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Sira Quiroga #1
The Time in Between
The Time In Between is a word-of-mouth phenomenon that catapulted María Dueñas, a debut author, to the top of Spain's bestseller lists.
This sweeping novel, which combines the storytelling power of The Shadow of the Wind with the irresistible romance of Casablanca, moves at an unstoppable pace. Suddenly left abandoned and penniless in Morocco by her lover, Sira Quiroga forges a new identity. Against all odds she becomes the most sought-after couture designer for the socialite wives of German Nazi officers. But she is soon embroiled in a dangerous political conspiracy as she passes information to the British Secret Service through a code stitched into the hems of her dresses.
This sweeping novel, which combines the storytelling power of The Shadow of the Wind with the irresistible romance of Casablanca, moves at an unstoppable pace. Suddenly left abandoned and penniless in Morocco by her lover, Sira Quiroga forges a new identity. Against all odds she becomes the most sought-after couture designer for the socialite wives of German Nazi officers. But she is soon embroiled in a dangerous political conspiracy as she passes information to the British Secret Service through a code stitched into the hems of her dresses.
615 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 2009
3,603 people are currently reading
45.9k people want to read
About the author
María Dueñas
20books1,693followersMaría Dueñas Vinuesa was born on 1964 in Puertollano, Spain. She has seven siblings. She is a professor of English Language and Literature at the University of Murcia, and is also an academic author and has worked at different universities in North America. She came into the spotlight in 2009, achieving great success in Spain thanks to her first novel, El tiempo entre costuras, published in English language as The Time in Between and The Seamstress, a historical espionage novel, which sold more than a million copies. It has already been translated into more than 25 different languages.
María Dueñas is marrried with Manuel Ballesteros, also a professor, and they have two children, the family lives in Cartagena.
María Dueñas is marrried with Manuel Ballesteros, also a professor, and they have two children, the family lives in Cartagena.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,964 reviews
September 17, 2011
I am going to be honest. I said I would read this book because I think I need to read more women authors and more foreign writers, just to get out of my comfort zone. But when I finally got the book in my hands and read the synopsis I was scared because it was hitting a lot of things I tend to avoid. What will I have in common with a pre WWII seamstress as she deals with love and intrigue in Southern Europe. A dressmaker for goodness sake! But being the dutiful guy that I am I took it to work with me to read on break, to at least make a start. That was a mistake, a big mistake, because
BLOODY HELL THIS BOOK ROCKED!!
I was distracted at work for the rest of the day and immediately devoured this book as soon as I got home � all 600 pages of it. People like to talk about the skill of the writing as if that is what made a good book, but in reality it is voice (flow) and story and María Dueñas has this in spades. The story is so compelling and slowly grabs you that you do not notice how tightly it has you trapped. Think of flow as notes in a piano recital; bad flow jars you just like an off note. The time in between just flows beautiful y as the pages go by. Very smooth without any off notes at all.
What really came alive for me was the society that the heroine had to operate in, pre WWII Spain (& Morocco). It was dedicated to seeing who was loyal to the cause, forcing people to choose sides in a no win situation. But as in all unrighteous dominion situations it rapidly degenerated to a he said/she said scenario. You begin to lose all trust in those around you, even those that are closest. When you can’t trust anyone you have no family (in any sense of the word), and that is the beginning of death for any society. Our heroine survived because in even the worst of situations she was always able to find someone, one lifeline to normalcy, someone to trust. It was that connection that got her thorough and it is a good lesson for all of us.
Do not hesitate to get this book as soon as it comes out (November 2011 � though currently available for the Kindle). It should appeal to everyone, from millions of Europeans where this book was originally released to mystery loving guys living in Minnesota. This book has it all and is at the top of my recommend to friends list.
Thanks David for your review for Book Him Danno.
BLOODY HELL THIS BOOK ROCKED!!
I was distracted at work for the rest of the day and immediately devoured this book as soon as I got home � all 600 pages of it. People like to talk about the skill of the writing as if that is what made a good book, but in reality it is voice (flow) and story and María Dueñas has this in spades. The story is so compelling and slowly grabs you that you do not notice how tightly it has you trapped. Think of flow as notes in a piano recital; bad flow jars you just like an off note. The time in between just flows beautiful y as the pages go by. Very smooth without any off notes at all.
What really came alive for me was the society that the heroine had to operate in, pre WWII Spain (& Morocco). It was dedicated to seeing who was loyal to the cause, forcing people to choose sides in a no win situation. But as in all unrighteous dominion situations it rapidly degenerated to a he said/she said scenario. You begin to lose all trust in those around you, even those that are closest. When you can’t trust anyone you have no family (in any sense of the word), and that is the beginning of death for any society. Our heroine survived because in even the worst of situations she was always able to find someone, one lifeline to normalcy, someone to trust. It was that connection that got her thorough and it is a good lesson for all of us.
Do not hesitate to get this book as soon as it comes out (November 2011 � though currently available for the Kindle). It should appeal to everyone, from millions of Europeans where this book was originally released to mystery loving guys living in Minnesota. This book has it all and is at the top of my recommend to friends list.
Thanks David for your review for Book Him Danno.
December 24, 2016
Part historical novel, part spy novel, part romance, this book has a good story. A young woman grows up in poverty in Spain just before the Spanish Civil War. She works as an apprentice to her mother in a dress-making shop in Madrid. She sees another world as she goes in servant entrances to mansions making deliveries of dresses. Her awareness of these “two worlds� influences her when she reaches marriage age because she dumps the local guy who loves her and she runs off with a con man who is fleeing the police because of various frauds he’s pulled off.
They flee across the Strait of Gibraltar to Spanish Morocco. After she experiences a brief time of living life with the jet set, he dumps her, stealing what money she had and leaving her stunned, pregnant and responsible for a huge hotel bill. This is when the real story begins. She can’t run home to mother because the police won’t let her leave until she pays off the bill. Anyway, travel between the two countries is essentially cut off because of the War. I’m not really giving away a lot of plot as we know all this very early in the book.
Spanish Morocco is a lot more exotic than it sounds; think: Casablanca, Marrakesh, Tangier, Fez, Rabat. She encounters a jumble of nationalities including various Arabic groups, Spanish, French, British, Jews, Germans, Moroccans, Russians. Some speak Haketia, an ancient but dying language of Sephardic Jews.
Our heroine settles into a boarding house run by a tough, street-smart woman who takes her under her wing and helps her set up her own dress-making shop. At the communal dining table every night the violent political arguments out foreshadow the Spanish Civil War. The Rif War, Spanish and French against Berber hill forces, has just ended, which in a roundabout way led to the Civil War in Spain. (Despite the easy-reading style, this is a serious historical novel with more than 50 scholarly works in the bibliography.) The Germans are cultivating Spain and Portugal as Allies. Although both countries remained neutral in WW II, their dictators, Franco and Salazar, were essentially rooting for Hitler and Mussolini.
Spanish Morocco is loaded with German businessmen and military men. This is when the second phases of her life begins. As a “dress-maker to the stars� she is in a perfect position to overhear gossip about upcoming events, the where and whens and who will be there. She is approached by British intelligence to become a spy and she agrees. Eventually she is sent back to Madrid and to Lisbon to open a shop and to spy. In this world, everyone is suspect. She starts falling in love with an Englishman doing business with the Germans. Is he a British agent? A German agent? A double agent?
