Until August

An enchanting novella from García Márquez, published posthumously by his children. Until August has added poignancy since it was penned when García Márquez knew he had dementia (and his wish was for it not to be published). I am glad it was, for while this novella is clearly not in the same league as One Hundred Years of Solitude, it is still a delightful read focusing on universal themes. Even in a work this short (circa 100 pages), García Márquez remains a genius when it comes to evoking atmosphere, giving the sense of a place proper feel. For the heroine, travel is to escape, a chance for her to be a different person. In this context, Until August addresses love, loss and regret. It ponders too (as did perhaps the author, subconsciously) what might have been had things turned out differently.

By Gabriel García Márquez