This was not the book for me. I know a lot of people give it praise and it is considered a classic, but I never got into it.

It rambled . . . it was repetitive . . . I got bored.

What was supposed to be a story about love seemed to be more about twisted obsession and I never found it endearing. None of the characters were all that great and I pretty much found myself feeling sorry for everyone.

I was thankful when I was done.

Florentino Ariza declares his love for his 'crowned goddess' Fermina Daza in their youth.
50 years, 9 months, 4 days and 622 love affairs later, he does it again!

This story is not about love. It is about the vices and virtues of being human, of animal instincts, of men wooing women for reasons other than love, of women trying to fall in love with men they married for material purposes, of one kind of desire used to quench the thirst of another kind, of elder men spoiling much younger girls, of widowed women and their hidden sexual fantasies, of social status, of skin colors, of twisted histories and more twisted present and even more unreliable futures!

But then again this book is more about love than anything else! It is not about any particular kind of love with any one human being. It is about all kinds of love that could ever exist with as many people as may come in the life of the protagonist and the sufferings as well as satisfaction brought by them. It is about waiting for half a century of your life to get what you want and finally reaching it!

It is about marriage, the importance of a stable marriage, the sacrifices to be made to maintain the facade of a happy marriage, the terrifyingly realistic instability of it, the importance of ignorance to keep it straight, the significance of forgiveness to make it successful and the ways of survival from its boring routine.

Of course the writing was good. The thing I liked most was how the author started explaining about one character and then enters the territory of thoughts of the other while rounding up the entire scene and coming back again to the beginning point, all without you even realizing it! Another thing I liked is the inverted chronological order. The book starts with main characters close to old age! And then it progresses with the past, present and anticipated future intertwining with light threads!

It has been on my shelf since the last 4 years and on my mind for at least 7 or 8 years!
I guess anticipation killed the mood or something because I found it too long for me. Sometimes, I had to force myself through it.

4.5 stars though!

De cînd cu opinile medicilor, neurologilor și psihologilor de orientare analitică, toată lumea crede că iubirea durează (cel mult) 3 (trei) ani. Cînd durează 4, e vorba de o psihoză și pacientul trebuie internat într-un azil.

Și totuși Florentino Ariza (un individ cam ridicol și cam rigid, dar simpatic) o iubește (și o așteaptă) pe numita Fermina Daza vreme de „cincizeci şi unu de ani, nouă luni, patru zile, șase ore, douăzeci și șapte de minute și 32 de secunde”.

Într-o recenzie din 1988, Thomas Pynchon afirmă că acțiunea romanului se petrece cam din 1880 pînă în 1930. Deci, Florentino se îndrăgostește în preajma anului 1880 (mai precis, cu cîțiva ani înainte) și nu se oprește din iubit nici în 1930, cînd Fermina rămîne văduvă, infirmînd astfel, prin sentimentul lui peren, toate previziunile medicilor. El are 76 de ani, ea 72, exact vîrsta potrivită pentru o aventură sălbatică, decisivă. Iubirea lui e un fenomen incredibil (o monomanie), cum numai în poveștile cu zîne și în romanele lui Márquez e cu putință:

[Florentino] „nu încetase nici măcar o singură clipă să se gîndească la ea, de cînd Fermina Daza îl respinsese fără drept de apel, după o iubire lungă şi zbuciumată... N-a fost nevoie să ţină socoteala uitării, trăgînd zilnic cîte o linie pe zidurile vreunei carcere, pentru că nu trecea nici măcar o zi fără ca ceva să nu-i amintească de ea”.

Romanul e interesant din cu totul astă pricină. Trebuie citit lent, fiecare propoziție ascunde o surpriză și e bine să te bucuri de ea. Criticii de la Kirkus Review tocmai asta i-au reproșat prozatorului: că și-a construit frazele cu mai multă atenție decît capitolele. Romanul ar fi precar tocmai sub aspectul construcției epice. Nu mi s-a părut. Construcția e după modelul clasic, firul narativ se rupe destul de rar. În fond, e vorba de niște biografii nu neapărat spectaculoase, dar suficient de interesante ca să-ți continui lectura. Stilul, în schimb, e meseriaș. Prozatorul e stăpîn pe arta lui. Nu am întîlnit fraze de umplutură, cei de la Kirkus Review au exagerat.

