Rating: 
Summary: Glad to be done with this one
Review: I pride myself on finishing every book I begin reading, but this novel severely tested my perseverance. I kept waiting for the story to generate even a spark of interest but it just never happened for me. Admittedly Marquez is a gifted writer and for this reason I was tempted to award the book 2 stars, but if I had to sum up the book in one word it would be PAINFUL, thus the single star. I've read a number of 'classics' which were difficult reads, but there were usually rewards for the effort. I can't say the same for this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Absolutely awesome, a solitary success
Review: I have never been a lover of reading but I have read "One Hundred Years of Solitude" not once but twice because of its depth and angle on humanity. Gabriel Garcia Marquez is pure genius, there is absolutely nothing prosaic about his prose. This book deals with every single human emotion and experience imaginable ranging from murder, incest,prostitution, sex, gluttony, family, friendship, hatred, unrequited love, self-acceptance, death, war, sadness, weaknesses, love and a whole lot more. The way in which each character of the Buendia family is described is magnificent to say the least. Their faults are portrayed in the most unapologetic way, as equal to their strengths. Somehow it seems we can't escape fate and although we would want to do what seems moral we always end up simply living. The lessons are profound not simply because the characters suffer from many a self-inflicted wound, but rather because we can relate to each and every one of them. Regardless of age, race or station in life everyone can see themselves in at least one of these characters. As the name suggests, the underlying current is one of the emptiness of the human spirit and the ease with which man can become at war with himself. This book has had a tremendous impact on the way I look at the world and human nature - it doesn't cut to the core, it punctures it. The sentences are the longest imaginable but somehow you won't find yourself out of breath by the time you get to the full stop. Put simply, I would like to get my hands on every single Marquez novel!
Rating:
Summary: A fad which no one will remember in 100 years
Review: so mr marquez is supposed to have invented this whole new genre of writing with this book and other annoying ones like In Evil Hour. But no one seems to stop and say that the events of the story are ridiculous and embarrasing. who wants to read about an old lady who makes candy for her family for generations? no one. and the romance portrayed is nothing short of farcical. it's a wonder he's a star in the literary universe.
Rating:
Summary: A linguistic masterpiece
Review: Marquez has such an eloquent way with words. He can
also spin an excellent tale as evidenced by this book.
But, what I enjoyed most about the book was the strength
and depth of emotion which he was able to convey through
the written word. This book pulls you into a magical and
morbid world and holds you hostage until the ending. It is
an immense book, but well worth the committment. I would
especially recommend it to young developing writers. This
book will definitely increase your artistic perspectives.
Rating: 
Summary: Great story, a "fun" family. . .
Review: Once you get past the expenses, there are true advantages to having children in college. You have these "agents" loose in literature classes, scouting out books you may have never thought you'd like or may never have read otherwise. "One Hundred Years of Solitude" was one of those books. Several months ago, my son David urged me to read Salman Rushdie's "Midnight's Children". I did, and I loved it. So, for Christmas, he gave me "One Hundred years of Solitude", with the recommendation that it was very much like "Midnight's Children". Once again, the kid was right. Like Rushdie, I just assumed that Gabriel Garcia Marquez was too "literary" for a fantasy and SF reader like myself, who reads for enjoyment, not to (Heaven forbid!) learn anything. Once again, I was pleasantly surprised. Like Rushdie, Garcia Marquez is far more accessible, far funnier, and far more entertaining than I expected. Even though I know nothing about the history of Colombia, I was still able to enjoy this book immensely, just on the surface level of a history of Macondo and the Bueneida family. And what a family it is!! I'm almost ashamed to admit that I say way too many members of my own family in there. . . I will admit, that like other readers, the constant reuse of names periodically confused me and I was most grateful for the family tree printed in front of the book. But, this reuse was somewhat central to the story, the "the more things change, the more they stay the same" syndrome. As a fan of fantasy, I was able to take the "magic realism" in stride and enjoy it. All in all, this was a great read and a great book. Once again I thank my son David and look forward to reading more Garcia Marquez as well as more Rushdie. I'm glad to know his education dollars are being well spent.
