Student Blogs

One thing that is apparently clear throughout “The Time of the Doves,” is the theme of loss in Natàlia’s life. Her story is a representation of grief, resilience, and the will to persevere. Moreover, Natàtalia navigates loss in the context of the Spanish Civil War adding another layer of complexity to her story. Something that […] read full post >>

         Rodoreda’s “Time of The Doves” is a story of love and loss, and the desperation that ensues when one must carry such a heavy weight for so long. I must say I was shocked when Natalia was about to kill her children and ... read full post >>

         Rodoreda’s “Time of The Doves” is a story of love and loss, and the desperation that ensues when one must carry such a heavy weight for so long. I must say I was shocked when Natalia was about to kill her children and ... read full post >>

This novel is incredibly sad. Between the war that their society is going through, the abusive nature of Quimet, and Natalias’ plans and intentions to kill her children and herself. I’ve been having a hard time figuring out which parts of the novel I want to address, like perhaps the complicated yet intriguing relationship between […] read full post >>

This week's reading was another interesting one. Now that it is halfway through this marathon of reading, I'm finding how I'm able to compare how differently each of the books are written and the effect this has on the reader. Usually, in my spare time... read full post >>

This week's reading was another interesting one. Now that it is halfway through this marathon of reading, I'm finding how I'm able to compare how differently each of the books are written and the effect this has on the reader. Usually, in my spare time... read full post >>

I am still not used to reading. It might be the selection of books in the course, but it’s probably just me. I rarely read books that do not involve supernatural powers or mystery solving. Anyway, I am definitely sensing a pattern here. Why does every book need a problematic figure? To be frank, I […] read full post >>

The Time of Doves by ​​Mercè Rodoreda is set in Barcelona during the time of war. The story covers all aspects of war from deaths to the family of the soldiers left behind. The protagonist of the story Natalia is shown to be a people pleaser who breaks up with her fiance to marry a […] read full post >>

Time of the Doves by Mercè Rodoreda. It seems the further we get into this course, the better the novels get. I genuinely enjoyed the read for this week, so much I couldn’t put it away. Maybe because it was easier to read. Speaking of that, I found the stylistic choices and the ‘stream of […] read full post >>

Hey everyone, whilst reading the novel and even after, it gave me a bitter, heartbroken feeling for Natalia. The novel follows Natalia from her as a working-class girl to her struggles as a wife and mother in a war-torn society. Through Natalia’s eyes, we witness the profound impact of war as she struggles with poverty, […] read full post >>

I have been traveling to Barcelona last year. Despite the awe I was experiencing with the beautiful buildings — more specifically, Guell Park and La Sagrada Familia — I was fascinated with the fact that those small villages that we usually never pay attention to when we travel was surprisingly similar to the small town […] read full post >>

The book follows the life of a working-class woman named Natalia against the backdrop of World War II. Her relationship with her husband is at the center of the book. The novel reflects the traditional gender roles of the time, where women were expected to be caregivers and homemakers. We can find that in this […] read full post >>

Reading “The Time of the Doves” by Marcè Rodoreda made me feel lots of big girl feelings, I was intrigued, disgusted, confused, furious, and most of all just straight up sad. I think this book speaks a lot to generational trauma, especially in women. It reminds me of the type of generational trauma that is […] read full post >>

Damn. This one was a lot to take in. I felt drawn into this book from the very beginning, when Natalia talks so bluntly about her dead mother and how she no longer has someone to guide her life decisions. From the start, it feels like Natalia doesn’t have a real sense of autonomy and […] read full post >>

Wow, reading this was a rollercoaster of emotions.  Maybe because I never imagined myself reading this novel anywhere aside from my house and yet I found myself immersed in the story, while being on vacation in Barcelona…where the story unfolds. It was such a surreal experience to be walking through the same bustling plazas and narrow […] read full post >>