R E K. (bigstone) - , reviewed on 9/20/2011 + 1452 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 1

Steeped in magical realism, the saga of the family Jose Arcadio Buendia and Ursula Iguarian is woven with village life through the mythical town of Macondo which they founded in a swampy, isolated area. Garcia Marquez eloquently defines the meaning of life interweaving it with cultural beliefs and everyday family life. The author's writing style is based on the way his grandmother told stories during his childhood. One of the most memorable characters is Colonel Aureliano Buendia whose zest for war culminates always in battle defeats yet he is highly respected by his men and peers. Time and time again he avoids death, living a full life and fathering 17 sons named Aureliano. Ursula, Jose's wife, lives a long life though she loses her sight managing to conceal this fact from family members. She warns of babies born with a pig's tale when family members fall in love with other family members. A man named Melquiades appears again and again to family members stimulating experiments and scientific exploration which is sometimes based on fact and sometimes not and summarize the family story. As the years pass the isolation of the town diminishes and family members travel and become acquainted with the progress of the world around them. It's a most interesting read.

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