Cien años – the beginning

My initial reaction towards Cien años de soledad is favourable. I didn’t find it too difficult to get into, and I also found that once I started reading it, I was engaged. However, I do see two areas where confusion is likely to prevail. One is due to the vast number of characters. Because the book spans many generations, I think it is going to be somewhat confusing to keep all the characters straight. Another problematic aspect is the fact that the book is not written chronologically. I didn’t realize this at first, but it wasn’t all that hard to figure it out once I was reading it. I am sure there is a structural or symbolic reason why the book has been written in this way, but I do not think that I know what that is so early on.

I feel as though it is somewhat hard to comment after having read so little of the book, in comparison to its entirety. I feel as though my current understanding and interpretation of the characters, and the events that have taken place will be different or seem less significant after completing the book. However, perhaps this may not be the case. So far, I have been somewhat impressed at the attitudes and the characteristics of some of the characters that have been effectively portrayed, although I think the characters themselves, especially the children, have the potential to be quite fluid, due to the fact story covers such a large span of time.

I look forward to reading more, and encountering the ways in which my interpretations and understandings of the book, its characters, and events will change.