Rating:
Summary: Southern Saga
Review: "One Hundred Years of Solitude" might be analyzed from various standpoints; political, sociological, historical and literary being the most prominent among them. Politically engaged literature has always been controversial, and it's much too easy to dismiss an author because of the nature of his political leanings. I don't deny that Márquez, Dostoyevsky, Bulhakov, Kesey and many other authors had a clear vision of the world, a vision they incorporated into their writing. Certainly, the political outlook and national heritage are inseparable from the particular work under consideration - but is that all there is to literature? I vehemently disagree with that point of view, since novels may be either "written to order by poor hacks for the consumption of the illiterate", to quote Maugham, or they may be universal and timeless - with all shades of gray in-between, where a book stands on its own, more or less, offering us at least something beyond the overwhelming vision. Where does "One Hundred Years of Solitude" fit into the pattern? I think it fares considerably well, considering the political burden it carries, messages it conveys. Analyzed within the larger framework of Márquez's literary heritage, the novel offers us quite much, its socialist vision notwithstanding. The times of rebellion and guerilla have passed, the soviet way of thinking, whether political or economical, went bankrupt, rendering the fire of the novel quite bland and naive, I'd say. Written in the late 60s, "One Hundred Years of Solitude" offers us a well-written fictional documentary of the emotions and visions polluting Latin America in that decade. I have read quite a few literary accounts of these times, and "One Hundred Years of Solitude" is the most readable of them all, since the redeeming qualities of this novel reach far beyond the political dimension. Needless to say, Márquez is guilty of various sketches of similar tone and nature, short stories and miniatures also dealing with the bankrupt socialist vision. My sound advice would be to skip all these minor works, and treat yourself to this novel, which is rich in many different ways, being as close to universal as Márquez could get in that day and age. Many years later, he wrote a delicious novel, "Of Love and Other Demons", which lighter in tone than "One Hundred Years of Solitude", calmer, toned down, more humorous, and as deep in the analysis of the Creole society. "One Hundred Years of Solitude" is a multithreaded family saga of the Buendia family. Abstracting from the political connotations of the novel, I was continuously amused with the particular family tradition the Buendias were fond of. Namely, all their male offspring were christened either Aureliano or Arcadio, and since the novel's plot stretches well over the century, as the title might suggest, it is indeed increasingly difficult to keep track of which particular Aureliano or Arcadio is guilty of. The generation mix in the innocent reader's mind, forcing him to go back, and who knows - even make notes? I am very fond of the Buendia family, I admit I admire Márquez's portrayal of family ties; the way they evolve in the south, in a region which is so far from anything I have ever known. If you come from the Caribbean or the Latin America, it will all sound familiar, but to the Hyperborean moose it's fascinating. The southern saga is enchanting because of the distinctive voice of Márquez, whose observational skills and his ability to retell the family stories with their atmosphere preserved even under translation - are of the highest order. As much as I disagree with him with respect to his vision and sympathies I have mentioned in the introduction to this review, I give him due credit for the apotheosis of the Latin American tradition and culture. Reading "One Hundred Years of Solitude", we grow increasingly attached to the Buendia homestead, mourning along with the author; mourning the passage of time, the disintegration of family ties, the wretched fate of the homestead, the lost lives of the serial protagonist, as emphasized by the reincarnation of Aureliano and Arcadio. Each generation of Aureliano and Arcadio, if you allow me to use this blatant metaphor, is progressively less attached to the land, to the culture, and increasingly engaged in affairs external to the local village, the cultural roots, as they were. Márquez finds himself missing the good old times - and honestly, he can't be blamed, as this phenomenon is universal. As different as we are, the nations scattered all over globe, we seem to follow different, divergent paths which nevertheless carry us towards the unknown which is not necessarily better than where we used to be. Indeed. On a personal note, I discovered Márquez thanks to one particular relationship I was once involved in. My muse at the time has a great influence on my reading patterns, and despite my enormous reluctance towards Latin American literature, I picked Márquez, and since then have devoured his prose to my satisfaction. Weird as it may sound, I associate Márquez with winter, with frosted glass of the window, with the puffy bed, where I was hiding from cold, reading Márquez, now and then stopping to look outside the window, into the frozen landscape of the city. I feel so, because that was my life, an important moment in it, and thus it's my own, private Márquez, one which I am reluctant to share with others.