Dar am întîlnit, în traducerea românească, firește, sintagme și enunțuri care ar merita studiate de orice tînăr debutant interesat de secretele artei scrisului: „rîsul libertin al papagalului”, „ochi livizi”, „răbdare minerală”, „piele străvezie, ca de parafină”, „țipătul sordid al păsărilor”, „o femeie cu pleoape portugheze, care o fac și mai distantă”, „mireasma sibilinică a gardeniilor” etc.

Dacă vrei să cîștigi premiul Nobel și să ai parte de o binemeritată glorie postumă, e bine să parcurgi foarte lent acest roman.

n  n
...................
أول انطباع طرأ إلى ذهني عندما تجاوز تعلُّقي بهذه الرواية مجرد إعجاب و دهشة قارئة من عمل روائي مُحكَم، و رأيت وشائج تربط روحي بكل تفاصيل العمل حتى التفاصيل قليلة الأهمية و تغزل شباكها، حتى أصبحت حياتي كلها تدور في فلك هذه الشحصيات، أو بمعنى أدق، هاتين الشخصيتين: فلورينتينو أريثا و فيرمينا داثا... أقول أول انطباع كان أنها رواية " حِرشة ".
نعم بلا مزاح، لست ضليعة في معجم الفصحى و حتى إن كنتُ على علم بكافة ال��ذور اللغوية التي لها علاقة بوصف هذه الحالة الانفجارية من المشاعر، لاخترتٌ هذه الكلمة العاميَّة المصرية الأصيلة...رواية حِرشة بكل ما تحمله الكلمة من معنى!
نحن - المصريين - نقول هذه الكلمة في أغلب الأوقات في سياق حماسي للغاية، و خصوصًا عند تناول وجبة معقدة المكونات و دقيقة المقادير و كثيرة التوابل مثل " السجق " مثلًا و بعد تناولها تشعر كأنك شُحنت بطاقة و سعادة كافية للكون بأكمله.
كاتبنا العزيز صنع لنا روايةً تجعلك تصاب بحيْرة النكهات، أهي مجرد عمل رومانسي؟ ينتظر البطل فيها البطلة زمنًا طويلًا يصل إلى ثلاث و خمسين سنة و ستة شهور و أحد عشر يومًا، أم أنها عمل درامي حزين يصف لك معاناة النفس البشرية حين يهجم عليها وحش الفقد بمخالبه؟
أم أننا أمام عمل فلسفي، يجعلك الكاتب من خلال كلماته الصادقة صدقًا فجًّا و كأنه بوقاحة غريبة أعطى الحق لنفسه كي يلِجَ أدق تفاصيل أفكارك النبيلة و خواطرك الدنيئة، و يرمي بك في متاهة المصائر و سخرية الأقدار...يجعلك في عالمٍ موازٍ، و كأن روحك تتذكر كل لحظة طعنتها و خدعتك بنسيانها أو بتغافلها...
لا أعلم، كل ما أعلمه أنها تسجيل مؤلم لقصة بعيدة كل البعد عن وردية و سخافة قصص الحب التي تشعر فيها أن النهاية الحزينة أو السعيدة على حدٍّ سواء لا أهمية لها، و كأنها قصة خُلقِت كي تموت من أول لحظة بسماجتها، هذا شعور شخصي و ليس بالضرورة أن يكون مقياسًا، و لكني بالتأمل في فكرة الحب عمومًا، أجد هذا النوع من القصص غير المفهوم الذي تشعر أن كلا الطرفيْن يريدان خلق السعادة و الشغف بينهما و هما في حقيقة الأمر بعيدان كل البعد عن جوهر الحب الذي يجعلنا في جنة و يجعل أرواحنا بمنأى عن انتمائها الجسدي الفاني.
و لكن هناك قصص أخرى...تجبرك على احترامها، تشعر أن القصة بتفاصيلها اختزلت حياة كلٍّ من الطرفيْن في معنى واحد: الوفاء.
ليس الوفاء بمعناه الضيِّق، فإن أخذنا هذا المعنى التقليدي لحكمنا على بطل قصتنا بالخيانة و النفاق بسبب غرامياته التي تجدها في كل صفحة تقريبًا في الرواية، لست من هواة الروايات التي يتحدث كاتبها عن الجنس بأي شكل كان، و لكن ماركيز هنا جاء ليحدد معنىً آخرًا من معاني الوفاء...ألا يوجد في البلاغة نظرية " المعنى و معنى المعنى " ؟
صمم ماركيز على تركيز هذا الكم من الوصف الدقيق لمشاعر البطل الجنسية كي يصف لنا هذا المعنى الدقيق البعيد عن الوفاء في الظاهر لكنه قريب كل القرب من جوهر الوفاء الحقيقي...كان بطلنا يهرب من شقاء حرمانه الروحي بإشباع حيواني خادع مُسكن لآلامه التي لا نهاية لها، و أكبر دليل على هذا أنه عندما جمعهما القدر في السفينة بعد كل هذا الشقاء، لم يبدِ أي رغبة جامحة كعادته...بل رجع إلى زمن مراهقته عندما أحبها للمرة الأولى في شاعرية نقية، و كأنه ينظر إليها بروحه دافنًا جسده.
أما فيرمينا و علاقتها بزوجها، فتلخصها هذه العبارة من رواية " عصر الحب " لنجيب محفوظ:
" إن بالدنيا كنوزًا من الأفراخ لا تخطر على بال، و لكن على من يروم السعادة أن يكون حاسمًا مع المعوقات المتوغلة بظلمة الأركان العتيقة"
كان أكثر الأركان ظلمةً و عتاقةً بالنسبة لفيرمينا هي تخليها عن من أحب قلبها للمرة الأولى و الأخيرة.
لم تحب زوجها و لم تستطع تناسي جموحها الأول و الأخير، عاشرته بالحسنى و لكنها خانته بقلبها، كانت تنام على وسادة واحدة معه كل ليلة و لكن إحساسها بالحنين إلى حبيبها ترجمته نفسها إلى شعور بالذنب حتى تستطيع تخطي هذه الأزمة التي كانت فوق احتمالها.
كان ما حدث بينهما من مشاعر مجرد اعتياد أو " حب العشرة " كما نقول بالعامية، و لكن لا مندوحة لنا من أن نقرر أن الرباط الذي جمع قلبها بحبيبها في مراهقتها كان قويًّا راسخًا عتيًّا، و لم تُفك عراه حتى تم
اللقاء.

