2025 Reading Challenge discussion

This month we will be reading One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez

This is your space to chat about this month's book selection with other readers. There is no set schedule to follow, and no discussion leader is assigned. Everyone should feel free to post comments, share pertinent articles or interviews, ask questions, share likes or dislikes, etc. Most importantly, enjoy reading together!

This book was nominated by Lina for our monthly theme Time.

The brilliant, bestselling, landmark novel that tells the story of the Buendia family, and chronicles the irreconcilable conflict between the desire for solitude and the need for love—in rich, imaginative prose that has come to define an entire genre known as "magical realism."

What prompted you to join this group read?
Have you read this author before? What do you think of their other books?

This is one of those books that seems to be on most "books you should read before you die" lists. I thought a buddy read would be a great incentive for me to read it.

I did read Love in the Time of Cholera. I had some problem following the non-linear storytelling aspect, but I did think it was a fascinating story well told.

I've read multiple of his novels over the years, but not as an adult, and never in English, It'll be interesting to revisit it this one though since it's been +20 years since I've read it last.

It sounds like the title of a meditation book so I wouldn't have picked it up on my own. I've had a hold placed on it on Libby since last week when it looked like it'd win the poll. I hope I like it. Magical Realism sounds like an interesting concept. 🧐

I've been wanting to read this so when it won the poll, I reserved copy from the library. It's on the long side, but looking forward to reading it.

I was quite surprised it won the poll to be honest. I suggested it because when I read it years ago it really affected me and was a book that haunted me for years and years, and was a reason why I fell in love with magical realism. But many of my friends (we had the book in our curriculum in university, so a lot of people read it) didn't like it, and there were quite mixed opinions. So, this will be a re-read for me. And I am quite intrigued to see what the reactions of this group will be. 😊

I also just reserved it in our local library bus, and it says it will be available in a few days, so I guess not that many people read in English here, in this middle-of-nowhere corner of mine.

Also, should it say year "2025 February Group Read" in the topic title?

I read it more than 20 years ago, and I remember loving it, but time has done its job, and I have no clear memory of this book. Time for a re-read.
Also, I'm trying to read more classics this year, so this book selection fits rught in with my goals.

This book has been on my "want to read" list for a long time, and I'm currently doing the TBR Jar challenge. This year, I'm using books I 1) currently own, 2) are on my want to read list, or 3) are free with the audible+ catalog to complete that challenge as well as A-Z women author challenge. So this book checks one more book off my list.

LinaVer wrote: "Also, should it say year "2025 February Group Read" in the topic title?"

Great catch! Yes, it's been changed now. Thankyou 😊

This is a book I believe I've read before years ago and thoroughly enjoyed. I'm wanting to read it again to 1) see if it actually is the same book and 2) if it is, to see if I enjoy it as much as I did last time.

I was excited to see this book win the poll. It is normally not something I would read but I have just this year decided that I am going to work through reading 100+ of the most popular classics and it is on that list! It may take me several years to do it but I am committed to read at the very least one book off the list each quarter.

Carrie wrote: "I was excited to see this book win the poll. It is normally not something I would read but I have just this year decided that I am going to work through reading 100+ of the most popular classics an..."

Hi Carrie! This is such a fun and ambitious project! Can I ask which list you're using?

Carrie wrote: "I was excited to see this book win the poll. It is normally not something I would read but I have just this year decided that I am going to work through reading 100+ of the most popular classics an..."

I'm working on the same task. I'm also having the same issue being most of the books are books that I would not pick on my own, but it seemed like a goal worth trying for. Good luck, and happy reading.

I read this book last year so I won't be rereading for this group read, but am exciting to read everyone's thoughts and join in on the discussion!

My partner really likes this author so I was really interested in checking them out, and this concept of "magic realism" seems like it might be similar to Virginia Woolf's "The Waves" which I loved when I read it a few years ago.

La_mariane wrote: ...Can I ask which list you're using?


Soooo, that question is why it is 100+ instead of just 100. At first I was just looking at this list 100 Must Read Classics on Goodreads but then I realized there are way more than 100 and the top 100 can change as people tag. So then I used:

"100 must-read classics, as chosen by our readers" on the Penguin Books Website. I don't know if that changes or not.

But there were books on my original goodreads list that I wanted to still include that were not on the penguin list so I just kept them on it too as "honorable mentions."

This is what my final list ended up looking like:

Carrie's 100+ Must Read Classics

I am a little sad that my memory is so poor. I know I have read some of these years and years ago but since I cannot remember some of them I decided I have to read again in order for them to count. Because I am a little afraid a couple of them I just intended to read and never really did.

Carrie wrote: "La_mariane wrote: "Carrie wrote: "I was excited to see this book win the poll. It is normally not something I would read but I have just this year decided that I am going to work through reading 10..."

Oooh thanks for posting this Carrie!

Carrie wrote: "I am a little sad that my memory is so poor. I know I have read some of these years and years ago but since I cannot remember some of them I decided I have to read again in order for them to count. Because I am a little afraid a couple of them I just intended to read and never really did."

I have this exact problem, Carrie! There are so many books I've read when I was young and before I deleted my GR account and then reactivated it. When I came back, I was deciding if I should add all of those books as "read". For example, I've read all of Stephen King's works when I was 20+. Can remember the vague idea and that I liked them a lot at the time, but nothing more. Finally, decided to not add anything I read then, and just re-read them slowly, because it felt unfair to myself somehow.

I’m excited to read this book I have not read it before so by the reviews it looks like it’s going to be a treat.