The time in between refers to those years in Spain between the Civil War and World War II. The action takes place in Madrid, Spanish Morocco and Lisbon. The author, Maria Duenas, is a professor at the University of Murcia in Spain, and she put a tremendous amount of research into this novel. Although the main characters are fictitious, Duenas makes many historical characters come to life in a fascinating account during a troubled time in Spain. Much of the book takes place in Morocco and adds to the flavor of intrigue. I kept expecting Humphrey Bogart with a cigarette in the side of his mouth to come around the next corner, or perhaps a Graham Greene character.
The story is told in the first person by a young seamstress named Sira Quiroga. I had to suspend reality to believe that this young naive girl could become the sophisticated spy working for British intelligence that she becomes by the middle of the novel. Once the reader lets this go, the story progresses nicely. It picks up pace and becomes an interesting page turner full of action and suspense. As I got into the meat of the book, I really began to enjoy it. I liked reading about a different part of Morocco than I have been to, and it sent me to the maps and Internet to find out more of the Spanish protectorate and how it fit into the civil war and World War II. By the end of the book, I could hardly put it down.
"The Time in Between" has been translated from the Spanish. It was a best seller in Europe and has enjoyed success in the States as well. This novel won't disappoint; it will introduce you to a noir world of spies and exotic climes. The plot resolves itself nicely, though still leaving an opening for a sequel should the author be so inclined.
No comments:
Post a Comment