Book review number 1! How exciting!
I first found my copy of Love in the Time of Cholera at this dusty old book store in Chicago. No, I don't remember the name of it. It is near Wicker Park, though.
But I was intrigued by this book after I had first seen Serendipity, starring John Cusack. He meets Kate Beckinsale's character and she writes her name and phone number in a used copy of said book, then sells it to a used book store. Later, John Cusack's fiancée gives him a copy of this book - and it's the one that her name and phone number is written in!
Any book featured in such a prominent, cheesy role had to be looked into - right? Well I thought so. And I really, really enjoyed it.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez is WORDY. The first few sections of the book were pretty tough to get through and I almost put it down. But I'm glad I didn't, because I really enjoyed the odd, quaint love story that accompanied the wordiness and multiple descriptive accounts.
The story revolves around Fermina Daza, who is old and married to Juvenal Urbino, an affluent doctor. They are married for many, many years - but in her younger days, Fermina had completely rejected Florentino Ariza. The majority of the novel is told in flashback sequences, complete with cholera outbreaks (Juvenal is trying to create a medicine to stop cholera), strong storms, old-timey photographs, and LOTS and LOTS of sex. Lots. I mean, if you get blushy and turn five shades of pink/red when someone mentions the word "sex", I would not recommend this book.
Back in the present time, Juvenal passes away. What happens between Fermina and Florentino? I don't know, I guess you should read it to find out...
Has anyone seen the movie? It came out in 2007. It had Benjamin Bratt and Javier Bardem. I've been meaning to rent it; I will let you know how it is after I see it.
Favorite Quote:
"After 53 years, seven months, and 11 days and night, my heart was at last fulfilled. And I discovered, to my job, that it is life and not death that has no limits."
Has anyone else read Love in the Time of Cholera? If so, what did you think?
2 comments:
Not that one, but One Hundred Years of Solitude and Chronicle of a Death Foretold are both on my list of favorites. Chronicle is his antidote to "wordy"--you can read it in an afternoon--and Solitude, man, it's yummy.
It is a really good book. I read it several years back, so I probably am due to read it again someday.
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