Every obituary dedicated to him mentions that Garcia Marquez is a universal writer. I have no idea what this is supposed to mean when said about a writer who made his career out of exoticizing Colombia and selling the “oh, Lordy, these Colombians surely are freaky and weird” idea to the world.
Garcia Marquez is read around the world precisely because nobody can identify with his characters. He is a great master of the fantasy genre, maybe the best the world has ever known. Unless we count the need to escape to an imaginary world populated not with people but with leprechauns as universal, I have no idea how his work can fit that description.
Clarissa's Blog 
God rest his soul…
I am ashamed to say that I consider ‘One Hundred Days of Solitude’ manifestation of absolutely no talent. It’s really my fault, and I would be happy to enjoy the book millions of people love. Maybe I would like it if it were criticized by all? No, I am afraid that even this would not help me like that talentless novel. And I am really sorry for that.
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I suspect that many more people have claimed to love that book than have actually read it. I bought the Spanish version a couple of decades ago and it still sits unread on the shelf, the few other things I’ve read by him, while okay (sort of) don’t really make me want to plunge in….
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‘One Hundred Days of Solitude’ is not that great, in my opinion. The Autumn of the Patriarch is a lot closer to having somewhat “universal” value (inasmuch as anything can, of course.)
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I’m afraid that “universal” has come to mean simply “famous around the world.” That’s how the word has been used in Spanish for quite some time.
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