Gabriel Garcia Marquez, LOVE IN THE TIME OF CHOLERA

We met at Juanchito - a proposal of Caroline (Thank you again!), and I think nobody was disappointed by the tasty and copious dishes we were served.

The seven of us (Caroline, Cynthia, Clare, Michel, Mark, Maren and Robin) mostly liked, if not to say, loved the book. Only Clare was hesitating if she likes in general books which give away the end at the very beginning. In the end she gave in to the general very positive reception of the book and showed thumbs up. The only criticism heard concerned the structure of the book. The very long chapters were not very much appreciated for several reasons.

Some interesting points came up during the discussion, only to mention some here:

The setting: We could not find a compromise on where exactly the story is taking place. 

The setting in time was also somewhat difficult to grasp for Maren. The book covers a large period during which many technical changes introduced into society, but socially it does not change that much. Old fortunes are mentioned, founded during the exploration era and which are now fading or the use of grandma's petticoats, balls, life as well in cities as on haziendas give a strange mixture with travels in baloons and electricity.  

• Cynthia found an article stating that the city very closely resembled Cartagena, and that it took place 1880-1930
  
• Also remarkable were the very vivid descriptions of colours and odours; one could almost see and smell, feel like being there. But, besides the famous eggplant, there was not much about food or cooking in the book.
  
• When mentioning the humour present everywhere, even if sometimes subtle, everybody started citing its favourite passages. It was really something palpable for everybody.
  
• The names of the people were somewhat funny or at least unusual. To give some examples: Transito, the pope's names, even Florentino sounds unsual to Westerner's ears.
  
• We didn't find the explanation why Fermina Daza is called throughout the book by her maiden's name, very well knowing that the naming conventions in hispanic countries are complicated (combination of parent's names which change at mariage).
  
• Clare reminded as that in Spanish the word "Cholera" stands for the disease and for "anger". So how to understand the book when translating the title as "Love in the Times of Anger"? Or should love be considered as a kind of incurable disease?
  
• The most discussed character was Florentino. And this not out of sympathy but he was the most interesting. Although his saintly love for Fermina, he provoked also bad things for his acquaintances. Maybe he could be understood as a victim of love. But how sane is to be obsessed with one single woman over decades and nevertheless consume women lightheartedly through all the years? And speaking of which: the sanitary disaster of STDs does not seem to have a big impact on Florentino, although Caroline deciphered the mention of 5 different incidents. Which seems not too bad for 622 documented contacts over the 50 years.
  
• What's the moral to take from the book, asked Clare. Or how Maren put it: Meandering all the time amongst the different lifes, where does it go to in the end?
  Not much of an answer was found to it, except eventually by Cynthia, who mentioned the difficulties to find the balance between what one desires and to be content with what one has - if ever such a balance is achievable / attainable.

 

 Maren & Cynthia