7aki Fadi

From the book cover:

In their youths, Floerntino Ariza and Fermina Daza fall passionately in love. when Fermina eventually chooses to marry a wealthy, well born doctor, Florentino is devastated, but he is a romantic. As he rises in his business career he whiles away the years in 622 affairs – yet he reserves his heart for Fermina. Her husband dies at last , and Florentino purposefully attends the funereal. Fifty one years, nine months, and four days after he first declared his love for Fermina, he will do so again

Here is what the book clubbers think:

Asoom:  I’m not sure how I feel about Fermina’s marriage to Dr. Urbino-like whether it was the right decision or if it was a major mistake, so I was interested in what you guys thought.

Hamza: OK since me and 7aki are on page 163, then we are at the point when Fermina has just returned home from her honeymoon.

so to follow up on asoom’s point, I was a bit disappointed that so far the book didn’t discuss the wedding in detail. Considering how the book narrates it, I was expecting at least 10 to 20 pages of Fermina’s thoughts as she goes to the altar and what was on her mind. Instead, I got a 5 page description of how she and her husband were sexually arousing each other. I am not saying it is not necessary but I expected the novel to focus more on the love relationship rather than the “making love” one.

For me, it is too early to judge whether the marriage is right or wrong because as they said, they were “building their love”. I think all of us can relate to it since this is the practice adopted in our cultures.

Personally, I felt sorry for Florentino Ariza for the sacrifices he made and to be denied based on his social status.

7aki Fadi: To answer Asoom, the author at least until page 190 did not elaborate on the soundness of her decision which makes me think it’s irrelevant. It was like she took the decision  and just moved on and got married and had a child. it seems that all what matters here is what Florentino Ariza was feeling and that was greatly described.

I am not sure if her relationship with Florentino Ariza was right to begin with, it seemed more of an infatuation on his and her parts. She was too young and he is a hopeless romantic.

I was shocked when she saw him after 2 years of being away and she just was hit by the realization that what she was doing was wrong and how she felt so sorry for him. You really can’t help but feel sorry for him.

Hamza, I think the author did not elaborate on her feelings when she was getting married because florentino’s feelings and thoughts are the important ones since he is the one who is going to wait for 51 years to get her again.

As for the 5 page foreplay scene I thought was important to see how she was afraid and how she managed to be the one in control of her self at least in that aspect since all her life she was controlled by the nuns and her dad and Florentino Ariza and finally her husband, this is the only place were she got to be in complete control .

What are your thoughts about that?

Filed under: Book, Book Review, Book Club, Books | 37 Comments »