Of Love and Other Demons

Set in 18th-century colonial Colombia, 12-year-old Sierva María is believed to be possessed after being bitten by a rabid dog. She is the daughter of Marquese Ygnacio and a mixed-race woman, Bernarda Cabrera. Neither parent accepts Sierva María, so she grows up in the company of the African slaves owned by the Marquese. Though the local doctor tells the Marquese he expects Sierva María to recover, she is instead sent to the convent for an exorcism, where she meets a priest, Father Cayetano Delaura, who “falls in love” with her.

Themes include religious zealotry, colonialism, and forbidden love. The storyline explores the clash between rationalism and superstition, and the various "demons" that plague both individuals and society. show more Márquez examines how fear, prejudice, and misunderstanding can transform natural phenomena into perceived supernatural threats. It is a critique of institutional power, particularly that of the Catholic Church and colonial rule. Those in positions of authority are concerned primarily with exercising power rather than finding any empathy for the girl.

It is short and beautifully written but contains much sadness. My heart went out to the poor girl who must have been very confused as to why she was being treated in such a manner. The implied pedophilia was disturbing, but Márquez employs it for a purpose. If you have enjoyed other books by Márquez, such as One Hundred Years of Solitude or Love in the Time of Cholera, as I have, you will likely appreciate this one, too. show less

It took me just about a day of "shelter in place" reading to enjoy this short, charming novel. It had been a while since I read any Marquez and was happy to return to his world, if only for the day. The story takes place in coastal city of an unnamed South American country during colonial days. The beautiful, young Sierva Maria, the only daughter of a dissolute nobleman, is bitten by a rabid dog on her 12th birthday. Are the subsequent manifestations of her wild, unruly spirit manifestations of the disease or of demonic possession? Marquez skillfully weaves themes of the passions of love, the ills and absurdities of a repressive culture, especially when it comes to powerless young women, and the inevitable dissolution of a bankrupt show more colonial system ruled from a distance of thousands of miles into 147 pages of floating, lyrical fable. show less

The writing & the story were lush & mesmerizing & tragic. I loved the intermingling of peoples, races, religions, languages, & more. The intersections of faith vs. skepticism. Superstition vs. science (sound familiar?). The rule followers & the rule breakers. The faithful & the unfaithful. The fantastic & the mundane. The allowed & the forbidden. Sanity & madness. Lethargy & action. There is a lot packed into this small novel. Did it go a couple of places I wish it hadn't? Yes. (Pedophilia. Exorcism. Torture.) But, I think those particular facets absolutely nailed the true tragedy of the story, the threat & danger of blind faith in the name of something bigger (be it religion, or love, or rules, or any other driving factor). This is a show more fascinating & well-written book. Recommended.

Editing to add: While it touched on pedophilia, exorcism, & torture, I did not feel like it wallowed or stayed on them long. They were integral to the story, but not hugely detailed. If that makes sense. show less

A beautiful book that fits into its short length perfectly, much like Thornton Wilder's 'The Bridge of San Luis Rey'. I love how Garcia Marquez takes one idea - that it is impossible to escape a verdict, whether right or wrong (in this case of contracting rabies in a time when medical tests were nigh-on impossible, and then, of being suspected of demonic possession in a time where the Catholic church ruled supreme), and then unwrapping the lives of those affected by the verdict. Brilliant stuff.

‘’Ideas do not belong to anyone {...} They fly around up there like the angels.’’

Neither Colombia nor Gabriel García Márquez need any lengthy introduction. One of the most fascinating countries of our planet, beautiful, mystical, haunting. A land of tales, magic and lively people. A writer who is rightfully considered one of the finest in the history of Literature, a magician of words, an artist who elevated the novella genre and became one of the pioneers of Magical Realism. Of Love and Other Demons is my favourite work by Márquez and the one which initiated me into the beauty of his writing and started my fascination with Colombia. This was the moment to revisit it one more time…

A wild dog attacks the people in the market show more of Cartagena. All those who were bitten die of rabies with the exception of Sierva Maria, the daughter of the Marquis, who shows no sign of decline. Soon, strange incidents begin to take place in the city, attributed to the girl. When the plague starts, the Church takes an interest and begins to investigate whether Maria is actually possessed by demons. Cayetano, a gifted young priest, is assigned to her case and he comes to understand that the Devil is actually pretty weak when compared to two great forces: the madness of the human beings and Love. A kind of love that must survive the attack of the demons who are very much alive, walking on this miserable earth…

‘’Furthermore, a pig spoke and a goat gave birth to triplets.’’

