I read this novel on recommendation of a good friend. Unfortunately, my Spanish isn't good enough to read it in the original, but Garcia-Marquez is an amazing writer, even in translation.
The novel is a love story. It starts close to the end, with a death: the death of the husband of Fermina Daza. After the funeral, her former suitor, Florentino Ariza, comes back to declare his love again -- after waiting over fifty years. Garcia-Marquez then shifts back to when they first met and follows the two characters through their lives.
I love Garcia-Marquez and enjoy just reading his words. His prose is engaging, and, while some of his characters are over the top, they fit into his story very well. Other characters are nuanced enough to be real. However, the plot (a man whiling away the years in love affair while waiting for the husband of his "true love" to die) did not sit well with me, and I was not a fan of the ending.
That being said, I can tell why the friend recommended it to me. And I would pass on the recommendation to anyone looking for read by a good writer.
Yeah. I generally love Garcia Marquez's writing style...just not his plots or themes so much. Exhibit A: Erendira.
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