n  n
..........
صراحةً أحترم الكاتب الروائي الذي يبني روايته على السرد، أريد توضيح أمرٍ له علاقة بالطعام أيضًا، عندما نحكم على جودة " كبابجي " فإن كمية التوابل الموضوعة في الكباب تتناسب عكسيًّا مع جودته، أيّ أن كلما زادت كمية التوابل فإننا غالبًا ما ننفر منه لإنه بهذا يخفي شيئًا ما ليس طيّبًا في اللحم، بالضبط هذا نفس شعوري حول أية رواية، إذا أكثر الكاتب من كمية الحوار فإني أستحقر هذا العمل و لا تنطلي عليّ هذه الخدعة الساذجة، لإنها أشبه بقراءة محادثة...الروائي تظهر قدراته السحرية في السرد و الوصف وحده، حتى و إن كان العمل لا يوجد به سوى مشهد حواري وحيد...لا يهم، عليكم بالسرد.
إذا كان هذا العمل حرش، فلإنه يخلو من توابل الحوار الخادعة و مليء بدسامة سردية تجعل القارئ مفتونًا بالثقافة اللاتينية و مستشعرًا ذاته و كأنها أضحت جزءًا من الرواية، اختار الكاتب البيئة الكاريبية بحرارة مشاعرها و أحداثها في حقبة القرنين الثامن و التاسع عشر.
عنصر اللغة عادةً يكون غير متوفر بصوة ملحوظة في الأعمال المترجمة و لكن صالح علماني جاء بعربيته العذبة التي جعلها مزيجًا بين العربية و اللاتينية... و أيقظ لغوية الرواية، جعل اللغة شريكًا في هذه الملحمة و جعلها ركيزةً تفتن القارئ بهوس ماركيز في وصف أدق التفاصيل في كل مشهد.
ماركيز بنى عالمًا من سراديب بشرية معقدة وقعت ضحية لقصة حب عانت من الفراق نصف قرن، تفنن في إيقاظ أصغر الجروح التي اندملت بصعوبة مميتة...و من الممكن أن تكون هذه الجملة على لسانه خير مفتاح:
" كانا ينسابان بصمت كزوجين قديمين كوتهما الحياة، إلى ما وراء خدع العاطفة، إلى ما وراء حيل الأوهام القاسية و سراب خيبة الأمل: إلى ما وراء الحب..لقد عاشا معًا ما يكفي ليعرفا أن الحب هو أن نحب في أي وقت و في أي مكان. و أن الحب يكون أكثر زخمًا كلما كان أقرب إلى الموت"
١٠ فبراير ٢٠١٨
هدير خالد

