The Time of the Doves (La plaça del Diamant)

I heard Elena Poniatowska recommend this book in a lecture. She described it is a "brilliant book about the Spanish civil war that never mentions the Spanish civil war."

Why it is not called Placa del Diamant in the English translation, I don't know. But the Time of the Doves is a beautifully written tale of hope in a hopeless time; of survival and the power of love (pardon the cliche). It is simplistic because it can be while still communicating these themes effectively, through the mind of the heroine, Natalia.I first read this book and Rodoreda's other full-length novel, Camellia Street (now out of print in English), when I visited Barcelona three years ago, to give me a sense of place. Now that I live only four blocks from Placa del Diamant, I have re-read them both with the same pleasure. The statute there of Natalia fleeing the doves and the hold of her husband, serves to bring me back to this rich story.I challenge a history book to provide a reader with a stronger sense of what Spain was actually like during the civil war and the desperation of the Catalan people.

This book is well worth reading. The portrait of Catalunians at the time of the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)is excellent. The ramifications of war on non-participants is examined, particularly on women and children. Although originally written in Catalan, it is studied in Spanish as an exemplary example of Spanish Literature of the 20th Century. Just so you know, it has also been made into a movie with English subtitles, although as usual it is much better to read the novel. Natalia becomes "Colometa" (pigeon/dove)and reverts to Natalia. She finds herself in a controlling relationship...will she find her wings? Pay attention to the imagery of the doves and the diamonds and the constant tracing of images.

The imagery in this book astounded me: it was fresh and new, very different from anything else I have found in books. My love of Willa Cather eventually led me to this book of Rodoreda's. Like Cather, Rodoreda's language is simple and wonderfully written, her characters are unique and the plot is so subtle.I enjoyed how the passage of time is explored in the main character's life; from early womanhood through the ordeal of marriage and family to a quiet ecstasy of full maturity. While place plays a very important part in this novel, the setting transcends Barcelona. I sensed the history surronding the characters in the novel yet realized that this story could be set anywhere. I recommend this book for Cather-lovers and those who enjoy a book of the passage of time.

This book is a true masterpiece--an epic covering 30 some years in 200 pages. This means that not one word is wasted. The description is beautifully precise, allowing the reader to picture clearly every street, every room, every face, every piece of furniture or clothing; yet it never gets in the way of the action. Set in Barcelona from the late 1920s through revolution and the Spanish Civil War, followed by the Second World War, the style reminds me of Susan Fromberg Schaeffer's Anya. The author never intrudes on the story; everything is seen through the eyes of Natalia, the main character, looking both inward and outward. The title is that of the American translator; the original was La Placa del Diamant, the name of the open square where Natalia meets Quimet, her husband. The current title is much more appropriate. Natalia and Quimet spend much of the book raising and breeding doves; the irony enters in if one thinks of the dove as a symbol of peace. The doves bring just the opposite to the family, and throughout the book there is no peace, neither in Spain nor for Natalia--but I won't give anything away. If you like this book, Rodoreda's other two works in translation, Camellia Street and My Christina, are also well worth reading.