768. Love in the Time of Cholera

Love in the Time of Cholera
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
1985
Around 350 pages

Like many other talented authors we've encountered, he is bowing out of the List with a masterpiece. Here's my official Garcia Marquez ranking, and I'm severely bummed that we won't see him again:

1. Love in the Time of Cholera

2. One Hundred Years of Solitude

3. Autumn of the Patriarch

4. No One Writes to the Colonel

As you can see, this one manages to edge out One Hundred Years of Solitude with its power, and is easily one of the greatest romances of all time. Fermina and Florentino love each other, but Fermina's father disapproves, so he moves Fermina to another city. They still communicate, but Fermina eventually realizes they are practically strangers and moves on with somebody who has her family's blessing.

The story that Garcia Marquez tells is not that original, but the way he tells it makes it feel special. I loved these characters, even during their not so sympathetic moments. A beautiful story with a satisfying ending.

I'll miss you Gabriel!

RATING: *****

Interesting Facts:

On his own initiative, García Márquez persuaded singer Shakira, who is from the nearby city of Barranquilla, to provide two songs for the film adaptation.

Sales increased during the COVID-19 pandemic.

UP NEXT: The Drowned and The Saved by Primo Levi

678. The Autumn of the Patriarch

The Autumn of the Patriarch
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
1975
Around 255 pages

I am very tired but I wanted to pop in and pay Papa Marquez my respects, before I fall asleep and hopefully dream of sexy Latinos. Like all Marquez novels, this was an exceptional work. 

The book is divided into six sections. Marquez creates a portrait of an archetypal corrupt dictator. It's a much more challenging read than his usual fare, because of the shifting points of view, run on sentences, and stream of consciousness style. It's tough to get through a novel that is essentially one paragraph. 

But it's Marquez, so we are in good hands, and magic realism really fits with a modernist methodology. Humanizing a monster is not an easy task, but Marquez accomplishes it here. Obviously, Marquez has a host of maniacs to draw inspiration from. Unfortunately, this story will never lose its relevance.

Not my favorite Marquez, but that's only because he set the bar so high. 

RATING: ****-

Interesting Facts:

Most popular book sold in Spain in 1975.

UP NEXT: Patterns of Childhood by Christa Wolf

602. One Hundred Years of Solitude

One Hundred of Years of Solitude
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
1967
Around 420 pages

He's arrived! The prince who was promised! I love Gabriel Garcia Marquez and the man is coming into this blog HOT.

I love my multigenerational stories, and this is probably the finest example of the form in literature. The Buendia family is pretty much cursed from their inception, due to in large part to their own actions. Our OG patriarch Jose Arcadio established the magical city of Macondo after visualizing its creation in a dream. Macondo is mostly cut off from the world, but the government of the newly independent Colombia eventually creep in and affect our favorite unlucky clan.

When you have such a mastermind at crafting descriptions and setting, you might think the action would stall. But Garcia Marquez keeps it moving with a fascinating plot, rooted in real history, like the Banana Massacre. This is the quintessential magic realism read, and it's easy to see its influence on future works. 

If we ever do get this on film, can Lin-Manual Miranda adapt it into a musical?

RATING: *****

Interesting Facts:

As famous as this novel is, there has not been a movie adaptation as Garcia Marquez never sold the rights.

Translated into 46 languages.

UP NEXT: The Cubs and Other Stories by Mario Vargas Llosa