BOOK REVIEW: "Love in the Time of Cholera" by Gabriel García Márquez

 

Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Not since Paulo Coelho's "Adultery" and "Eleven Minutes", and Robert James Waller's "The Bridges of Madison County" did I come across a life-changing book such as Gabriel García Márquez's "Love in the Time of Cholera" which answers key questions about love and life I have been dying to know through all my 49 years.

Thanks to this book, I now know, in the words of Marquez, that "one can be in love with several people at the same time, feel the same sorrow with each, and not betray any of them."

"They had lived together long enough to know that love was always love, anytime and anyplace, but it was more solid the closer it came to death," Marquez goes on to write.

In another profound paragraph, Marquez writes: "He was still too young to know that the heart's memory eliminates the bad and magnifies the good, and that thanks to this artifice we manage to endure the burden of the past. But when he stood at the railing of the ship and saw the white promontory of the colonial district again, the motionless buzzards on the roofs, the washing of the poor hung out to dry on the balconies, only then did he understand to what extent he had been an easy victim to the charitable deceptions of nostalgia."

I guess there's no point in me repeating, as in some other people’s observations, that lust can be a form of expression of romantic love because physical intimacy is a way for us to express love; hence, it’s the outward expression of our emotions even if the prudes among us don’t like that word: lust.

Here's interesting observations made about the book by some newspapers:

1) "An anatomy of love in all its forms..." says The New York Times.

2) "An amazing celebration of the many kinds of love between men and women," says The Times.

3) "...How memory transfigures and redeems all that has gone before," says The New York Times discussing the novel's other great subject - time.

4) “Time, love, age, memory, death, chaos, passion, and the spirit of place... this capacious novel wraps its arms effortlessly around all the great themes while entertaining us with a funny and wistful love story...” says Observer.

This is a beautifully crafted novel that explores themes of love, obsession, and the passage of time. The novel centers around Florentino Ariza's unwavering love for Fermina Daza, a love that endures for decades despite their separation. Florentino's love borders on obsession, driving him to extreme lengths to win Fermina's affection.

The characters' aging and the inevitability of death serve as a constant reminder of the fleeting nature of life.

The novel explores the societal hierarchies and class differences that influence relationships and opportunities. The characters' actions and choices are often shaped by the prevailing societal expectations and norms.

The novel is filled with nostalgic flashbacks and reminiscences, highlighting the role of memory in shaping our lives. The characters' experiences and relationships are deeply influenced by their past, demonstrating the enduring power of memory.

This is a poignant and thought-provoking exploration of love, loss, and the human condition. Through its vivid characters, rich setting, and magical realism, the novel offers a timeless and unforgettable reading experience.

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