21. Love In The Time Of Cholera

"Let me stay here" he said "there was soap."

I keep trying to find words worthy of this novel. Rich, handsome, elegant, unrivaled, pure... they don't even begin to scratch the surface. I feel like nothing I say could begin to tell you how this story affected me, how it made me feel.

Many novels I have read this year have had the central theme of love- stories that take modern twists on fairy tales, stories of jilted lovers, crazy love triangles and desperate women fighting to keep their men... this story, so elegantly crafted by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, is unlike any of those I've previously written about. It is the story of a man so in love with a woman he spends his life in preparation for his chance to love her.

Letter exchanged between Florentino and Fermina create a deep connection between the two young people and over the years this connection creates a deep longing that soon turns to love and the promise of marriage, but like so many women throughout history, Fermina believed in a fairy tale. She was looking for a love that was enchanting and when the fairy dust settled and the enchantment faded, she denied the first man she ever truely loved.

The lifetime of pain they feel while they lead their seperate but entertwinced lives is a beautiful tale of true love. It was difficult. It was raw and it was real.

She sees him from afar, but is married to someone else. Her youthful love for him never quite leaving her alone. She sees him in the streets, she feels his presence in Mass, she thinks about him when her marriage feels so far removed from her that she sees herself an outsider looking in. She hates both her husband and Florentino because she loves them both. She wants to be the faithful wife to her husband. She submits to his whims, she lives her life dutifully at his side- yet... something is missing.

Fermina Daza stopped smoking in order not to let go of the hand that was still in hers. She was lost in her longing to understand. She could not conceive of a husband better than hers had been, and yet when she recalled their life she found more difficulties than pleasures, too many mutual misunderstandings, useless arguments, unresolved angers. Suddenly she sighed: "Its incredible how one can be happy for so many years in the midst of so many squabbles, so many problems, damn it, and not really know if it was love or not.

Florentino Azazi spends his nights seeking solace in the beds of other women- finding ways to push Fermina from his mind when her memory burns him at the core. He spends his days fighting for a place in the world- making a name for himself- just so she will notice. Each step he takes is deliberate. Each moment is for her.

And they are both secretly waiting for the moment her husband, who she also cares for deeply passes away... and when he does- fifty-one years, nine months, and four days after Florentino Aziza first declares his love for Fermina Daza- he does so again.

This love story is epic and beautiful and wonderful. I took two weeks to finish it because I honestly didn't want it to end. And at first, I didn't understand the title, but slowly I began to realized the love these two shared infected each other, it infected those around them - each person throughout their lives- each person they touched and made part of their love story. Their love ate at them, it made them feverish, it made them act in a way they never would have acted if the love was not consuming their hearts and minds. Their love was an epidimic- just like cholera.

21/52 Books (Currently 12 behind... Oops!)
6299 Pages Read.

20. The Four Temperaments

A friend and I were recently discussing that when a relationship is forced to an end- there are much worse things than being cheated on. Now, if you've never experienced such things than I hope you never do... but for those of you who have had a betrayal worse than unfaithfulness you know exactly what I'm talking about.

When I picked up The Four Temperaments by Yona Zeldis McDonough recently, I purchased it for one reason: The plot called for a mother's extreme measures to retaliate against the unfaithful behavior of both her husband and her son... with the same woman. Whether or not its a classy thing to admit- sometimes it just feels good to see people get what is coming to them. The teaser didn't tell me whether or not the revenge was against one of the men in her life, or the girl they'd managed to fall for but I thought maybe she kidnapped the woman, or maybe even killed her...

Turns out this book was way better than the twisted plot of a modern day soap opera... only it wasn't that dramatic. There were very few tense moments when a spouse lingers out side a door while sins are taking place on the other side. There were no moments when parties fear they may be found out. There was no insane climactic moment when all involved realize what is going on- instead this story was very... real.

This story didn't just center around the cheating and the nasty details of who said and did what, instead it very thoroughly explored what I was talking about earlier- that betrayal that is worse than cheating... that feeling that your family is falling apart at the hand of someone else and everything you've ever done in your life is truly in vain.

It felt as if I was talking to a friend who was experiencing this horrible twist of fate... only her husband and her son were confiding in me also, as was her daughter-in-law and the mistress! All five subjects faced and handled the infidelity differently and throughout the entire book I kept trying to place the blame... yes the father seems rational because he was the one who first brought the woman into his home- but he was just being nice and offering a new co-worker a hot meal with his family. The son also seems logical to hate and distrust because he knowingly and willingly cheated on his wife in his parent's home. Penelope, the daughter-in-law also offers incredibly undesirable qualities that leave you angry and frustrated but then there is that underlying sadness you feel for her as well, learning about her past and then the moment she realizes she is going to change and win her husband back. And you certainly want to hate the mistress.... but I could NEVER bring myself to dislike her. Yes, she knew full and well what she was doing. Yes she understood the complications and the implications of her actions..and she still never stopped. However, I did sense this insane longing to belong, this feeling you learn she's had since childhood to understand why she is the way she is and this need to fill a hole she isn't even sure exists in her heart.

This book offered a glimpse into the unfortunate world of cheating in a way that I'd never thought of before- in most cases- everyone plays their parts. They offer reasons to be distrusted or disliked or allow themselves to become pawns in a game. While I don't believe everyone woman is guilty of such things- I know in my case I believed what I wanted to believed and now looking back, it doesn't shock me one bit that it happened. I can't blame him any more than I can blame myself.

I think this novel is certainly one worth reading - not only is the storyline intricate and beautiful but the setting of the New York Ballet offers an even more delicate and dangerous undertone to this story. You guys remember that movie Center Stage that came out several years ago? This story, in a way, made me remember the simplicity and the air of mystery that film produced. (Don't make fun of me, yes it was a low budget flick... but its still one of my favorites!)

This is a novel you should add to your list!


20/52 Books (Currently 11 behind... Oops!)
5951 Pages Read.