A good read all the way through. It kept my interest for all 600+ pages.
They flee across the Strait of Gibraltar to Spanish Morocco. After she experiences a brief time of living life with the jet set, he dumps her, stealing what money she had and leaving her stunned, pregnant and responsible for a huge hotel bill. This is when the real story begins. She can’t run home to mother because the police won’t let her leave until she pays off the bill. Anyway, travel between the two countries is essentially cut off because of the War. I’m not really giving away a lot of plot as we know all this very early in the book.
Spanish Morocco is a lot more exotic than it sounds; think: Casablanca, Marrakesh, Tangier, Fez, Rabat. She encounters a jumble of nationalities including various Arabic groups, Spanish, French, British, Jews, Germans, Moroccans, Russians. Some speak Haketia, an ancient but dying language of Sephardic Jews.
Our heroine settles into a boarding house run by a tough, street-smart woman who takes her under her wing and helps her set up her own dress-making shop. At the communal dining table every night the violent political arguments out foreshadow the Spanish Civil War. The Rif War, Spanish and French against Berber hill forces, has just ended, which in a roundabout way led to the Civil War in Spain. (Despite the easy-reading style, this is a serious historical novel with more than 50 scholarly works in the bibliography.) The Germans are cultivating Spain and Portugal as Allies. Although both countries remained neutral in WW II, their dictators, Franco and Salazar, were essentially rooting for Hitler and Mussolini.
Spanish Morocco is loaded with German businessmen and military men. This is when the second phases of her life begins. As a “dress-maker to the stars� she is in a perfect position to overhear gossip about upcoming events, the where and whens and who will be there. She is approached by British intelligence to become a spy and she agrees. Eventually she is sent back to Madrid and to Lisbon to open a shop and to spy. In this world, everyone is suspect. She starts falling in love with an Englishman doing business with the Germans. Is he a British agent? A German agent? A double agent?
A good read all the way through. It kept my interest for all 600+ pages.
September 16, 2020
Ko voli špansku književnost i odlično napisan roman ovu knjigu nikako ne treba da propusti... Bila je veliki hit u Španiji i svuda u svetu osim u Srbiji... Prevod je dobar, knjiga se guta u dahu... posebna poslastica za sve koji uživaju u debeljuškastim knjigama...
U međuvremenu su Šanci snimili i odličnu seriju po ovoj knjizi... :) Ima je na Netflixu... :)
Dobra vest za sve one koji su hteli da kupe i pročitaju knjigu a ona je odavno rasprodata i nigde se ne može naći ni komad... Ponovo sukupljena prava za Srbiju, kod trećeg (nadam se i poslednjeg) izdavača... Od vas čitalaca zavisi da li će biti kupljena prava za još dve njene knjige koje u Srbiji nisu objavljene a koje su odlične... Knjige će ponovo biti u domaćim knjižarama! :)
U međuvremenu su Šanci snimili i odličnu seriju po ovoj knjizi... :) Ima je na Netflixu... :)
Dobra vest za sve one koji su hteli da kupe i pročitaju knjigu a ona je odavno rasprodata i nigde se ne može naći ni komad... Ponovo sukupljena prava za Srbiju, kod trećeg (nadam se i poslednjeg) izdavača... Od vas čitalaca zavisi da li će biti kupljena prava za još dve njene knjige koje u Srbiji nisu objavljene a koje su odlične... Knjige će ponovo biti u domaćim knjižarama! :)
September 7, 2012
So, I actually got 400 pages into this one before deciding to put it down for good. Why didn't I finish?
The book is 600 pages long, and the action part of the book (spying ) doesn't get started for 350 pages. The first half of the book is all character development and set-up. Unfortunately, 400 pages into the book, I really don't have a good idea who our heroine is. She says she's uneducated, yet is some sort of social chameleon who gets by on faking her way through everything. And you know, that's actually pretty interesting, but we never get to see it play out. It's all telling the reader about it after the fact- many scenes are written as Sira telling us generally what happens as time passes, but we don't actually see the scenes, read the dialogue, or get any action. Lots and lots of general plot summary, not as much plot exposition.
I think that reading about spying using a fancy dressmaking business as a cover makes a great story. However, after 400 pages I don't think I'm actually going to get to read that story, but only a summary of it.
In addition to our heroine being sort of a cipher, I was looking forward to descriptions of Spanish Protectorate Morocco, Madrid, and all sorts of other romantic locations. None of the locations really came alive for me, and the descriptions didn't transport me there. Maybe that's a function of the book being translated from Spanish, but that didn't help my reading experience.
I wanted to read more details about the colors of fabric and fashion in the 30's. It's not usually my kind of thing, but knowing the book was about that subject I was ready for the visuals. Never got those either. I got the feeling that dressmaking was a convenient way for the main character to make a living for plot purposes, but not that the author had researched history of fashion or sewing in detail.
So, lots of possibilities, not a book which delivered on them for me. After 400 pages, I'm ready to read something else.
The book is 600 pages long, and the action part of the book (spying ) doesn't get started for 350 pages. The first half of the book is all character development and set-up. Unfortunately, 400 pages into the book, I really don't have a good idea who our heroine is. She says she's uneducated, yet is some sort of social chameleon who gets by on faking her way through everything. And you know, that's actually pretty interesting, but we never get to see it play out. It's all telling the reader about it after the fact- many scenes are written as Sira telling us generally what happens as time passes, but we don't actually see the scenes, read the dialogue, or get any action. Lots and lots of general plot summary, not as much plot exposition.
I think that reading about spying using a fancy dressmaking business as a cover makes a great story. However, after 400 pages I don't think I'm actually going to get to read that story, but only a summary of it.
In addition to our heroine being sort of a cipher, I was looking forward to descriptions of Spanish Protectorate Morocco, Madrid, and all sorts of other romantic locations. None of the locations really came alive for me, and the descriptions didn't transport me there. Maybe that's a function of the book being translated from Spanish, but that didn't help my reading experience.
I wanted to read more details about the colors of fabric and fashion in the 30's. It's not usually my kind of thing, but knowing the book was about that subject I was ready for the visuals. Never got those either. I got the feeling that dressmaking was a convenient way for the main character to make a living for plot purposes, but not that the author had researched history of fashion or sewing in detail.
So, lots of possibilities, not a book which delivered on them for me. After 400 pages, I'm ready to read something else.
March 29, 2021
Me reafirmo en la idea de que es uno de los personajes femeninos que más me gustan de la literatura y de los que más estima le tengo.
Es un libro que tiene acción, amor, espionaje, drama... es algo maravilloso a pesar de que hay datos históricos, para nada se hace pesada la lectura, es muy amena a partir de la tercera parte no puedes parar de leer hasta terminarlo porque de verdad que engancha muchísimo.
Además la protagonista es una mujer que va creciendo y se va desarrollando como mujer poderosa, es algo maravilloso para mí. Lo mejor del libro es la protagonista y todo lo que debe superar hasta llegar al punto del final en que se convierte en una mujer increíble.
