After reading so much about it on this sub-Reddit I finally started reading One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
Overall I enjoyed it, but I can see why some people might find it difficult. It seemed quite divisive looking at reviews – some people love it, whereas others find it confusing and boring.
So, I put together some advice for people who might be considering taking the plunge.
1) The book isn’t written in a conventional format.
Rather than a plot with dialogue between characters and a clear progression arc, it’s more of a ramble of the history of a family over a long period of time. There are payoffs, and small matters within the story that resolve, but it doesn’t have that same structure. That kind of pottering writing style can seem off-putting, but if you get into the rhythm it’s quite pleasant.
2) Get the version with the family tree
A lot of characters share the same name, so being able to glance at the family tree and remind yourself who’s who is pretty useful. However…
3) Don’t be put off by people saying the similar names is confusing
First, the fact that the characters and names overlap is kind of the point, as the book is about similarities between family members and how history often repeats. Second, each character does have a pretty unique name even though they are similar, so it’s not hard to tell who’s who really.
4) Some things in the book are weird or open to interpretation
The book embraces “magical realism”, so some happenings aren’t really explained or are quite bizarre. It’s hard to elaborate on this without spoilers, but if you find you’re saying “what the hell happened there?!” that reaction is probably intentional, and you’re meant to decide yourself how to interpret it.
5) This is a book that can be studied, as well as read
There are lot of themes, ideas, and historical context going on in this book which once I finished it made me want to get hold of a copy of Spark Notes so I could appreciate it more. I could feel those things implied but didn’t entirely understand them myself being unfamiliar with that kind of history. You can read it without knowing any of that, but be aware there are other layers there that may deepen you understanding/appreciation if you have the time.
Overall, I would definitely recommend reading it btw, and I intend to read a bit around it and go back to it in a few months once I’ve digested it.
Any other advice for would-be readers?
by monkeyboyhero
12 Comments
maybe the best advise i could give is: enjoy the ride. try to not be much attached to everything or to really get the history.
i think is more about what it makes you feel, what it makes you think rather than understanding everything.
once you finish the reading, there is an outstanding professor called Irlemar Chiampi which you can read or watch what she writes, but i googled and did not find good material in english. i leave the tip here anyway.
It not only embraces magical realism, you are actually witnessing his birth as a genre and writing style. Thats why is so iconic to me (and the confusion and not understanding some things are part of this experience).
I would say don’t take too long reading it. I’m not a quick reader, but first time round I read it over about 3 weeks, which was quick enough for me to hold a lot of the ideas and threads in my head.
Second time round I maybe took 6-8 weeks, and tbh I didn’t enjoy it as much!
Despite this, I’d still call it one of the best books I’ve read.
The similar names is only confusing for the first fifty or so pages. After that it’s crystal clear.
Pedophilia and sexual violence present.
This book is an undeniable masterpiece but is indeed written in a train-of-thought style so may not be for everyone.
EDIT: My favorite aspect of the story is how the magic continues to dissipate as the town inches closer and closer to modern day.
I haven’t read that novel, but don’t be afraid to take notes, and go back to them, helped me a lots with Thomas Pynchon’s “Gravity’s Rainbow”.
This one took me some getting used to, but by the end of it, I became so engrossed and fascinated by it that I just gotta join the club of those who love it. It has so many things that stand out, and several of the characters are just fascinating (looking at you, Colonel Buendia). Though, has to be said, I don’t know how well translated it is, since I read it in Spanish, its original language (native Spanish speaker here). I wonder how much might have been lost in translation? Either way, it’s a solid but it’s not one I easily recommend precisely because of how strange it is. When I was done with it, I felt like I had just come out of a fever dream of sorts.
I cried after reading the book thinking how i have lost everything that i really adored, it took me another read to understand to live and enjoy the time you have.
One hundred years if
AMEN.
The narrative is not meant to be “kept track of” and it’s supposed to be hilarious.
We’re not supposed to understand creative genius.
What to read a book the glorifies Incest, Pedophilia, forced Prostitution and meaningless violence, and where every character is either unhappy or dead? Do you want to finish a long book and end up not caring about a single character? Then read this.
I’m not an avid reader but I think when a book is a Nobel Prize winner, it deserved this magnitude of the prize for exploring an uncharted territory in story making. This book accomplished this by far. That must be why I can’t understand anything as I’m reading it.
I read a lot of technical books, biographies, non-fiction and when I started reading I was confused and looking for answers. Reading quickly and such. After the fiftieth page, I threw myself into the game and let my imagination flow like the wind that just goes away, tasting little by little, rereading excerpts, pausing, imagining and I found myself in a trance for hours and hours delighting in the writing. I wonder if, to write a book of this magnitude, a hallucinogen makes it easier. What an incredible mind he had. I recommend it for those who want to overcome the reality of this chaotic world. Hugs