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Chronicle of a Death Foretold  By  cover art

Chronicle of a Death Foretold

By: Gabriel García Márquez
Narrated by: Bernardo de Paula
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Publisher's summary

A man returns to the town where a baffling murder took place 27 years earlier, determined to get to the bottom of the story. Just hours after marrying the beautiful Angela Vicario, everyone agrees, Bayardo San Roman returned his bride in disgrace to her parents. Her distraught family forced her to name her first lover; and her twin brothers announced their intention to murder Santiago Nasar for dishonoring their sister.

Yet if everyone knew the murder was going to happen, why did no one intervene to stop it? The more that is learned, the less is understood, and as the story races to its inexplicable conclusion, an entire society - not just a pair of murderers - is put on trial.

©1981 Gabriel García Márquez and the heirs of Gabriel García Márquez. Translation © 1982 by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. (P)2021 Blackstone Publishing

Editorial Review

Gabriel García Márquez brings us another stunning piece of 20th-century literature in Chronicle of a Death Foretold. This gripping tale of the murder of Santiago Nasar at the hands of the Vicario twins, brothers to Nasar's ex-lover Angela Vicario, is sure to capture your imagination.
Nasar's shocking murder is based on true events from García Márquez's lifetime. The Colombian author turned a tale relayed by his godbrother into the pause-resistant audiobook you can hear today. Though there are some key differences from the actual events that transpired, the reality-rooted story makes the book realistic in a way few other dramas are.
What makes Chronicle of a Death Foretold so unique in a literary context is that it's a detective novel that never investigates the murder. While the murderers were widely known, both before and after the crime, this title turns to a far more interesting question: why did no one stop it? Dive deep into an exploration of human nature—and what it means to know a crime is coming and still stand aside.
The smooth voice of Bernardo de Paula is perfect for capturing the mounting drama of Chronicle of a Death Foretold. No stranger to the works of Gabriel García Márquez, de Paula reads with an inexorable steadiness, reminding you of the inevitability of Santiago Nasar's death. — Audible Latino Editor

What listeners say about Chronicle of a Death Foretold

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

What am I not getting here?

Very straight ahead story of a murder. Not overly graphic, no plot twists or mystery, no real suspense. It reads like a police report. I was excited to pick it up based on the reviews, but honestly there just wasn’t a lot here to enjoy. Still tho, it has great reviews (other than mine), so maybe I’m just missing something?

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

New fan

Loved the pacing of the story and now I found a new author I like very happy

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Magical realism

Marquez at his finest: magical realism that harkens back to 100 Years of Solitude.

Bernardo de Paula's narration is excellent.

A worthwhile read

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

a straightforward tale

The story is fairly simple and as one of the other reviewers said, it flows like a report. Almost like a retelling of a story by a journalist or something of that nature. Great narration, but the story doesn't really stand out in any way.

The most interesting aspect is the narrator within the tale itself and how Marquez chose to write the story from this character's perspective.

If you're a big fan of Marquez, I guess it is worth the listen. If not, I think there are better works of his to check out.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Loved it!!

The narrator really brought the story to life. Excellent book. Love the author. Kudos!

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Good short read

Short read and interesting story, especially if you like murder mysteries. Also, interesting cultural and societal exploration. Not my favorite story overall.

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