His second novel (1967) is one of myth and fantasy combined. It is the tale of a family and of a town from its founding, through revolution, violence, exploitation, and demise. About half way through its 450 plus pages I got bogged down and confused with the multitude of characters with the same, or similar, names (See note). Anyone attempting to absorb this novel should keep a copy of the genealogy chart handy. It is a tale that is steeped (minus the graphic details) with corruption, exploitation, greed (including a strong thread of alchemy), lust, adultery, fornication, incest, polygamy, rape, suicide, and murder. Or, as the announcer states in the opening lines of Chicago, “All those things we all hold near and dear to our hearts.” All this surrounded by a hint of devout Catholicism. In fact, one critic has postulated that it is a sequel to the Book of Genesis. The author, however, outdoes the bible. His great flood, that all but decimates the town, lasts for four years, eleven months, and two days, which is followed by ten years without rain. He also rivals Faulkner in the use of stream of consciousness and seemingly endless sentences and multipage paragraphs.

If you can muddle through all of the squalor, inbreeding, promiscuousness, executions, and massacres in this fetid jungle town, this is a book for you. Myself, while I can accept some proportion of the foregoing under the purview of fantasy (e.g., the portions concerning the gypsies), he carries it to the absurd. The book, however, must give birth to a multitude of allegories (real or imagined) upon which countless dissertations may be based. Thank goodness it finally ended!

Note: Five are named Jose Arcadio, or Arcadio; five are named Aureliano plus 17 other Aurelianos who do not figure significantly in the story; two are named Remedios; two are Amaranta, and two are Ursula.

He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1982.

This gorgeous novel is well-known in the Spanish-speaking world, but most American readers happen across it by accident and read it with a sense of growing astonishment. I know that was my first reaction - just a sense of awe at the power of the narrative (particularly its ability to draw you into the story despite the multitude of stories, myths, and characters that could be overwhelmingly confusing). I have reread this novel several times and it just keeps getting better.

The beginning of the book contains a family tree of the Buendia family, and if you're like me you'll surely mangle and dog-ear this page as you work your way though the book, trying to keep track of the Aurelianos, Remedios, and Ursulas.
But the struggle is worth it. This was truly the great novel that Garcia Marquez was meant to write; to me everything of Marquez that followed seems like recycled material. I first read One Hundred Years of Solitude years ago before moving to Latin America. Now that I here and have read it again, many of the messages that before were inaccessible now reveal themselves. The Story of Macondo is the story of Colombia and, to a larger extent, of Latin America. The reviewers tell us this, but it is amazing to see it with my own eyes.

The literal and the fantastic are interwoven with a seamlessness that amazes. One compares his style with Kafka before and Kundera after, literary voice established in this novel has withstood the test of time. It remains unique.

The book is at once funny, sad, tragic; it's history and fantasy. But overall

"This is not an easy to read book; if you are looking for light reading, this is not it. Also, this is not a book to read quickly; it takes a lot of reflection to try to grasp the meaning (and often times you don't) of the wondrous stories.

Having said that, this is a wonderful book. Garcia Marquez tells the story of a family and a town, Macondo. The things that happen there are surreal; strange murders, sleeping disorders, scientists, soldiers, all revolve around the mansion of the Buendia family in Macondo. The tales introduce the reader to 20th century Latin American literature, with tales of love, sadness, desperation, hurt, and loss.

This is Garcia Marquez's most famous work, and arguably his best. It is a book to be savored slowly, page by page, contemplated and reflected upon. If you are looking for a page turner or light reading, feel free to skip this book. It is made for a very specific type of reader, one that will take the time to decipher the meaning of the stories and uncover the artistic content hidden just below the surface of the page."
- Denis Benchimol Minev

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This is not a quick read, but it is worth it!! I made the mistake of putting this book down for a few weeks, and I felt completely lost when I tried to get back into it! This book definitely puts you in another world. It's completely different from anything I have ever read - mystifying, haunting and full of beautiful images and metaphors. Really a one of a kind piece of literature.

The best book I've ever read. A book about humanity and all the beauty and passion of life itself. Alchemy. Love, sex and incest. Butterflies. Death. Courtship. Illness. Lucidity in the mist of what would seem like madness.

Interesting story - weaves through the history of one family.

I know that it was part of the point of the book, but I thought it got a little repetitious. I would have been just fine with only 50 years of solitude. I'd like to read this book in Spanish...if only I knew Spanish.

Snore.

This book is on everyone's list of top novels, ever.

Marquez's writing style is very unique and it took me a while to get used to it. Beautiful imagery, I definitely reccommend!

What a phenomenal book of tightly interwoven stories, Marquez is a genius!!

The story of the rise and fall, birth and death of the mythical town of Macondo through the history of the Buendia family. On New York best seller list 2 years ago.

I seem to be one of the lonely 3% of people who don't like this book. Don't listen to me, everyone else loves it...

Read All Book Reviews of "One Hundred Years of Solitude"