September 15, 2012
Wow. I devoured this book. It pretty much hit all the right notes for me: exotic places, a little romance (but not too much), spies, MI6, deception, and fashion. I always seem to resonate with the international bestsellers. The Far Pavillions is a favorite, as is Perfume. Anyway, I recommend this book highly. With two full time jobs, a child, and a novel that I'm revising, the fact that I finished it in three days should sufficiently recommend it.
October 20, 2011
Being an English Major I am very critical of literature. I will pick a book a part(because I can). I began reading this because it was ent to me to review. I wasn't looking forward to it at all. I was actually dreading it. So I began reading it with a terrible attitude & knew I was going to be critical(probably unjustly) in my review.
I began the book while waiting for a doctor's appointment with a doctor who is routinely at least 1 hour behind schedule. I had to keep rereading the beginning because I was "zoning out" and my attention was straying. But after a bit I began to like the book. I was determined to NOT love it because I was in a terrible mood.
I closed it for my appointment to discover I was missing it. I couldn't wait to get home to read it again!
I read it straight through. It is amazing! So don't judge the book by its synopsis which makes it sound boring. This book is very well written. It takes a truely talented writer to pen a book like this. It flows smoothly like a glass of good wine. And it will intoxicate you whether you want it to or not. You will become drunker with each page.
Sure this is a historical novel---it will educate the reader on the history of the 30's and 40's. But it will draw you in and make you care about the characters and regret when the book ends.
This book is so wonderful I would love to see it made into a nice movie.
SO read, devour each word because it ends too soon and will haunt you for days afterwards wanting more and thinking about the characters as if they are real people.
I began the book while waiting for a doctor's appointment with a doctor who is routinely at least 1 hour behind schedule. I had to keep rereading the beginning because I was "zoning out" and my attention was straying. But after a bit I began to like the book. I was determined to NOT love it because I was in a terrible mood.
I closed it for my appointment to discover I was missing it. I couldn't wait to get home to read it again!
I read it straight through. It is amazing! So don't judge the book by its synopsis which makes it sound boring. This book is very well written. It takes a truely talented writer to pen a book like this. It flows smoothly like a glass of good wine. And it will intoxicate you whether you want it to or not. You will become drunker with each page.
Sure this is a historical novel---it will educate the reader on the history of the 30's and 40's. But it will draw you in and make you care about the characters and regret when the book ends.
This book is so wonderful I would love to see it made into a nice movie.
SO read, devour each word because it ends too soon and will haunt you for days afterwards wanting more and thinking about the characters as if they are real people.
February 23, 2025
Why I chose to read this book:
1. thanks to GR friend, CoachJim's intriguing review (/review/show...), I added it to my WTR list; and,
2. February 2025 is my "C and D Authors" Month!
Praises:
1. I really enjoyed this historical fiction story about Sira Quiroga, a young Spanish haute couture dressmaker who becomes a spy for the British in the time between the Spanish Civil War and WWII. Using her knowledge as a seamstress, Sira translates vital information from her unwitting clientele of Nazi officers' wives into coded messages hidden within her patterns and sketches;
2. author gives just enough descriptive detail without being too overwhelming. I could easily envision Sira's fashionable creations as well as the surroundings of late 1930s Spain, Morocco, and Portugal;
3. Dueñas did a fine job developing her characters, from Sira's Moroccan friends Candelaria and Felix, to the real-life personalities of Rosalinda Fox and Col. Juan Beigbeder. She kept me wondering about their own secret lives;
4. even though Chapter 35 focused on how the Spanish Civil War affected WWII, it felt extremely relevant to today's global political stage - terrifying! and,
5. although the book is 615 pages long, Dueñas kept the story fast-paced and tension-filled throughout.
Overall Thoughts:
's writing style is crisp and sharp - a real page-turner! MC Sira is not perfect; she doesn't know everything, and she makes mistakes, but I still rooted for her and wished her success as I eagerly looked forward to see what life threw at her and how she handled it.
1. thanks to GR friend, CoachJim's intriguing review (/review/show...), I added it to my WTR list; and,
2. February 2025 is my "C and D Authors" Month!
Praises:
1. I really enjoyed this historical fiction story about Sira Quiroga, a young Spanish haute couture dressmaker who becomes a spy for the British in the time between the Spanish Civil War and WWII. Using her knowledge as a seamstress, Sira translates vital information from her unwitting clientele of Nazi officers' wives into coded messages hidden within her patterns and sketches;
2. author gives just enough descriptive detail without being too overwhelming. I could easily envision Sira's fashionable creations as well as the surroundings of late 1930s Spain, Morocco, and Portugal;
3. Dueñas did a fine job developing her characters, from Sira's Moroccan friends Candelaria and Felix, to the real-life personalities of Rosalinda Fox and Col. Juan Beigbeder. She kept me wondering about their own secret lives;
4. even though Chapter 35 focused on how the Spanish Civil War affected WWII, it felt extremely relevant to today's global political stage - terrifying! and,
5. although the book is 615 pages long, Dueñas kept the story fast-paced and tension-filled throughout.
Overall Thoughts:
's writing style is crisp and sharp - a real page-turner! MC Sira is not perfect; she doesn't know everything, and she makes mistakes, but I still rooted for her and wished her success as I eagerly looked forward to see what life threw at her and how she handled it.
April 24, 2017
Há já algum tempo que um livro não me fazia ficar acordada até tarde para acabar de ler as últimas mais de 100 páginas. Aconteceu ontem (ou deveria dizer hoje, pois já passava da uma da manhã quando terminei), com esta história complexa mas muito bem urdida, que mistura na perfeição personagens ficcionais com personagens históricas e nos faz viajar pela guerra civil espanhola e pela Primeira Grande Guerra, por Espanha, Marrocos e também, um bocadinho, por Portugal. A escrita, sem ser deslumbrante, é boa, e a história, excelente. Alguns percalços de tradução, felizmente não muitos, irritam aqui e ali (ilusión / ilusão; a expressão "mi reina", que não se usa em português como "minha rainha", entre outras). Mas no todo, foi uma leitura muito compensadora. Na altura dei-lhe 4 estrelas, foram 4,5 arredondadas para baixo, mas agora decidi vir corrigir e arredondar para cima, fui sovina.
Read
August 11, 2024O verão traz-nos a coisas assim: ficção histórica e um bocadinho de romance à mistura para esquecer o calor que leva a picos de tensão. O tempo entre costuras foi o eleito e cumpriu. Não há aqui exigência, não há uma profundidade desmesurada, nem sequer incita a copiar esta ou aquela citação para o futuro vindouro. Lê-se com vontade (e reconheço a Dueñas o talento para a escrita), mas dele não ficará grande coisa quando o outono chegar... Lá para o fim já estava a despachar páginas só para acabar, e quando cheguei ao epílogo antes queria ter parado quando ainda podia. Num livro, pior do que um final em aberto só mesmo vários finais em aberto! Mesmo assim, não tenho grande coisa a apontar. Para melhor ou pior, dado que não é habitualmente o meu tipo de leitura, é uma livro que se despacha bastante bem (sobretudo tendo em consideração o número de páginas deste tijolo trava-portas). Há uma boa dose de estereótipos e a autora recorre a vários fait-divers e situações altamente previsíveis para engrossar o volume, mas, que raio, é verão!