Márquez presents a society that is steeped in superstition and sees evil and signs of doom everywhere. The disease of rabies has always been loaded with myths and otherworldly references. As it is transmitted by animal bites, it has been associated with creatures from all fantasy spectrums, from werewolves and vampires to the Devil himself. Furthermore, the psychological implications of the virus and the way in which victims were dying helped in elevating rabies to the sphere of the metaphysical and the unexplainable. Márquez used these myths to perfection in this novella. The atmosphere of magic and exoticism is further emphasized by the setting of the story. The port is ripe with commerce, slavery is still going strong. These factors comprise a multicultural society, an amalgam of ethnicities, languages, religions and common beliefs. Márquez uses the side effects of class discrimination and the variety of tradition to demonstrate the power of convictions on the thoughts and the life of the people. Religion can be seen either as a refuge or as an excuse to exert power on the helpless. A Bishop who would like to show how open-minded he is when he only aims at imposing his beliefs on everyone. An Abbess that cannot see in front of her nose, serving the malicious fundamentalism of the monasteries. And a priest that tries to fight against madness to save a girl who moves between two worlds, a presence full of secrets and contradictions. What is she? What truly happened?

Through sensuality, folklore and raw realism, Márquez creates a colourful tapestry of themes and beliefs, with a vivid cast of characters. Maria and Cayetano are two protagonists that left their mark on Márquez’s work, in a story that is visceral and beautiful, powerful and tragic. A fable, an exotic allegory that shows how human beings can do the worst evil imaginable. Not any demon, not any devil but men. Men that destroy all that is pure and good and strange by condemning it as unnatural and vile…

‘’I have always believed He attributes more importance to love than to faith.’’

My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com show less

I recently read the author’s acclaimed work “Love in the Time of Cholera” and enjoyed it very much. It spurred me to seek out more work by Marquez, hence this and several others that I recently purchased. My second foray into Marquez was “One Hundred Years of Solitude”. I was very disappointed in that novel and concerned that I’d perhaps already seen the best he had to offer. Luckily, I found this novella to be every bit as enjoyable as LitToC.

Marquez’s writing is certainly unique in its earthiness. He deals with such subjects as sex, bodily functions and graphic illness as if they are parts of everyday life … because they are. It is refreshing.

Marquez is also known as one of the leading practitioners of the literary show more device of “magical realism” in which events are introduced into the story which are quite fantastic (for example, a character being swept away into the sky as though taken to heaven, a rain event that lasts over four years followed by an absolute drought of ten years). This was a major device used in One Hundred Years of Solitude and perhaps contributed to my dissatisfaction with that work. In any event, both LitToC and Love and Other Demons use this literary device sparingly if at all.

This relatively short work (readable in one or two sittings) focuses on a young woman born to feckless and irresponsible aristocrats. Neither parent cares for the child and she is raised in the slave quarters. Her unorthodox upbringing gives rise to behavior that lead many to suspect her of possession by demons. A local churchman is tasked with performing an exorcism, but instead falls madly and hopelessly in love with her, a love that is never consummated. For those familiar with Marquez, it should be no surprise that a happy ending is not to be expected.

The author’s writing is indisputably beautiful and at times mesmerizing. Much like LitToC, this is a haunting and compelling story, filled with sadness and regret. I can highly recommend this short work as a precursor to the much longer and complex LitToC. If you enjoy this, you’ll almost certainly enjoy the latter. show less

Cuando el lenguaje se desborda y anega la trama. Cuando el diccionario, ese calificado cementerio por Cortázar, resucita. La transubstanciación: sustantivo y adjetivo transformados por obra y gracia del estilo en carne y sangre verdadera.
La veleidosa irrealidad de los acontecimientos ofrecen una jugosa historia, caprichosa y desconcertante. Cualquier suceso puede ser la savia de una historia si se poseen ojos para verla e imaginación para contarla. Gabo tenía ambas,...y la palabra. Ésta, fuente de lo creado según la literatura rabínica, desdoblada, multiplicada, enriquecida.