Now Reading #19: Of Love and Other Demons by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

I judged a book by its cover. I bought this book because of its beautiful cover art, even though I didn’t like the last Marquez I read (Love in a Time of Cholera) and I’m so glad I did! I was apprehensive to read it, but did because I have it and it was wonderful.

The first few chapters of this book are a little hard to follow, they jump and tend towards letting you figure out what’s going on rather than telling you, but if you can get through that the reward is excellent! Marquez is known for his flowery language, which I found overwhelming in Cholera, but here it is perfect. The story is based on a legend of a young girl with beautiful hair and the lives she touches. She’s not perfect and she’s not good, but she is definitely beautiful. It’s a really wonderful story, which I still am not sure I understood entirely.

I’m going to recommend this book. It’s a really short read, and a good one, especially if you have a romantic soul like me! Not romance like falling in love, but just romance in legends.

P.S. I’ll try and post a picture of the cover art, because it’s amazing.

"This was when she asked him whether it was true that love conquered all, as the songs said. “It is true,” he replied, “but you would do well not to believe it."

Of Love and Other Demons,Gabriel Garcia Marquez

"In that oppressive world where no one was free, Sierva Maria was; she alone and there alone."

Of Love and Other Demons, Gabriel Garcia Marquez

"The human body is not made to endure all the years that one may live."

Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Of Love and Other Demons

I am officially giving Gabriel Garcia Marquez another shot! I read Love in a Time of Cholera last year and thought it was overwritten (“mango groves of depression” I mean really!) but I found this book, Of Love and Other Demons while I was in Ottawa a few weeks ago and couldn’t resist taking a look because of the title. The plot seemed fabulous and it’s short, so there can’t be that much overwrought description, right? Hopefully the experiment works, because I do so want to like his work!