July 9, 2022
4,5*
Que história cativante!
Que história cativante!
August 31, 2010
He leído este libro por recomendación de una amiga y también por la de los miles de lectores mencionados en la solapa, pero yo personalmente no sé si lo recomendaría.
No comprendo por qué este libro no me ha gustado más. Tiene todos los ingredientes de la clase de literatura que más me ha gustado siempre: la época de la guerra civil española y la posguerra, las historias de mujeres, la conexión entre el mundo hispano y el anglosajón... Tal vez me encuentro simplemente en una etapa diferente de mi vida.
Con todo, el libro me ha resultado entretenido: pero tampoco me ha tenido absorta, enganchada hasta averiguar cómo iba a acabar todo. En realidad, iba prediciendo los acontecimientos con facilidad: tanta, que no creo que la autora haya pretendido otra cosa. La intriga con la que acababan algunos capítulos resultaba un tanto anémica: descubrir quién había llegado a un evento social o había entrado en una habitación.
Otro problema para mí han sido los personajes. Sira me resultaba demasiado perfecta: tan guapa, tan buena en su trabajo, tan capaz de mantener una fachada, tan emprendedora (aunque el comisario, o la dueña de la pensión, o su amiga inglesa, fueran quienes le dieran los empujoncitos que hacían avanzar la acción)... Como galán, la novelista no explota demasiado a Marcus: no es que sea misterioso, es que no sabemos nada de él. Aunque dada su profesión, eso es más comprensible.
No sé muy bien por qué en cierto momento de la vida de Sira en Marruecos se nos cuenta que como se aburría empezó a leer novelas de Galdós. Como si a Sira le faltara algo como mujer echada para adelante, la escritora decide darle un airecillo culto.
No sé muy bien qué dice eso de mí últimamente, pero me encontraba al final de la novela deseando que reapareciera Ramiro, o que a la protagonista le pasara algo peligroso.
Por otro lado, la historia me ha llevado a "Winter in Madrid" de C.J. Samson, pero recuerdo haberla disfrutado más que ésta.
Me alegro de que no sea la novela que a mí me hubiese gustado escribir. Tal vez todavía esté a tiempo de escribirla.
No comprendo por qué este libro no me ha gustado más. Tiene todos los ingredientes de la clase de literatura que más me ha gustado siempre: la época de la guerra civil española y la posguerra, las historias de mujeres, la conexión entre el mundo hispano y el anglosajón... Tal vez me encuentro simplemente en una etapa diferente de mi vida.
Con todo, el libro me ha resultado entretenido: pero tampoco me ha tenido absorta, enganchada hasta averiguar cómo iba a acabar todo. En realidad, iba prediciendo los acontecimientos con facilidad: tanta, que no creo que la autora haya pretendido otra cosa. La intriga con la que acababan algunos capítulos resultaba un tanto anémica: descubrir quién había llegado a un evento social o había entrado en una habitación.
Otro problema para mí han sido los personajes. Sira me resultaba demasiado perfecta: tan guapa, tan buena en su trabajo, tan capaz de mantener una fachada, tan emprendedora (aunque el comisario, o la dueña de la pensión, o su amiga inglesa, fueran quienes le dieran los empujoncitos que hacían avanzar la acción)... Como galán, la novelista no explota demasiado a Marcus: no es que sea misterioso, es que no sabemos nada de él. Aunque dada su profesión, eso es más comprensible.
No sé muy bien por qué en cierto momento de la vida de Sira en Marruecos se nos cuenta que como se aburría empezó a leer novelas de Galdós. Como si a Sira le faltara algo como mujer echada para adelante, la escritora decide darle un airecillo culto.
No sé muy bien qué dice eso de mí últimamente, pero me encontraba al final de la novela deseando que reapareciera Ramiro, o que a la protagonista le pasara algo peligroso.
Por otro lado, la historia me ha llevado a "Winter in Madrid" de C.J. Samson, pero recuerdo haberla disfrutado más que ésta.
Me alegro de que no sea la novela que a mí me hubiese gustado escribir. Tal vez todavía esté a tiempo de escribirla.
October 23, 2015
I, in some small degree, ruined this book for myself by reading another book also set in Morocco at the same time. TTIB deserves to be read singularly. It provides for the reader a wonderfully insightful look at Spain and Morocco in the 1930s, setting in place events regarding the involvement of the Germans as they struggled to influence the Spanish government. In the middle of all this is Sira, a talented seamstress who finds herself in the unenviable position of spying for the British government which is also jostling for Spain's favours. 4.5�
December 4, 2014
A Tad Long But Overall A Pleasant Read.
This novel begins in Spain just before World War II. It was a commendable book although a tad long where some chapters could have been condensed to keep the reader from becoming bored. The main character Sira, was a dressmaker for several rich women who were married to high ranking German officials. While Sira created outfits for these women, she would listen to their gossip and soon found herself taking a much different direction in life than she could ever have imagined. In general it is a pleasant read overall.
This novel begins in Spain just before World War II. It was a commendable book although a tad long where some chapters could have been condensed to keep the reader from becoming bored. The main character Sira, was a dressmaker for several rich women who were married to high ranking German officials. While Sira created outfits for these women, she would listen to their gossip and soon found herself taking a much different direction in life than she could ever have imagined. In general it is a pleasant read overall.
June 13, 2012
As it takes place during the Spanish Civil War (albeit seen from the distance of North Africa)and World War II, I was very interested in the setting of the book, as I don't know much about what was going on in Spain during this period. The premise is very promising: a young, poor Spanish seamstress is ruined by love and has to create herself anew as a seamstress to the high society of Tunisia. I was interested during the first two parts of the book, especially as world events start to creep into her world. However, I just couldn't continue reading in Part III. (Spoiler Alert) The heroine becomes a British spy and I presume the rest of the book follows her adventures as an agent. But there was no real reason why she became a spy...she wasn't politically involved, she wasn't looking for financial reward, there was no incentive to save a person or a country she loved. She did it because her best friend, an Englishwoman and a real historical character, wanted her to and her mother, without any real explanation, says she thinks it's a good idea. She had no "skin in the game" so to speak, no passion, no real emotional involvement in the cause, so I ceased to care.
February 23, 2025
Fun, exciting and exotic! I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but that is part of the reason I chose this book, the beautifully evocative cover. The book takes place in Madrid, Morocco and Portugal during the Spanish Civil War and World War II. Part romance, part spy novel, part historical fiction (including some characters based on historical figures), this book was a page turner. I loved all the locales, but especially the parts set in Morocco. There is a wonderful Spanish period drama, same name, based on the book. It is seventeen episodes and was shown on my local PBS stations on streaming, subtitled.
September 20, 2018
4,5*. Para ser perfeito não poderia ter perdido o ritmo lá para o meio...
Tirando isso, mas que livro!!!
Ah! E embora eu seja contra dividir os livros sem necessidade, aqui acho que a divisão tinha sido benéfica...
Ainda agora acabei de o ler e não sei quando deixarei de me sentir orgulhosa de uma ou outra atitude da nossa Sira!
Tirando isso, mas que livro!!!