It is a story about love that endures forever,even though it's one way love.

Nothing much happens for the most part,the plot is very thin.As for magical realism,it doesn't appeal to me all that much.

The writing style is pretty dull and unexciting,the fame of the author notwithstanding.I read a translation,but I don't think it's the translator's fault,given the general boredom I felt while reading it.

Still,the ending is a good one and it surprised me. It also reminded of the plight of several cruise ships during the early days of the Corona Virus epidemic.

جميلة وفارغة ..
رواية من لا شئ لكن كتبت باحترافية كبيرة تجبرك على الاستمرار في قراءتها ، بل والاستمتاع بها .!

It has a great line I've never forgotten, I'm paraphrasing, "He was the perfect husband, he did nothing."

This book took me forever to finish as I felt a strong need to read it ever so slowly to savor every sentence! This desire made me love GGM’s prose to the end.

“In their youth, Florentino Ariza and Fermina Daza fall passionately in love.”
Fermina’s father has other ideas for his daughter’s future and that is to marry the wealthy and well known Doctor Juvenal Urbino.

Florentino is devastated!
He spends his life pining away for Fermina. It is an obsessive love. There are many examples of what it means to be in love and what love is and in this respect GGM is the ultimate craftsman. Such beautiful writing as I have never read before!

Florentino in the next 50 years does become a womanizer. Making love to 622 women but never falling in love with them. He saves his heart for Fermina for all those years.

Juvenal Urbino has a fatal accident late in life. Florentino finds out and proposes to Fermina. Fifty one years, nine months and four days!

This story is like a magnificent piece of art! Love to GGM is a complex emotion. Florentino’s love for Fermina is all consuming. There are so many examples of love throughout the book. GGM’s view and writing of love is never graphic.

“The only regret I have in dying is if it is not for love”.

حكاية حب تتخطى حدود الزمن, ومشاعر لا تتبدد بفوات العمر
قد تكون قصة تقليدية عن الوجوه المختلفة للحب
لكن ماركيز يحكيها في سرد متدفق وسلس
والجميل انها متشابكة مع تاريخ منطقة الكاريبي
والتطور التدريجي لكثير من مظاهر الحياة فيها
من أواخر القرن التاسع عشر حتى بدايات القرن العشرين
الأحوال الاجتماعية والعملية والسياسة, الطبيعة والعادات والتقاليد المعيشية
تفاصيل كثيرة للشخصيات والأحداث على مدى نصف قرن تقريبا

Love. It’s amazing how something so often spoken, so easily expressed, so readily written, is so very misunderstood. What is this four letter word that we worship and live for? Reading Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s Love in Time of Cholera made me understand one thing. I should not aim to understand it. For love is immeasurable. It is formed by its giver and is shaped by its object. Every love is different, as everyone is different. Florentino Ariza’s love is silent, but as sturdy and intense as his character. Juvenal Urbino’s is grand yet fragile. Fermina Daza’s volatile and passionate. These character exhibited different depths of feeling, yet we cannot say that they didn’t love. For who knows but the one who feels it? People react to such feelings differently, show affection differently. Our love is shaped by our personalities, some more sensible than others. Its qualities affected by the object, for we personalize it to agree with the whims of our desired. There is no general love, there is yours and there is mine.

