Love in the Time of Cholera - to persevere or not to persevere?

[MrsDanversWorksForTheDM]

As it says in the title really. Went into crap understocked local bookshop looking for One Hundred Years of Solitude which they didn't have and ended up with this instead.

Am 50 pages in and it's alright but a bit like wading through treacle tbh.

Shall I keep going? Will I live to regret it if I don't?

Continues to be treacle.
Should have stucked to your guns and ordered in One Hundred Years, which is a deserved classic.

Ah, bugger - have just started this having LOVED 100 years. But to be fair, 100 years was bloody hard going for ages - I'd keep trying.

(Lots of people told me to start with Love as it was easier than 100 years....)

I loved it - but it is quite hard going, though worth it. All the Magical realists can be a bit hard when you first start - is this your first attempt at Gabriel Garcia Marquez?

100 Years is better though.

Also - really worth trying Isabelle Allende for something a leetle lighter in the same vein.

I wasn't going to but I came back to

Cos I read El Amor en los Tiempos del Colera for my Spanish course last year - in Spanish!!! EEeeek I can do it !!

(It is better in Spanish!)

Sorry

But am proud of myself!

Yes first time with this author.

So One Hundred Years is possibly more readable? [hopeful]

It doesn't seem unreadable actually, just a little -dare I say - dull. But am only 50 pages in to be fair.

And why do they all have to have such long names?

LITTOC - hated it. Sorry! It doesn't get any better (imo).

Well done Weegiemum!

Possibly some of it is lost in translation?

I really enjoyed "Love in..." - cleverly written and I ended up thoroughly sucked in.

Haven't read "100 years" yet tho...

Did you get into it straightaway Boudoiricca?

I have a feeling this may be a marmite book.

Worth persevering in my opinion.

I loved both, preferred 100 years and read that first, which may have helped.
Read a book of short stories by G GM Last year as well, but wasn't quite so enamoured.

Weegie, well done you.
My mates at Uni were always going on about Gabriel Garcia Marques as they were doing Spanish. I had no idea what they were going on about at the time.

100 years no better ito names - not only are they all long but it's about 3/4 generations ... and they all have the same name.

Took me about 200 pages to 'get' 100years I reckon, but it was fabulous after that

I too read this as part of my degree course ten or so years ago, loved it, beautiful writing.
Then again, 10 years ago I didn;t have 3 boys and a brain like a sieve, whichis why I can only handle at my best some light chick lit/yummy/slummy mummy books - it is shameful I know.

I say if after 50 pages you are not into it, it maybe time to let it go! and try something else by the same author, after all reading is supposed to be a pleasure, not a chore!

Hmm... you could be right... It was a while ago and I was in the fortunate position of having lots of time to kill and a big stack of books to read. This was top of the list.

I read v quickly, so guess I'd have got over that hurdle in the first morning rather than having to keep dipping in and out iyswim.

I did end up truly engrossed and quite emotional. Not sure that helps you? I'd stick with it a bit longer if I were you.

I also enjoy lots of early Louis de Bernieres' stuff, which seem to me to have a similar feel - do you like those?

Not read any De Berniere boudoir.

200 pages you say DMonabonfire? That's encouraging actually.

Maybe you need to adjust to his style first before you can fully enjoy it, a bit like Dickens or Woolf.

I think I'll keep going with this, thanks Mnjury!

I love this book. I have read it many many times. I find it terribly moving, although some parts of it really bother me.

Funnily enough I tried 100 years first but gave up - I think I should try it again now.

Have you tried Isabelle Allende instead?

I too loved 100 years (one of my all time favourites) but then found Love in very slow going.

Yes - 200, or could have been 250 and honestly, it really did suddenly all gel.

Have to say, it was the second time I'd triend reading it, and the first time I gave up literally about 20 pages before it gelled. Fool.

Hmm. I read Love in.. and 100 Years ages ago and loved them, so suggested my book group try one of them. We were all, including me, defeated by 100 Years this time around. Agree with trying Louis de Bernieres or isabelle Allende as an alternative, for the slightly bonkers south american vibe.

I read 100 years of solitude as a student, years ago. Memorable mostly because I loathed it, to be honest. Never bothered with cholera.

I suppose at least I remember it....

Persevere! Cholera is just lovely! Start from scratch another time and you could hit gold.