Magical Realism...

I think that Garcia portrays magical realism through the idea of love. The entire book, well at least what I have read so far, is based on the relationships of Fermina and Dr. Urbino and Fermina and Florentino. Florentino for some reason has a great love for Fermina even after she tells him their love was just an illusion, even after he finds that she married another man. Even on the day of Fermina's husband's funeral Florentino returns to her and professes his love, a love that never died over the years. During their youth he serenaded her with his violin and pursued her through all the obstacles set in front of him, her father being the main obstacle. Dr. Urbino shows as much attention to her as Florentino yet wins her because of his status. He goes to great lengths to win her and even gets the school she was expelled from to reaccept her. The romantic gestures we see in this book seem almost unreal, like things that just don't happen anymore.
Love In the Time Of Cholera seems different than Science Fiction books in that the things we read about in this book, like the romance, the sickness, the wars, all of that seems possible. It all has happened. Yet the things I've read in the science fiction books all seem unrealistic, like they could never happen. Also, this book, even though not a very happy story, never made me feel depressed or sad. The things that these authors imagine could be possible are frightening and make the future scary.