The time of the doves- something fresh

This novel revolves around a pretty toxic relationship while also addressing human nature (on the extremes), poverty, and emotion. I read this novel as if it were a journal entry, which made it intriguing and slightly less gloomy. The narrative centered around a woman, Natalia, attempting to keep her head above water for herself and her family.

Natalia was formerly engaged to Pere, but her life flipped upside down when she became involved with a man named Quiemet. Quiemet was a somewhat conservative man who felt that women should stick to housework and “like what he likes, no matter what.” This novel is full of metaphors; one of my favorites was Natalia’s portrayal of her breakup with Pere. It was wonderfully yet sadly depicted, a sensation of being stranded and a sense of loss.

What I didn’t understand was Natalia’s fascination with Quiemet, given his violent background and dubious views, which had troubled Natalia on several occasions. He became enraged with Natalia for the least of reasons. Quiemet was the least “dove” character in the novel, since doves signify peace and harmony; ironically, he was the one who got them in the first place. Despite all of this, we can sense how in love Natalia is by the way she illustrates Quiemet.

The book itself had a lot of jumps between sections, which I enjoyed since it kept the pace fast. Reading this book as if it were a diary entry made it feel like an archaeological discovery depicting the plight of women, as well as the patriarchy and poverty that they endured throughout the Spanish War. It seemed more personal than an ordinary book would.

This novel was extremely engaging; while there were no huge events, it appeared that there was a lot going on, even though it was only a domestic narrative. As a nonfiction reader, I’ve found myself appreciating really quiet fiction, which is rare for me (I love it).

My question for this week is: Do you believe Natalia would have been happy if she had stayed with Pere, or was Quiemet a matter of fate?