Ah! E embora eu seja contra dividir os livros sem necessidade, aqui acho que a divisão tinha sido benéfica...
Ainda agora acabei de o ler e não sei quando deixarei de me sentir orgulhosa de uma ou outra atitude da nossa Sira!
April 16, 2014
I love a good historical novel. This one has elements I am familiar with; Germans and Nazis, mixed with elements I knew little about - the Spanish Civil War, the leadership bought by the Nazis and how the Allies dealt with attempts to keep Spain out of WWII.
There are four parts to the book but all are told by Sira's perspective. Sira is a humble seamstress in Madrid, helping in the shop where her mother works. She learns skills, is promoted, meets a nice boy, gets engaged then runs off with another man who is not a good man and leaves her to fend for herself. This part is setting the stage for what Sira does next and explains her reasons for not seeking romantic involvement, and explains how she winds up in Morocco.
Meanwhile, back in Spain, a horrendous war is raging between two factions. One political party has the money and support of the Nazi party, which I was unaware. When the war ends and the dust settles, the citizens of Spain are war weary, hungry, and desperate. The political history of this part of Spain was new information to me. I had a difficult time keeping all the characters and their affiliations straight but this is key to Sira's endeavors.
The author uses actual people who were instrumental to the rebuilding of Spain after this war and the beginning of WWII. Sira opens a dress shop and becomes good friends with Mrs. Rosalinda Fox, the mistress of a high ranking political figure in Spain. She rubs shoulders with Franco and his brother-in-law, overhears conversations not meant for her ears and eventually this comes in handy.
It is an interesting book because it is so well researched and includes information on the role of Spain and the political pulse at the time of Hitler's rise. It is also quite human in that Sira comes alive within the pages of the story and her struggles with her own identity are realistic. The characters from both Morocco and Madrid are well developed and entertaining (Candeleria and Felix).
Good, educational, and solid writing.
There are four parts to the book but all are told by Sira's perspective. Sira is a humble seamstress in Madrid, helping in the shop where her mother works. She learns skills, is promoted, meets a nice boy, gets engaged then runs off with another man who is not a good man and leaves her to fend for herself. This part is setting the stage for what Sira does next and explains her reasons for not seeking romantic involvement, and explains how she winds up in Morocco.
Meanwhile, back in Spain, a horrendous war is raging between two factions. One political party has the money and support of the Nazi party, which I was unaware. When the war ends and the dust settles, the citizens of Spain are war weary, hungry, and desperate. The political history of this part of Spain was new information to me. I had a difficult time keeping all the characters and their affiliations straight but this is key to Sira's endeavors.
The author uses actual people who were instrumental to the rebuilding of Spain after this war and the beginning of WWII. Sira opens a dress shop and becomes good friends with Mrs. Rosalinda Fox, the mistress of a high ranking political figure in Spain. She rubs shoulders with Franco and his brother-in-law, overhears conversations not meant for her ears and eventually this comes in handy.
It is an interesting book because it is so well researched and includes information on the role of Spain and the political pulse at the time of Hitler's rise. It is also quite human in that Sira comes alive within the pages of the story and her struggles with her own identity are realistic. The characters from both Morocco and Madrid are well developed and entertaining (Candeleria and Felix).
Good, educational, and solid writing.
May 6, 2016
I do not really know how to rate this book. I enjoyed reading it most of the time but I was not impressed, as I was expecting. Another moment when I wish I could give half stars.
The blurb advertises the book as a love and spy story set in Spain and Moroccco in the time of the Spanish Civil War and 2nd World War. I don't think the blurb says the whole truth. The spying part starts at page 350/600, after more than half of the story is done.
Also, there is not much Romance in Sira's story. She falls in love in the beginning of the book and she is dumped somewhere in the first 50 pages. She falls in love again but her feelings are barely touched upon, they are not in focus. I do not understand why the Romanian translation is called The seamstress loves. Maybe if you count tailoring as one of her loves...
So, it isn't a love story and it is only half a spy story. What is it then? Historical fiction? Probably. Although I learned interesting facts about the Civil War and the Spanish protectorate of Morocco I cannot say that the history came alive.
Another think that bothered me was that we were told about the main events usually after they happened and that made the book feel static.
All in all, The Time in Between is an entertaining and easy read, carrying not much depth, probably suitable for a vacation on the beach.
The blurb advertises the book as a love and spy story set in Spain and Moroccco in the time of the Spanish Civil War and 2nd World War. I don't think the blurb says the whole truth. The spying part starts at page 350/600, after more than half of the story is done.
Also, there is not much Romance in Sira's story. She falls in love in the beginning of the book and she is dumped somewhere in the first 50 pages. She falls in love again but her feelings are barely touched upon, they are not in focus. I do not understand why the Romanian translation is called The seamstress loves. Maybe if you count tailoring as one of her loves...
So, it isn't a love story and it is only half a spy story. What is it then? Historical fiction? Probably. Although I learned interesting facts about the Civil War and the Spanish protectorate of Morocco I cannot say that the history came alive.
Another think that bothered me was that we were told about the main events usually after they happened and that made the book feel static.
All in all, The Time in Between is an entertaining and easy read, carrying not much depth, probably suitable for a vacation on the beach.
January 17, 2022
En 2015 leí por primera vez esta obra y se convirtió al instante en mi libro favorito de aquel año. Tenía miedo que esta reelectura empañase el gran recuerdo que tenía, pero nada más lejos de la realidad.
María Dueñas recreó un entorno geográfico y social muy poco explotado en la época que fue publicada la obra. Seguir a la modista Sira Quiroga desde Madrid a diversos lugares del Norte de África, cada uno con sus propias características y gentes, conduce al lector de sorpresa en sorpresa. Es atrayente desde el primer al ultimo capitulo, con un hilo narrativo que arrastra al lector, que lo lleva de la mano.
María Dueñas recreó un entorno geográfico y social muy poco explotado en la época que fue publicada la obra. Seguir a la modista Sira Quiroga desde Madrid a diversos lugares del Norte de África, cada uno con sus propias características y gentes, conduce al lector de sorpresa en sorpresa. Es atrayente desde el primer al ultimo capitulo, con un hilo narrativo que arrastra al lector, que lo lleva de la mano.
July 11, 2019
História sempre foi o meu calcanhar de Aquiles na escola. Por um motivo muito simples: datas, coisas para decorar, são o meu pior inimigo. Portanto, História (tirando algumas coisas em particular que me interessavam, como mitologia) nunca foi uma coisa que me agradasse por aí além. Mas de vez em quando surgem livros que, tendo a História como foco principal, me surpreendem imenso, quanto mais não seja por não serem bichos de sete cabeças!
Mas este livro, apesar de ser sobre História, como a Guerra Civil Espanhola e a Segunda Guerra Mundial, foca em algo que não é habitual eu ler (vou considerar aqui que a falha é minha, não por não haver livros sobre isso): alguém que foi apanhado no meio de guerras, mas que que não estando directamente implicado nelas, ou estar na miséria por sua causa, as atravessou.
