Literary enthusiasts are ecstatic as one of the most lauded novels in recent history has made its much-anticipated leap from page to screen, over fifty years since it first captured readers’ imaginations.
Initially hitting bookshelves back in 1967, the novel quickly cemented itself in literary excellence, picking up numerous prizes and maintaining bestselling status, with translations into 46 languages and over 50 million copies sold globally.
The narrative delves into the extraordinary lives of a family lineage, starting with Jose Arcadio Buendia (played by Marco Gonzalez), the man behind the foundation of the mythical town of Macondo, and tracking his descendant Aureliano (Claudio Catano).
Gabriel Garcia Marquez effortlessly intertwines historical events with elements of magical realism in this seminal work, acclaimed as a Spanish literature masterpiece.
Netflix subscribers can now behold the world of One Hundred Years of Solitude brought vividly to life, available for streaming from today (Wednesday, December 11) at no extra charge, reports the Manchester Evening News.
The adaption’s journey to Netflix was nothing short of monumental, given the book’s presence on various prestigious lists denoting the best novels of the 20th century.
Esteemed blogging site The Greatest Books places it at number four on their compendium of top books post-1900, mirroring Goodreads where it also holds fourth place for the century’s finest reads.
In an incredible show of unanimity, it occupies fourth place once more, this time chosen by readers of The New York Times.
One avid reader took to Reddit earlier this year to hail the tome as “the best book I’ve ever read”.
They remarked on Marquez’s influential novel: “About halfway through Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s (or ‘Gabo’s’) seminal work, I realized that this was my favorite book I’d ever read-a ridiculous notion that I couldn’t believe myself,” and added, “I tried to convince myself that I was deluded, that the excitement I felt about the impact this book was having on my life was premature and unearned.
“But as I turned the penultimate page, that feeling had only grown stronger.”
Despite a mixed reception for its TV adaptation, some reviews have been glowing since its release. The Telegraph hailed it with five stars, praising it as “a spellbinding adaptation of an ‘unfilmable’ novel”.
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SkyFurther acclaim came as they said, “If there’s a parallel, then it’s the feeling you get from watching Alfonso Cuaron’s Roma or Richard Linklater’s Boyhood, works with which this spellbinding adaptation bears comparison.”
They also acknowledged the time investment required, noting, “It does demand a considerable commitment: part one has eight episodes, each clocking in at an hour plus, and part two will deliver another eight. But it’s a commitment well worth making.”
While The Guardian conceded that the adaptation “struggles” with some aspects of the original material, they still endorsed it as “a big, gorgeous adaptation of a big, gorgeous book” and concluded, “There’s enough warped wonder here to make Macondo worth revisiting.”
Devoted followers of the book have cause for celebration as the first season only covers the initial half of Marquez’s novel, with a forthcoming second season set to animate the remaining chapters.
One Hundred Years of Solitude is available to stream on Netflix.