How does a man in love get to 622 affairs? This is the question most often posed by many of the novel’s critics. How can someone so in love be so perverted? This is a non-issue. In my opinion, this is probably a reader’s misconception. It is because people associate sex with love. I am not of that belief. I would say that sex is one aspect of romantic love, but the two are independent of each other. Love transcends the carnal flesh, though the flesh can heighten the experience of love. People have sexual needs, but everybody doesn’t have the luxury of love. Does this mean that sex is off-limits for them? I am aware that the problem is not that he had sex with other women, but the fact that he did it with 622 of them. But I see this as his coping mechanism taken to the extreme. To fill the void of unrequited love, some turn to food, some to work, some to drinking. Unfortunately for Florentino Ariza, he took the road of sexual relations. But I don’t see this as infidelity, for if anybody had reason to copulate with someone whom they don’t love, none have better than the heart-broken. Because if the carnal flesh heightens the experience of love. Equally, it numbs the pain of the unrequited. Of course, I’m probably just a liberal.

Why in time of Cholera? What is the significance of Cholera?

Florentino Ariza’s love is the epitome of Cholera. It is like a fatal disease, hopeless. It consumed him, caused him terrible suffering and had no cure. His only choice is to numb its pain. Its only escape is death. But with him, it is a good kind of death, the death of the other.

Talking about death, you must have been thinking of the reason why I finally chose to read this book. You are, in fact, right. I read this because of the recent passing of Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

“Nothing resembles a person as much as the way he dies.”

“Born in 1927, Gabriel García Márquez was 87 when he died last week. According to his younger brother, Jaime, he had been suffering from complications caused by chemotherapy, which saved his life but accelerated his dementia, a disease that apparently ran in his family. He’d call his brother and ask to be reminded about simple things. “He has problems with his memory,” Jaime reported a few years back.” (The Nation)

“Remembering and forgetting are García Márquez’s great themes, so it would be easy to read meaning into his senility. The writer was fading into his own solitude, suffering the same fate he assigned to the inhabitants of his fictional town of Macondo, in his most famous novel, One Hundred Years of Solitude.”

As for Florentino Ariza and Fermina Daza, I believe that they died peacefully in the realm of old age, full of love.

“Love becomes greater and nobler in calamity.”

The love that the title refers to is not only Florentino’s undying love but the love that Florentino and Fermina finally shared at their old age. It is a love that blossomed in a time where death domains, in time not only of Cholera but in time of mortality. The scent of death, of Cholera destroyed all inhibition that hindered their love. It allowed them to become courageous and decisive in love knowing that their time is at hand. Because for them love is too precious to postpone, to avoid, to fear. So should it be for me and you. For is it not said that “It is better to have loved and lost than not to have loved at all”?

Life is an experience, live it. Love.

“Tell him yes. Even if you are dying of fear, even if you are sorry later, because whatever you do, you will be sorry all the rest of your life if you say no.”


P.S. Thank you and farewell, Gabo.

E lá continuo nesta jornada de reencontro com "os livros da minha vida" :)
Este livro foi o maior exemplo dos inúmeros livros que existem dentro de um mesmo livro quando os lemos em diferentes épocas da nossa própria vida.
Se nos "meus vintes" o que mais me apaixonou foi a fé e dedicação sem limites que se pode ter por um amor, agora ao lê-lo pela segunda vez a entrar nos "meus quarentas" foi a passagem do tempo, a velhice e as escolhas com que fazemos a nossa vida que me mantiveram rendida a esta obra prima escrita pelo nosso querido Gabo.
Para reler daqui a outros vinte anos :)

"كنها لم تتصور أبداً أن يكون الفضول هو أحد مصائد الحب الكثيرة”