On Wednesday, January 11th, the IWAM Book club met at Zooky Café to discuss The Time in Between, written by Maria Duenas.
Overall, this book had smooth writing and a compelling plot in the last part.
The protagonist is more a victim of herself and acts according to the choices others make for her life. Others take advantage of her potential due to her physical presence and great adaptability to people and situations.
She is a tenacious hard-worker who is faithful to her commitments and respectful of the people around her. She’s able to see the best parts of people she understands and trusts.
However, she did not make herself likeable in my eyes. On the contrary, I found her often unnerving, acting out with superficial and even very stupid behaviour, in my opinion. She wasn’t a woman to be seen either as a heroine or as an example for anything – except for her art in sewing.
From reading this book, I learned more about the historical and political scope of the civil war in Spain, as well as the protectorate in Morocco. The book also showcases political relations and dynamics between warring countries (specifically during World War II).
Would I recommend this book to others?
To those of you who enjoy reading novels with a plot full of interlocking events and actions – yes!