradera en el lector. Además de su riqueza narrativa, "100 años de soledad" aborda temas universales como el amor, la muerte, el destino y la memoria. A través de la historia de la familia Buendía, García Márquez reflexiona sobre la naturaleza cíclica de la vida y la inevitabilidad del paso del tiempo, lo que confiere a la novela una profundidad emocional y filosófica que resuena en el lector mucho después de haber terminado de leerla. En resumen, "100 años de soledad" es una obra monumental que ha dejado una marca indeleble en la literatura mundial. Con su prosa exquisita, su imaginación desbordante y su profundo conocimiento del alma humana, Gabriel García Márquez nos ofrece un viaje inolvidable a través de la historia y la cultura de América Latina, dejando una impresión duradera en todos aquellos que tienen la suerte de adentrarse en sus páginas.

This book marked my reaching of my teenage years. It is the prime example of magical realism blending fantasy to the realistic feel of the book. A challenging read and a must read to all book lovers.

My first ever Gabo's book and I devoured it in a heartbeat. The writing flows so beautifully and got me craving for something more despite me not fully loving the book. Yes, unfortunately I didn't completely fall in love with the book. For me, while we have a lot of characters that are undoubtedly interesting to read, the switch between event (or tragedy) happened too quickly that I found it a bit too chaotic.

this might be the most fascinating book that i've ever read in my entire life (as of now)... i just got so invested in the buendia family i am starting to think that they are real people because of how they were written as actual living humans who do human things and human mistakes. so much drama and horrible decisions i love it!

Simply put, the best work of literature I've ever read, a distillation of pure human experience into the written word.

Actually, this wasn't the magical realism I expected. I finished the book despite the disturbing stories of the male characters, but I found the stories of the women characters engaging.

Wow. What a (multi-generational) ride, GGM.

** spoiler alert ** Simply transformative. "The rain would not have bothered Fernanda, after all, her whole life had been spent as if it were raining." "Before reaching the final line, however, he had already understood that he would never leave that room, for it was foreseen that the city of mirrors (or mirages) would be wiped out by the wind and exiled from the memory of men at the precise moment when Aureliano Babilonia would finish deciphering the parchments, and that everything written on them was unrepeatable since time immemorial and forever more, because races condemned to one hundred years of solitude did not have a second opportunity on earth." "The first of the line is tied to a tree and the last is being eaten by the ants."

I think I appreciate this book more than I liked it? Probably the most difficult book for me to get through in a long time. Could see it being much more enjoyable on second go through but who has time for that

Even a year after reading it, I find it still feels too audacious to attempt any commentary on the book. The intricately woven world and the delicately crafted family tree of the Buendía family, resembling a spider's web, never cease to amaze me. I made a conscious decision to read it slowly, and it turned out to be the best choice. I firmly believe that it's impossible not to love this book. The characters, the story — everything is so charming and engaging that finishing it feels like a vital part of me has been torn away. It remains my all-time favorite, an essential classic of 'magical realism.' The characters' quirks and the philosophy woven into the story are truly enchanting. Even after a year, it still gives me goosebumps, occupying my thoughts every waking second. I am still profoundly affected by it, and I always will be. I can't express enough gratitude for having had the opportunity to read and enjoy it. The only downside is the pain of finishing it, of knowing there won't be another book quite like it. But hey, it's still awesome!

Blew my mind! I could not put this book down, which is why I'm really surprised that it's known as a book that's hard to follow. I fell in love with the nonlinear storytelling, it brought so much depth to the main theme of the book. Instead of just telling you about the trappings of the past, the book makes you feel like time really does move in a circle. It taught me so much about valuing the past, but not letting yourself be consumed by it. The political commentary held nothing back and unflinchingly showed the tragedy of neocolonialism. I hope to read it again someday, and understand it even more.

Gabriel Garcia Marquez you got me fucked UP

après avoir vu la hype autour de ce livre et étant une amoureuse du réalisme magique j'avais vraiment hâte de commencer ma lecture. ce fut une aventure beaucoup trop confuse, que je me dois donc d'arrêter. life's too short to force myself to finish books i'm clearly not enjoying reading. a big let down.

This took more out of me than any history book ever has. This required a lot of work. All was worth it.

A hard read. Mostly cause it kinda went nowhere. It was well written and much more captivating than a bunch of classics I’ve read. But it was hard to grow attached to anyone. There were bits I really loved and other bits that were just kind of like… what happened? I can appreciate it for what it is though

** spoiler alert ** "If you have to go crazy, please go crazy all by yourself!" Like Dune from last year, this book had been on my TBR list for the longest time, because I always felt like it was one of those books I should read, but never made time to actually do so. It probably would've stayed there forever (like Dune, actually) if my book club friends hadn't picked it for the book to read this month and I stopped running out of reasons to tell myself to not read it. I've tackled literary vegetables before (books I don't normally read but should) with mixed results, but mostly the experiences have been positive. This book was not a positive experience for me. (view spoiler)[This review will be a drop in the bucket of reviews for this book, so I'll keep things brief. The book is a generational look at a family living in the fictitious village/town/city of Macondo, sort of a train wreck into a tire fire that you can't help but not look away from. There's incest. There's pedophilia. There's infidelity. There's bestiality. There's even more incest. Seriously, their family tree is less a branching tree and more like a straight stick. You get to watch Macondo develop from basically this tiny village into something more developed, watch the family revolve around its own debasement, watch the townsfolk essentially forget they exist (willfully, probably), and then have a satisfying conclusion when the family house (where only a single family member remains at this point) gets wiped off its foundation and the book ends. I think even the God they believed in got fed up with the amount of incest in that family. There's positive aspects of the book. The writing style is fantastic, really evocative in places, but a bit inconsistent. We spent an inordinate amount of time on the most minor of events, and then speed through things that I felt like needed more than a casual byline. I really liked Ursula, the matriarch of the family who manages to outlive most of them in her fervent quest to try and bring some order and semblance to the carnage she hath wrought. There's plenty of amusing moments as well, both intentionally and unintentionally. Remedios' death was probably meant to be sad, but imagining her literally flying away with the bedsheets to heaven had me giggling for a while. I'm no stranger to magical realism, I love a good Haruki Murakami book, for instance. I just didn't get the same feeling here as I do from his books. The chapters felt long and tedious, and I felt like there was just too much included for the sake of inclusion that didn't really add to the book at all. We're constantly hit over the head with the themes of history repeating itself and solitude/loneliness (and the color yellow), it just felt very repetitive by the time I got halfway through. So, my low review stands. I can at least cross it off my list of books I should read, but I'd have a hard time recommending it to people. I don't even know the sort of person I could look at and go, "yeah, you look like an incest/One Hundred Years of Solitude kind of person..." (hide spoiler)]