Average Rating: 7.8Sara hosted a wonderful book club last night- we chatted about "Love in the Time of Cholera" and watched Desperate Housewives.
Here are the ratings and comments:
Sara: 8.5- Good book but didn't like America. Thought Florentino and America's relationship was gross. It made it difficult to like Florentino.
Rebecca: 8 - (on chapter 5)Thought the book was well written but difficult to read. The names were confusing, but it was a good story and a pretty story to read- would recommend it.
Erika: 8.0 - Liked the first part when the story was about their courtship. The middle part was difficult to get through- wished there was more of a plot in the middle part- would recommend it.
Tina: 8.0 - (on chapter 1) The book would be best read if a person had a few long sessions of reading instead of short reading sessions. The book requires a commitment from the reader.
Anne: 7.5 - Loved the first 150 pages. Loved the story of the courtship, but found the middle part quite slow. Was annoyed that the whole letter thing started up again towards the end. Well written book.
Dana: 6.0 - Liked the beginning and the story about Dr. Urbino and his life. Did not like Florentino and his compulsions- slow book. Also thought it was strange that there were so many parts in the book that were about animals dying.
Erin: 7.0 - Beginning was great- but the book was a very intense book to read. Some of the important plot ideas were not covered like what did Florentino do to get to the top of his company? Florentino was very pathetic.
1 comment:
COMMENTS FROM BECKY
(IN IRAQ)
I think this is a great book. Nice pick Sara. I give it a 9.5 I know when you revealed this book, that you wanted a book that was not only a great story but a written well also. This book is both, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading every part. This might have been heightened because it was read poolside in Kauai, but none the less a great read.
This book, for me, was obsession and guilt intertwined to make a great love story. I was impressed by the book's smooth flow. With all the shifting from different points of view, foreshadowing and retelling of some parts, I was expecting more separations in the story, however, there really weren't. In fact, there were only six chapters. The book took a little longer for me to read than most books, but this very well could be due to the writing style and the fact that I did pause to appreciate the very well written sentences (for you Sara, and Scott).
Now, onto the characters. For quite some time, I pitied Florentino. I felt he was weak and overly obsessed with a love that would never be. He was an only son raised solely by his mother and didn't know how to distinguish between all the different love's in the world. He wasn't even sure what love was. For him it took any form: friendship, lust, kinship and even guardianship. He seemed to be overly confused by love. I did, however, like his many women along the way. I found their stories very interesting.
Fermina, on the other hand, I liked from the start. Old school courting rituals set aside, I related to her guilt and stubbornness. I loved her character development and the author's explanation of her life born from guilt. For me, she was a strong, smart woman who lived a very interesting, however sometimes sad, life.
This book shows how emotions either fade or strengthen over time. Sometimes it's the good ones that fade and the bad ones that strengthen. Either way, the deepening of emotions changes a person. I liked that this story ended on a happy note. I didn't feel it was cookie cut into a nice wrapped up story, but more believable and very moving. This book was ultimately about love, and the greatest thing is...love.
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