Book Review: One Hundred Years of Solitude

Recently I finished reading one Hundred Years of Solitude written by eminent writer and Nobel laureate Gabriel Jose Garcia Marquez. This was first ever Nobel Prize winner book I have ever read. Also credit has t be given to Rabassa who has translated the book; his excellent vocabulary and apt description make readers involved in characters. This ought to be one of the best books of the century.
Story revolves around Buendia family in Mocondo. Patriarchal Buendia family has founded Mocondo with few other residents. It was a place that was isolated, far from other civilizations. There are in all seven generations of Buendias through which author takes us on the journey of Buendia’s family struggle, glimpses of social and political situation in Mocondo, class struggle against oppressors, struggle to have their rights, at the same time it describes various personal characters form Buendias generations some are hostile, dominant and while some are introspective, happy to isolate themselves from rest of the world and their character traits get inherited throughout seven generations. Females in the family from seven generations also range from strong, outgoing, sexually inclined, promiscuous to highly chastity conscious. The point is made in the book about why one should not marry with someone from same family so as to avoid newborn with little tail. However, it also make reference to incest that is usually a taboo in modern society. In the course, Mocondo also experience advancement in technology, with introduction of Railways, which otherwise they would only come to know through Gypsies who would tell them about magnifying glass, ice which people of Mocondo revered as something magical innovation by Gypsies themselves. Mocondo also witness establishment of its first ever Industry and thereby ill effects of modernity. Thereby starts struggle between ‘haves’ and ‘have not’ or between owners and workers that ultimately leads to bloodied climax. As years passes, generations born and died, Mocondo becomes as it was before- deserted and Solitary.
The names used for characters in each generation of Bueandia’s family, though same and hence little confusing, help us to know character trait that person might have inherited from previous generation.
Gabriel Jose Garcia Marquez was born on March 6, 1928 in Aracataca, a banana town in Colombia. The predominant banana industry and the massacre of striking banana workers in 1928 were the events that might have influenced his work.