“The Time of Doves” was such an interesting novel, it seemed a little more fast paced compared to other novels we have read during this course, and I feel like that is mainly due to how extensive the plot really is and how it encompasses so many big important events in 200 and something pages. I think this book stood out to me primarily because of the extensive point of view on Natalia’s life and her personal hardships whilist she was simultaneusly dealing with the hardships of a war and everything that came with that. This also contributed to a feeling of closeness with Natalia, the book felt very personal, like I was let into the most private and delicate aspects of her life.
This book focuses mainly on Natalia’s relationship with Quimet, whom at least to me raised suspicions about the realationship very early on, I thought it all happened a little to fast, she met him and finished her previous relationship, and not so long after they got married and in their wedding night Quimet keeps mentioning that they will make a baby, however other factors may attribute to that. Still, it was generally a very toxic relatiosnship, Quimet was an unreliable and controlling husband, and his actions throughout the book affect Natalia negatively, like when he started raising all the doves which made Natalia feel suffocated to the point of taking action in preventing them to be born, or when she was fired from her job as a maid due to her husbands political statements and actions.
Quimets death is a turning point in the story, sure now she does not need to worry about how his actions will affect her and her children but the war is still ongoing and she has to figure out how to survive, she sells pretty much everything and tries anything she can to get money so she can feed her family. Still, things did not improve and Natalia finds herself in a moral quandry as she contemplates killing her children and herself, this part is so interesting because in that moment Natalia truly feels like it is her only way out and there is absolutely nothing else she can do to stop her children from suffering through these horrible circumstances. This becomes even more interesting and concerning as the memories of her shaking the eggs of the doves to prevent them from hatcging come back and really made me wonder if that meant she truly would go that far as to kill her own children.
Overall I thought this was a really good book that dealed with a lot of complex themes and emotions which I did not expect by just reading the title.
My question to everyone is do you think her contemplating the murder-suicide has more to do with the situation she was in or the morals she possesed?
Ximena, I liked that you mentioned how personal the book felt. The tone and the amount of events that happen also contribute to this personal aspect intimacy portrayed. I think more than unreliable I often feel like Quimet is intentionally erratic and offloading things to her. Theres a powerful moment when Sra. Enriqueta tells Natalia that her husband is gifting away 2 one very 3 doves while she’s working so hard.
Thanks for your comment!
Tesi
Hi Ximena, I definitely agree that this book was very fast passed but filled with details and complexities. You definitely feel a sense of closeness to her and her story in this book!
Hi!
I agree that this book felt so fast paced but I found myself stopping to think about what I just read sooo often. I feel like her murder-suicide speaks more to the situation she was in rather than her morals. I feel like in her head the murder-suicide is more out of love for her children to let them escape this horrible situation (which is super weird to say).
Maya B