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Jeannine asked this question about One Hundred Years of Solitude:
Why do struggle to finish this novel? This is the third time I have stalled out more than half way through. I just can't seem to care about this family...tell me: should I tough it out?
Andras Cser Don't struggle. Drop it if you don't like it and read something else.

I personally want to read it.

A few things that keep me going (I am still reading …mǰDon't struggle. Drop it if you don't like it and read something else.

I personally want to read it.

A few things that keep me going (I am still reading it):
* not expecting a plot, this book is about characters, culture and history imho. Don't try to write down what's happened so far. Characters leave and come back, don't worry about that either. I found that the more I wanted to understand the plot, the more confused I got, so I gave up on the plot.
* not getting hung up on the repeated character names. I am sure this is deliberate on Gabo's part. Repetition serves a purpose: it's really all the same people with minimal variations through generations, being *almost* the same (it's interesting to see minor differences which the author points out), making the same mistakes, etc.
* getting and referencing to a family tree all the time (I liked this one the most
* taking some notes on the characters (at least the ones that are in the family tree) as you read so that you can remember who did what
* trying to tie characters and their actions, relationships, etc. to the themes of the novel (if you can't figure out those themes, just read them on Sparknotes, etc.)
* enjoying the language and magical realism complete with colors, smells, etc.

* reading only 20-25 pages every day of the novel, so that you don't get saturated
* looking at pictures and videos of Aracataca, Colombia online (Macondo is based on Aracataca, Marquez' birthplace)(less)
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One Hundred Years of Solitude
by Gabriel García Márquez
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