The Situation: When Dr. Juvenal Urbino decides to reach for his pet parrot from a ladder, he never imagines that this is the action that will lead to his death. Now his wife, Fermina Daza, must face the rest of her life without him, something she has a hard time imagining after more than 50 years together. But just as the funeral has ended, local businessman Florentino Ariza proclaims his love for her, just as he did when they were younger, before Juvenal Urbino ever entered the picture. Despite having been rejected decades before, Florentino Ariza has never been able to get over losing Fermina Daza, while she has held onto the belief that what they had before could not be considered real love. Even so, Florentino Ariza has always held onto hope, and he tells her he remained faithful to her as he waited all these years.
The Problem: Florentino Ariza may have never been able to get over Fermina Daza, but he certainly did not spend his life without companionship. In fact, over time, he will have nearly countless affairs, with women of all ages. Some he loved - and some loved him in return - while others he simply used in an attempt to cure his own loneliness and heartbreak. There were a few who saw him for what he was, but many who were fooled into believing they were his one and only. And while Fermina Daza never once strayed from Juvenal Urbino, and they reached that stage of marriage where they knew each other so well and could not imagine life with the other, their time together was not without its trials. Now that her husband is dead, and Florentino Ariza has once again pledged his love, Fermina Daza is not exactly rushing to commit herself to another man.
Genre, Themes, History: This is a fiction novel that takes place roughly between the 1880s and the 1930s, in an unnamed town in Colombia. The simplest and most straightforward label for the book would be that of a love story, but it also explores aging and death, and the love story itself is complicated. On the surface, Florentino Ariza and Fermina Daza fall in love when they are young, until she rejects him, and then ultimately marries the wealthy and prestigious Dr. Juvenal Urbino. Then Florentino Ariza must pine over her for the next several decades. But those decades include illicit affairs, family strife, community tragedies, and all kinds of scandalous gossip. Plus, there is the near-constant threat of the cholera epidemic. The love that Florentino Ariza holds onto so tightly can often be called into question, and Fermina Daza even examines her own long-lasting marriage, and what is means to love someone for that long.
My Verdict: I was drawn to this book, first because I absolutely loved One Hundred Years of Solitude, but also because it felt natural to pick this up after another year of uncertainty due to a devastating pandemic. Also, I saw the illustrated version at Barnes and Noble and decided that was the version I wanted to read, and the version that I wanted on my bookshelf. I immediately recognized the lyrical prose, as well as near-cryptic storytelling, or at least that is the best way I can think to describe it. And I love that this is not at all a typical love story. It does not even start off like one; instead, it starts off with the death of a minor character, followed by their funeral. What I had a hard time with was the character of Florentino Ariza, and what I see as his obsession with a woman who is, for the most part, kept out of his reach for over 50 years. Plus, his treatment of women is less than exemplary.
Favorite Moment: *spoiler alert* When Fermina Daza’s father is revealed for the crook that he is.
Favorite Character: There is something resolute and determined about Fermina Daza that I really admire. Her life is not the easiest, or simplest, but she makes difficult decisions and sticks with them.
Recommended Reading: One Hundred Years of Solitude is my favorite of the two, but I also recommend Fruit of the Drunken Tree by Ingrid Rojas Contreras.
No comments:
Post a Comment