Agora...não vou dizer grande coisa sobre a história ou como esta me tocou em alguns pontos sensíveis. Vou apenas dizer que acho a evolução da Sira fenomenal, seja pela evolução em si, seja por a achar realista, seja porque muitas vezes o que nos impede de evoluir somos nós mesmos. Geralmente não é contra os outros que temos de lutar para crescermos, é contra nós mesmos. E essa é uma guerra que costuma estar perdida logo à partida para muitos de nós.
Mas este livro, apesar de ser sobre História, como a Guerra Civil Espanhola e a Segunda Guerra Mundial, foca em algo que não é habitual eu ler (vou considerar aqui que a falha é minha, não por não haver livros sobre isso): alguém que foi apanhado no meio de guerras, mas que que não estando directamente implicado nelas, ou estar na miséria por sua causa, as atravessou.
Agora...não vou dizer grande coisa sobre a história ou como esta me tocou em alguns pontos sensíveis. Vou apenas dizer que acho a evolução da Sira fenomenal, seja pela evolução em si, seja por a achar realista, seja porque muitas vezes o que nos impede de evoluir somos nós mesmos. Geralmente não é contra os outros que temos de lutar para crescermos, é contra nós mesmos. E essa é uma guerra que costuma estar perdida logo à partida para muitos de nós.
June 15, 2017
Η Σίρα, ερωτεύεται παράφορα τον Ραμίρο και τον ακολουθεί τυφλά στην Ταγγέρη. Μετά από λίγους μήνες ξεγνοιασιάς, εκείνος την εγκαταλείπει μόνη, κλέβοντας τα κοσμήματα που της άφησε ο πατέρας της. Βρίσκεται μόνη σε μια χώρα που δεν γνωρίζει κανέναν, χρεωμένη μέχρι το λαιμό και με διάφορες κατηγορίες να τη βαραίνουν. Σιγά σιγά καταφέρνει να σταθεί στα πόδια της και να γνωρίσει νέους και ενδιαφέροντες ανθρώπους. Της προτείνουν να επαναπατριστεί, αλλά με άλλη ταυτότητα και να μπει παρασκηνιακά στο παιχνίδι της "συλλογής πληροφοριών".
Τοποθετημένο χρονικά λίγο πρίν και κατά τη διάρκεια το Β΄ΠΠ στην Ισπανία, αναπαριστά πολύ γλαφυρά τα πολιτικά παιχνίδια του Φράνκο και των έμπιστών του. Η πένα της Ντουένιας είναι μαγική και σε παρασύρει με τις περιγραφές της και το στήσιμο των χαρακτήρων της. Παρά των όγκο του, η ανάγνωσή του κυλάει ευχάριστα χωρίς να κουράζει.
Τοποθετημένο χρονικά λίγο πρίν και κατά τη διάρκεια το Β΄ΠΠ στην Ισπανία, αναπαριστά πολύ γλαφυρά τα πολιτικά παιχνίδια του Φράνκο και των έμπιστών του. Η πένα της Ντουένιας είναι μαγική και σε παρασύρει με τις περιγραφές της και το στήσιμο των χαρακτήρων της. Παρά των όγκο του, η ανάγνωσή του κυλάει ευχάριστα χωρίς να κουράζει.
November 8, 2017
Eνδιαφερουσα ιστορία αλλά σε αρκετά σημεία γινόταν πολύ βαρετή και νομίζω οτι γι'αυτό φταίει η αφήγηση σε πρώτο πρόσωπο και η φλυαρία του κειμένου.Η πρωταγωνίστρια κάποιες φορές γίνεται "εκνευριστικά" ικανή ,μεταμορφώνεται απο σχεδόν αμόρφωτο κορίτσι σε σοφιστικέ κυρία πολύ εύκολα κι αυτό λίγο δεν με έπεισε,όπως επίσης δεν με έπεισε και ο τρόπος που της έρχονται όλα βολικά.Ακόμα και ο λόγος που έγινε κατάσκοπος και έβαλε τον εαυτό της σε τέτοιο κίνδυνο μου φάνηκε λίγο ανεπαρκής,δεν με κάλυψε.Συμπαθητικό αλλά λέει πολλά και δείχνει λίγα.
June 2, 2022
Só podia dar 5*
Dizer que gostei deste livro é muito pouco.
Recomendo e volto a recomendar, é uma daquelas leituras que não tem tempos mortos, contêm páginas de romance, romance histórico, acção e muita espionagem. A nível político retrata a guerra civil espanhola e a segunda guerra e, ainda fala da ditadura de Salazar em Portugal. Ensina sem maçar, sem pretensão de ser um compêndio escolar.
Dizer que gostei deste livro é muito pouco.
Recomendo e volto a recomendar, é uma daquelas leituras que não tem tempos mortos, contêm páginas de romance, romance histórico, acção e muita espionagem. A nível político retrata a guerra civil espanhola e a segunda guerra e, ainda fala da ditadura de Salazar em Portugal. Ensina sem maçar, sem pretensão de ser um compêndio escolar.
March 24, 2023
¡La historia de Sira te envolverá de aprendizaje y emoción! Qué maravilla de libro ♥️
Me he quedado asombrado del cómo escribe María Dueñas. La capacidad de exponer toda la documentación histórica ha sido una clase magistral para mi evolución de entender más la vida. Un libro que se debe leer con tiempo y dedicación porque aprendes con cada página y, además, lo envuelve con unas historias espectaculares y épicas. Qué descubrimiento ha sido leer a la autora y qué subida de nivel he obtenido como lector.
Este libro empieza contando cuál es la situación de Sira y cómo le puede cambiar la vida por completo por su decisión y por la situación histórica. Viajarás con Sira a Madrid, Tánger, Tetuán, Lisboa, y en esas ciudades encontrarás un sinfín de personas que harán partícipe a Sira en todo momento. Hay amor, y eso es un hecho, pero es un amor universal donde hay la bondad de las personas y a la vez el descaro y el engaño. Sira se sumergirá en misiones de vida y supervivencia porque cada vez que da un paso se le vienen muros altos por trepar. Lo bueno de este maravilloso libro es que ella no será solo la protagonista de esta historia� Sino todos los que aparecen no restan porque suma y potencia las historias con hechos históricos y con personajes que fueron reales. Lo que más me ha gustado del libro es la facilidad de imaginarte las localizaciones, la ambientación y el vestuario. La moda en este libro es primordial porque Sira maneja muy bien la profesión de costurera y verás como se desenvolvían esas mujeres que ejercían un trabajo con tanto arte. Es leer las descripciones y meterte de lleno.
Cuando se va a acercando el final del libro y echas la mirada atrás� Nunca hubiera imaginado la evolución de Sira porque es impresionante lo valiente y superviviente que es y más siendo mujer en esos tiempos.
Este libro es literatura pura porque aprendes, viajas, te emocionas y te respondes a ti mismx por qué lees.
Muy recomendable.
Me he quedado asombrado del cómo escribe María Dueñas. La capacidad de exponer toda la documentación histórica ha sido una clase magistral para mi evolución de entender más la vida. Un libro que se debe leer con tiempo y dedicación porque aprendes con cada página y, además, lo envuelve con unas historias espectaculares y épicas. Qué descubrimiento ha sido leer a la autora y qué subida de nivel he obtenido como lector.
