100 Year of Solitude
Gabriel García Márquez
"Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendía was to remember that distant afternoon when his father took him to discover ice...” - Gabriel García Márquez
Review/Critique: It's crazy to me just how much nostalgia a book that takes place in a town that doesn't exist, in a country I've never been to, in a time period I've never lived in can evoke. Gabriel García Márquez's "100 Years of Solitude" tells the 100 year story of the Buendia family who helped found the fictional town of Mocando, all the trials and tribulations they go through as a collective, the evolution of the world around them, and the inescapable stagnation of their lineage. I don't think my job in reviewing media has been as important as it is now in my review of "100 Years of Solitude", as it seems online that this is an incredibly polarizing book. That doesn't surprise me in the slightest, but unfortunately means that I have a more difficult job than ever in giving an honest recommendation. This is because as you can probably tell from my score above, it's hard to give unbiased feedback on a book that captured my heart oh so much, and that now sits as one of my favorites of all time.
From the very first line in the book, that which is written above, "100 Years of Solitude" had me completely and undeniably hooked. See right from the first line the polarizing nature of the book begins with Gabriel Márquez's incredibly self referential, hallucinatory, free flowing prose. It is this completely other-worldly writing style that presents the first hurdle to enjoying the novel - and perhaps I can use Márquez's inspiration in writing style to sway you positively or negatively towards reading this book. See Márquez has stated in interviews that it was Kafka's "Metamorphoses" which opened his eyes to the possibilities of literature and started him on his authorial journey. His style is therefor heavily influenced by the fantastical realism presented in that novel and it shows not just in the style of his writing but in the content too. Márquez uses this fantastical realism continuously throughout the novel, getting the reader to the point where they cannot separate what is real from what is fake, so much so that at times reading the novel can be a hallucinatory experience. At the same time though, Márquez does not completely diverge from reality. Mocando is not immune to the horrifying and very real events that took place in Columbia during the 1800s and 1900s and Márquez doesn't want you to forget that. This aspect helps ground the novel, linking it back to reality.
It is this mix of magical realism and historical fiction at the end of the day that I think makes the novel so beloved. It's zany and charming, it's all over the place and often really hard to take seriously. At the same time though, it is grounded in reality. Through all the humor it's somber, it's depressing, it haunts you when you're done with it and really leaves you wondering what you've just finished. After all the repetition, the hallucinatory events, the long list of names you've had to endure, the happiness and sadness, it ties everything together in such a way that you can't help but feel something (whether that be positive of negative). For myself that feeling was incredibly positive.
Before I get into my recommendation, I want to get something clear right away. In case the above didn't illustrate this point to you all. That is that this book is incredibly confusing at times. There are a ton of characters with almost the exact same name, events are written often times out of order, and like I stated before it can be hard at times to decipher fact from fiction. This means that if you do decide to read this book, I highly recommend you read a physical copy and not an Audiobook. You can do what you want at the end of the day, this is just a very hearty recommendation.
Recommendation: This book was so incredibly up my alley. It's weird, overly metaphoric, and deeply rooted in that sense of magical realism I so adore. The writing is off the walls, super different from any book I have ever read, and it's so inherently philosophical. It's analysis of the human condition is also so uniquely tragic in a sea of samey pieces that occupy modern media. If you like trippy books about the human condition, books that are super charming, funny, and somber at the same time, please consider giving this book a read. As well If you consider yourself a huge reader please do not pass up this book. I have no doubt you will find value in the read even if you don't like it. If neither of these conditions apply to you, I'll be frank in saying that you probably won't enjoy the book. It really struck me in a way no book since "East of Eden" has, and similarly to David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust" made me think critically, completely reminding me how good a good book can be.
...
And that's my review on "100 Years of Solitude"! Please forgive my tardiness, I am only human and will get to the rest of the reviews when I have time. Next one is "Detention", and it will undoubtedly take less time to come out than this one did. Until then!
Comments
Post a Comment