Mercè Rodoreda’s novel, “The Times of the Dove,” was a captivating and page-turning read told through the lens of a resilient and hardworking mother who struggled through the Spanish Civil War. The narrator, Natalia, provided readers with valuable insights into how women lived through the war and the challenges they had to face to provide food and shelter for themselves and their children when the men were off at war. The story begins when her friend Julieta drags her to a dance happening at the Placa del Diamant, where Natalie meets her first husband, Quimet. From early on in the relationship, Quimet raises several red flags that continue through the entire book. For instance, Quimet was a whole hour late to their first date and offered no explanations, he constantly pestered Natalie to break up with Pere, and he had an extremely violent streak. After marriage, he exhibited no compassion nor gratitude for Natalie, who had to find work while raising children and attending chores to provide enough for the family to eat. 

A moment from the novel that stood out to me was when Natalia’s second husband, Antonio, proposed to her and called her by her name, “Natalia”. I don’t think Quimet ever called the protagonist by her first name, he nicknamed her “Colometa” (meaning little dove) or used “Poor Maria.”. For years, Quimet stripped Natalia of her identity to exert control and power over her. So when Antonio used her first name to reference her, it was almost like he told her she could be herself again. Additionally, I think the nickname “Colometa” foreshadowed the stress, chaos, and turmoil Quimet brought into her life.

Another moment that I think stood out to most of the readers was the part where Natalia decided to kill her children and then herself to save them from misery and starvation. I had to re-read that sentence to make sure I got it right. At first, I was shocked, but then I tried to think about the situation from the mother’s perspective and realized that she truly thought that it was the best decision for her children as Quimet had died in war and they were slowly dying from hunger. I cannot fathom the pain and hopelessness Natalia was experiencing during this time. 

Discussion question: 

“My mother had never told me about men. She and my father spent many years quarrelling and many more not even speaking to each other. They’d spend Sunday afternoons sitting in the dining room, not saying a word. When my mother died, the silence got even bigger. And when my father remarried a few years later there was nothing left for me to hold onto. (pg. 28)” 

Did Natalia’s parents’ relationship have any impact on how Natalia chose her husband and marriage? Especially with Quimet, as it seemed like she was brought up in a house of fighting or cold silence. Also, Natalia’s father remarried, which made her feel like she had nothing to hold onto. Did she seek male validation and attention from her romantic relationships instead?