Este libro empieza contando cuál es la situación de Sira y cómo le puede cambiar la vida por completo por su decisión y por la situación histórica. Viajarás con Sira a Madrid, Tánger, Tetuán, Lisboa, y en esas ciudades encontrarás un sinfín de personas que harán partícipe a Sira en todo momento. Hay amor, y eso es un hecho, pero es un amor universal donde hay la bondad de las personas y a la vez el descaro y el engaño. Sira se sumergirá en misiones de vida y supervivencia porque cada vez que da un paso se le vienen muros altos por trepar. Lo bueno de este maravilloso libro es que ella no será solo la protagonista de esta historia� Sino todos los que aparecen no restan porque suma y potencia las historias con hechos históricos y con personajes que fueron reales. Lo que más me ha gustado del libro es la facilidad de imaginarte las localizaciones, la ambientación y el vestuario. La moda en este libro es primordial porque Sira maneja muy bien la profesión de costurera y verás como se desenvolvían esas mujeres que ejercían un trabajo con tanto arte. Es leer las descripciones y meterte de lleno.
Cuando se va a acercando el final del libro y echas la mirada atrás� Nunca hubiera imaginado la evolución de Sira porque es impresionante lo valiente y superviviente que es y más siendo mujer en esos tiempos.
Este libro es literatura pura porque aprendes, viajas, te emocionas y te respondes a ti mismx por qué lees.
Muy recomendable.
November 29, 2021
Opinião em:
July 23, 2014
I will have a full review on FBC in early November and I will c/p it here so for now several quick points:
- the book is indeed a page turner and you never really know when time passes reading it; I was shocked to see it ending and I could have read another 600 pages easily - the ending is good and satisfying but the book could have gone on for a while more for sure
- a first narration and the voice starts a bit slow - one thing I cannot abide is silly narrators and for the first 70-80 pages Sira makes some really dumb decisions that one can see for a mile that are dumb and in an obvious way - but then it gets its footing about page 80 or so and it never looks back
- the book though is more detached and tension-less than i expected; it has its emotional moments for sure, but fewer than I would have liked
- the outside world is especially colorless - Sira is a very strong character, later there is one more intriguing character though she has only a limited number of pages, while only in the final 100 pages some more secondary characters come to life, but overall the book lacks strong characters beyond Sira.
Overall a page turner but a much lighter novel than i expected based on its blurb and advanced word, so a very good read but not a really memorable blow me away one like say last year's The Invisible Bridge
FBC Rv:
INTRODUCTION: Maria Duenas holds a PhD in English Philology and is currently a professor at the University of Murcia. She has also taught at American universities, is the author of several academic articles, and has participated in various educational, cultural, and editorial projects. After her immensely successful novelistic debut in 2009 in Spain with El Tiempo entre Costuras translated this year as The Time in Between, she is currently working on her second novel.
"Between Youth and Adulthood . . .
At age twelve, Sira Quiroga sweeps the atelier floors where her single mother works as a seamstress. At fourteen, she quietly begins her own apprenticeship. By her early twenties she has learned the ropes of the business and is engaged to a modest government clerk. But everything changes when two charismatic men burst unexpectedly into her neatly mapped-out life: an attractive salesman and the father she never knew"
The Time in Between has been translated by Miguel Saenz.
OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: A huge bestseller in Europe, The Time in Between intrigued me quite a lot when I read its blurb and the praise offered to it in various places. I asked for and was lucky to get an e-arc from the publishers and on opening the novel I was swept by its voice and narrative flow, so despite what turned into a somewhat rough first 50 pages, I kept turning the pages...
"A typewriter shattered my destiny. The culprit was a Hispano-Olivetti, and for weeks, a store window kept it from me. Looking back now, from the vantage point of the years gone by, it’s hard to believe a simple mechanical object could have the power to divert the course of an entire life in just four short days, to pulverize the intricate plans on which it was built. And yet that is how it was, and there was nothing I could have done to stop it."
The Time in Between is a first person narration from Sira Quiroga who is raised by her single seamstress mother in the Madrid of the 20's and 30's. After the opening paragraph above that hooked me on the style, the novel slows down for a while - one thing I cannot abide is silly narrators and for the first 40-50 pages Sira makes some really dumb decisions that one can see for a mile that are dumb in an obvious manner, so while the actions of the heroine are understandable somewhat as due to lack of maturity, etc, they are presented in the novel in quite an annoying fashion. However once we get past the "we've seen it coming, now let's get on with the real story" moment, The Time in Between gets its footing and it never looks back
The Time in Between flows so well that despite its 600+ page length I was shocked to see the novel ending and I could have read another 600 pages easily; actually the ending is good and satisfying to a large extent but the book could have gone on for a while more for sure. Maria Duenas sure knows how to spin a story and I would say that she proved here to be one of those natural born storytellers that the audience can listen to for a long time...
The other main strength of the novel beside the voice and the narrative flow, is the world building; or if you want the recreation of the atmosphere of the Spanish Marocco and later Madrid in the turbulent years from 1936 to the 1940's. Filled with expatriates, intrigue, even decadence but also with poverty and anger, the main cities of Tangier and Tetouan where the action takes place in the first part of the novel come fully to life and we see quite a few facets as Sira's fate twists and turns. This part is exceptional once we pass the first 50 pages.
Later when the action moves back to the Iberian mainland and to a Madrid devastated by the civil war and sullenly hunkering down under the new order, the atmosphere becomes bleaker but the optimistic voice of Sira never falters.
As slight negatives, The Time in Between is more detached and tension-less than I expected; it has its emotional moments for sure, but fewer than I would have liked. While Sira is a very strong character and the novel is her story after all, the secondary characters wax and wane through it with pages where indeed there appear others who are quite impressive, but also pages where only Sira seem real.
Overall The Time in Between (A+, highly recommended as an example of superb storytelling ability) is a page turner but a lighter novel than I expected based on its blurb and advanced word, so an excellent read but not a blow me away one like say last year's The Invisible Bridge.
- the book is indeed a page turner and you never really know when time passes reading it; I was shocked to see it ending and I could have read another 600 pages easily - the ending is good and satisfying but the book could have gone on for a while more for sure
- a first narration and the voice starts a bit slow - one thing I cannot abide is silly narrators and for the first 70-80 pages Sira makes some really dumb decisions that one can see for a mile that are dumb and in an obvious way - but then it gets its footing about page 80 or so and it never looks back
- the book though is more detached and tension-less than i expected; it has its emotional moments for sure, but fewer than I would have liked
- the outside world is especially colorless - Sira is a very strong character, later there is one more intriguing character though she has only a limited number of pages, while only in the final 100 pages some more secondary characters come to life, but overall the book lacks strong characters beyond Sira.
Overall a page turner but a much lighter novel than i expected based on its blurb and advanced word, so a very good read but not a really memorable blow me away one like say last year's The Invisible Bridge
FBC Rv:
INTRODUCTION: Maria Duenas holds a PhD in English Philology and is currently a professor at the University of Murcia. She has also taught at American universities, is the author of several academic articles, and has participated in various educational, cultural, and editorial projects. After her immensely successful novelistic debut in 2009 in Spain with El Tiempo entre Costuras translated this year as The Time in Between, she is currently working on her second novel.
"Between Youth and Adulthood . . .
