Love in the Time of Cholera

This book is amazing. Even though some of my friends made fun of the title - I think it fits beautifully into the novel and can really add to the major themes. For example: the metaphor of life being like water (i.e a river etc) and this becoming infected by the involvement of others. It's written just like One Hundred Years of Solitude and covers a great deal of emotions. Ones you probably don't yet know you're capable of feeling.

I found this book as I meant to read it after "100 years of Solitude" - but I couldn't find it for a good price. I finally got 20% off in a sale and then it was straight to the check out then into my bag. A quality novel with some brilliant themes. 

Characters:

My favourite character was Fermina Daza. She was this strong and feminine archetype with a tragic idealism that wouldn't last. The whole aspect of love begins to beguile her as others become involved and it starts to crack her emotionally. The descriptions of her emotions are vast and epic - they are brilliant and as poetic as you'd expect from only Gabriel Garcia Marquez. 

Themes:

There is a certain theme of love being involved with secrecy and youth. This three-dimensional comparison definitely roots itself in the idealism of youth and the fact that the lovers do not care for the elders. There is also a certain amount of secrecy involved when the elders break them up - this cracks them emotionally and perpetuates the 3D theme throughout the rest of the novel. 

Storyline:

The beginning! The opening was brilliant. I wish I could explain how much I loved the ending - but I think that the root of all the love for the ending came from the beginning - purely because the opening lines drag you into the world of poetics and a beautiful language that you don't have to get used to. You just enjoy it as it carries you away. 

Verdict:

100% for characters: The lovers were my favourite characters - but the parents were also so well designed that I couldn't leave them out without a mention. 

100% for themes: The theme of love is definitely the strongest here

100% for storyline: The beginning was the most emotional. As is the ending. As was "100 years of Solitude".