NovelReviewer.com

By Gabriel Garcia Marquez

-pgs: 291

I picked up this book because I was familiar with Marquez’s work 100 Years of Solitude. I thought that this would be a similar type of a story. I was astonished when I discovered that this in fact was non-fiction account of a string of kidnappings that occurred in the 90’s in Columbia at the hands of Pablo Escobar. I do not normally read non-fiction (not because it isn’t great but because of personal preference). However, I felt Marquez did a great job of relaying the facts using eyewitness testimony, direct quotes, and letters into a story that was not overly congested with too much information. Instead, he wrote it like a story and made the pages turn themselves as you waited for the forecasted outcome of the victim’s ordeal. I was surprised at the ease I was able to read this story and comprehend what was occurring without any background information. It was also an interesting read because it exposes you to a different culture and government. An interesting true story that is easy to read and actually very enjoyable.