Rating:
Summary: An Unparalleled Modern Epic
Review: I don't know what an average reader like me can say about this marvelous epic, but I love this book so much I feel compelled, as far as I am able, to give my thoughts about it. One Hundred Years of Solitude is, without a doubt, the greatest of all Latin American novels. It is also the most captivating and masterful modern epic ever told. And it is an epic; it details the history of a people, in this case, the Buendias, the most important and influential family in Macondo. In fact, the Buendias serve as a metaphor for the development of Latin America since its independence. The book follows the Buendias through the founding, development and decay of their settlement in the jungle. Readers with some knowledge of Latin American history will easily recognize the development of Colombia in the book. The civil wars in the novel parallel the civil wars in Colombia from 1885-1902, and Colonel Aureliano can be seen as modeled after General Rafael Uribe Uribe. In fact, Gabriel Garcia Marquez' grandfather, himself, fought under Uribe. A knowledge of Latin American politics, however, is not necessary to enjoy and love this wonderful book. In fact, many readers see no political implications in the book. There is a wonderful mix of the comic and the melancholy in this story. We meet characters who do the most delightful, or the most absurd things, and yet there is an undeniable strain of futility and sadness that runs throughout the entire book. Macondo is definitely a magical place and early in the book we come to expect the unexpected, to expect to be surprised, to accept the unbelievable. In fact, we have to ask ourselves if Macondo is real or if it is just a state of mind. Perhaps it is both. It is this intermingling of the factual and the fantastic that, to me, makes this book so special and marks Garcia Marquez' genius. The Buendia men, especially, are in possession of truly fecund imaginations and they use them in the most disconcerting ways. For all the wonder and beauty and fantasy in this story, this is ultimately a sad and tragic book. It deals, after all, with the failure of a town and its people, people who despite their amazing vitality and wit, are each immersed in a solitude from which they find it impossible to extricate themselves. If one looks closely at the Buendias, he can see that most symbolize a particular historical period. The founder of Macondo and patriarch of the family, Jose Arcadio, is a true Renaissance man. His son, Aureliano is a legendary military leader. Aureliano Segundo becomes a sort-of farmer while his twin brother, Jose Arcadio Segundo becomes a radical labor leader. The Buendias, however, seem to live their lives in a circular fashion. Their personalities constantly repeat the personalities of earlier generations and this repetition often has much to do with the name a child is given. The Aurelianos are all quiet and withdrawn, but prone to success, while the Jose Arcadios are energetic and enterprising but seemingly doomed to failure. One Hundred Years of Solitude, however, is not a psychological novel. All of the characters are rather two-dimensional and serve to carry out thematic points. The men are obsessive, intelligent and energetic. The Aurelianos are involved with ambition, while the Jose Arcadios are filled with earthy passion. Among the women, the Ursulas are stern while the Remedios are eternally immature. But, while the men are dreamers, the women remain anchored in reality. This may be a small part of Garcia Marquez' view of life in Latin America. The Buendia men have everything needed to be happy and successful and yet each ultimately fails, withdrawing into a frustrated loneliness or solitude, but not just any solitude. The Buendia men choose to be solitary, rather than having solitariness imposed upon them, they choose to accept the ultimate futility of their lives, and they know this solitude will be repeated in future generations. Some readers have said they cannot keep all the characters straight and the Buendia family tree is a twisted one, indeed. In fact, the final generation of Buendias really can't figure out where they stand in relation to each other and to their ancestors. This alone should tell us that Macondo is fated to end. On the surface, Macondo is fated to die when someone deciphers Melquiades' (the gypsy's) manuscript and learns the full history of Macondo. In reality, Macondo dies because its inhabitants simply don't choose to continue. Instead, they choose fantasy, solitude and a withdrawal from life. A piece of Macondo, and thus a shred of hope, does survive however, when the author, himself, takes the advice of the Catalan bookseller and leaves the town before its destruction. Thus, there does exist an ongoing testimony of the life that had been lived there. And what book does Garcia Marquez escape with? A volume of Rabelais, one the world's greatest comic geniuses. Perhaps, in this enigmatic ending, Garcia Marquez is telling all Latin Americans to be different from the Buendias, to learn to laugh at themselves, to learn from their mistakes, to be amenable to change and to stop repeating destructive patterns.
Rating:
Summary: Worth remembering the names
Review: At one level, this book is about the Buendia family, a not-so-typical Columbian family whose members share confusingly similar names and who have many strange/magical things happen to them. Read in this way, the book will not fail to grip and entertain the reader. While one can never know the author's true intentions in writing such a masterpiece, I read this book as an allegory of something much larger. Garcia-Marquez's description of the fascinating rise and fall of the Buendia family seemed to serve as a mere microcosm of humanity, describing and predicting the the rise and fall of humankind. Read this way, the book had a powerful and moving effect on me, symbolizing love, war, peace, remembrance, time, joy, pain, and a plethora of other emotions beyond my ability to characterize. Although Garcia-Marquez's magical realism genre is vastly different than the realism of Mel Gibson's Braveheart, I found it strange and exciting that both were rare in their ability to involuntarily elicit and take control over the entire gambit of my emotions, tying me up in the author's/director's passenger seat to go along for the ride of a lifetime. For this alone, it was worth the read. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Not for everyone
Review: I will not critize this book too heavily, as apparently it is a classic and many people find it delightful. However, I found the book extremely hard to follow, and without any identifyable plot line. Yes, it is interesting to see how a city can develop over 100 years of time, but all the characters kept dying off, and I found myself not being bothered by it, as nothing made me connect with them through the book. I really just did not find the book enjoyable enough to continue past 2/3rds the way in to it .
Rating:
Summary: hard to understand, touching and beautiful
Review: The many characters and the style of magic realism make this book a little difficult to understand. Also, it plays brilliantly with Latin American history, and many readers may not appreciate that. If you feel you don't really understand it, that may be natural, but I recommend reading the Cliffs Notes or something afterward, in order to fill in the gaps. The story is beautiful and emotional, a classic that deserves its status, although time has left it only a little less accessible. This is one of those books that may re-arrange your world, your sense of how to tell a story and what a story is, and how you think of yourself. If you're considering reading it, give it a try, and if it frustrates you, find something that will help you understand it. It's such a great book that there are lots of resources, new ones coming out all the time....Good luck! Enjoy this wonderful, beautiful story.
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