At age twelve, Sira Quiroga sweeps the atelier floors where her single mother works as a seamstress. At fourteen, she quietly begins her own apprenticeship. By her early twenties she has learned the ropes of the business and is engaged to a modest government clerk. But everything changes when two charismatic men burst unexpectedly into her neatly mapped-out life: an attractive salesman and the father she never knew"
The Time in Between has been translated by Miguel Saenz.
OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: A huge bestseller in Europe, The Time in Between intrigued me quite a lot when I read its blurb and the praise offered to it in various places. I asked for and was lucky to get an e-arc from the publishers and on opening the novel I was swept by its voice and narrative flow, so despite what turned into a somewhat rough first 50 pages, I kept turning the pages...
"A typewriter shattered my destiny. The culprit was a Hispano-Olivetti, and for weeks, a store window kept it from me. Looking back now, from the vantage point of the years gone by, it’s hard to believe a simple mechanical object could have the power to divert the course of an entire life in just four short days, to pulverize the intricate plans on which it was built. And yet that is how it was, and there was nothing I could have done to stop it."
The Time in Between is a first person narration from Sira Quiroga who is raised by her single seamstress mother in the Madrid of the 20's and 30's. After the opening paragraph above that hooked me on the style, the novel slows down for a while - one thing I cannot abide is silly narrators and for the first 40-50 pages Sira makes some really dumb decisions that one can see for a mile that are dumb in an obvious manner, so while the actions of the heroine are understandable somewhat as due to lack of maturity, etc, they are presented in the novel in quite an annoying fashion. However once we get past the "we've seen it coming, now let's get on with the real story" moment, The Time in Between gets its footing and it never looks back
The Time in Between flows so well that despite its 600+ page length I was shocked to see the novel ending and I could have read another 600 pages easily; actually the ending is good and satisfying to a large extent but the book could have gone on for a while more for sure. Maria Duenas sure knows how to spin a story and I would say that she proved here to be one of those natural born storytellers that the audience can listen to for a long time...
The other main strength of the novel beside the voice and the narrative flow, is the world building; or if you want the recreation of the atmosphere of the Spanish Marocco and later Madrid in the turbulent years from 1936 to the 1940's. Filled with expatriates, intrigue, even decadence but also with poverty and anger, the main cities of Tangier and Tetouan where the action takes place in the first part of the novel come fully to life and we see quite a few facets as Sira's fate twists and turns. This part is exceptional once we pass the first 50 pages.
Later when the action moves back to the Iberian mainland and to a Madrid devastated by the civil war and sullenly hunkering down under the new order, the atmosphere becomes bleaker but the optimistic voice of Sira never falters.
As slight negatives, The Time in Between is more detached and tension-less than I expected; it has its emotional moments for sure, but fewer than I would have liked. While Sira is a very strong character and the novel is her story after all, the secondary characters wax and wane through it with pages where indeed there appear others who are quite impressive, but also pages where only Sira seem real.
Overall The Time in Between (A+, highly recommended as an example of superb storytelling ability) is a page turner but a lighter novel than I expected based on its blurb and advanced word, so an excellent read but not a blow me away one like say last year's The Invisible Bridge.
March 26, 2021
Set in Spain, Morocco, and Portugal during the Spanish Civil War and World War II, this book tells the story of Sira, a poor seamstress born in Madrid, who transforms into an acclaimed designer. Sira falls in love and migrates to Morocco during the Spanish Civil War, where she endures many hardships and must remake her life. She is swept up in the turbulent events of the era, including politics and espionage.
This is the type of historical fiction I enjoy. The author sets the story around fictional characters and supplements the narrative with real people. It feels authentic to the time period. The story includes romantic relationships, but it is not primarily a romance. Sira must find an inner core of strength to overcome many obstacles, and her character growth is noticeable. The storyline is stitched together in segments that portray the main events in Sira’s life, which seems appropriate in a novel about a seamstress. There is a lot going on in this novel and it offers a pleasing mix of character development and plot. The pace ramps up in the second half when the espionage storyline kicks in.
The story is narrated by Sira, looking back on her life. “And that is my story, or at least that’s how I remember it, perhaps varnished over with the sheen that decades and nostalgia give to things. What happened in Spain after the European war, as well as the traces of many people who have passed through this account—Beigbeder, Rosalinda Fox, Serrano Suñer, and others—can be found in history books and archives, and in the memories of older generations. Their comings and goings, their glories and miseries were objective facts that in their day filled newspapers and fed the salons and the clusters of people gossiping on street corners.�
I particularly enjoyed the depiction of life in Tétouan , Morocco. The author does a great job of establishing an ambiance of color and activity. The writing style is detailed, perhaps occasionally too detailed, but overall, it is an entertaining piece of historical fiction.
This is the type of historical fiction I enjoy. The author sets the story around fictional characters and supplements the narrative with real people. It feels authentic to the time period. The story includes romantic relationships, but it is not primarily a romance. Sira must find an inner core of strength to overcome many obstacles, and her character growth is noticeable. The storyline is stitched together in segments that portray the main events in Sira’s life, which seems appropriate in a novel about a seamstress. There is a lot going on in this novel and it offers a pleasing mix of character development and plot. The pace ramps up in the second half when the espionage storyline kicks in.
The story is narrated by Sira, looking back on her life. “And that is my story, or at least that’s how I remember it, perhaps varnished over with the sheen that decades and nostalgia give to things. What happened in Spain after the European war, as well as the traces of many people who have passed through this account—Beigbeder, Rosalinda Fox, Serrano Suñer, and others—can be found in history books and archives, and in the memories of older generations. Their comings and goings, their glories and miseries were objective facts that in their day filled newspapers and fed the salons and the clusters of people gossiping on street corners.�
I particularly enjoyed the depiction of life in Tétouan , Morocco. The author does a great job of establishing an ambiance of color and activity. The writing style is detailed, perhaps occasionally too detailed, but overall, it is an entertaining piece of historical fiction.
January 23, 2013
Read by Zilah Mendoza
Length 21.8 hrs
� UNABRIDGED
This is the story of a young seamstress and her mother during the Spanish Civil War. After being engaged with a government clerk, Sira falls in love with a salesman and decides to fly with him to Morocco.
In the meantime, she met the father she never knew.
By returning to Spain, she then becomes an undercover agent for the Allies during World War II.
This is a story with a first-person narrator which makes the narrative quite long and too boring in my opinion. Besides, the heroine is very inconstant emotionally which makes the narrative goes up and down.
In summary. I have already read better books about the Spanish Civil War. Unfortunately this book doesn't bring any interesting issue about this theme.
Length 21.8 hrs
� UNABRIDGED
This is the story of a young seamstress and her mother during the Spanish Civil War. After being engaged with a government clerk, Sira falls in love with a salesman and decides to fly with him to Morocco.
In the meantime, she met the father she never knew.
By returning to Spain, she then becomes an undercover agent for the Allies during World War II.
This is a story with a first-person narrator which makes the narrative quite long and too boring in my opinion. Besides, the heroine is very inconstant emotionally which makes the narrative goes up and down.
In summary. I have already read better books about the Spanish Civil War. Unfortunately this book doesn't bring any interesting issue about this theme.
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