More Love and Cholera

A couple of times while reading the book, Love in the Time of Cholera I thought it might descend into narrative reminiscent of The Plague but thus far that hasn't happened. The story remains focused on the love, and less focused on the cholera. However, I can see why the author included Cholera in his title, because of the sickness that accompanies love, the unexplained turns in health, the sudden recoveries and happinesses. It's strange but I can't help but like Florentino Ariza, even though he is ugly and has the demeanor of a whipped dog, and he is incredibly thin, and he's shorter than his German employer Thugut AND he's constipated. A fact I've not forgotten through all his adventures thus far. I can relate to him though, because I've been in situations where my love was not returned, and had no hope of being returned. Even though his case is in the extreme, that thread of connection allows me to go with him into his world of dissappointment and despair.

Equally engaging though are the happy couple. The ups and downs of each make them human, but their good match and good qualities make them beautiful. The author is skilled enough to use words I'll readily absorb and believe.

I don't have the quote from the spat that Fermina and Juvenal went through after 20 years of marriage, but it was amusing and alive with human nature at the time. I might never get around to putting that quote in.