I've finally finished! 
 This was a long read--you definitely have to read each page slowly or else you'll miss out on a lot--but I actually quite liked it. It forced me to slow down (I'm typically a very fast reader) and actually take in what was written on the page. 
 While I don't find the book as romantic as it is fascinating, I have admiration for both Florentino and Fermina. If I had to describe the plot in just one sentence it would be this: the heart wants what it wants. I've read about quite a few real life stories in which two lovers are separated for several decades before reuniting and I think reading through both sides of the story is what made it so fascinating. I will say that I wasn't very fond of the ending--it seemed a bit abrupt--but overall I actually enjoyed this book a lot more than I thought I would.