The time between seams - María Dueñas

“El Tiempo entre costuras” is a book written by María Dueñas and published in 2009. This author introduces us to history and makes us participate in each of the events that take place where the domain of love is noticed, and plays an important role in the development of the characters.

In this sense, we are in the presence of a narrative work that proposes a theme of love in the midst of the uncertainty of the War that is coming, and that leads the protagonist to make decisions with her beloved, to have a better life. But she is involved with people who do not act correctly and this determines the development of the actions of all the characters involved.

📖 Characters from "The time between seams"

Within the story we can find fictional and real characters. The main character is Sira Quiroga. We also found Ramiro Arribas, who was madly in love with her. For her part, there is Dolores Quiroga, who is the mother of the protagonist; Ignacio Montes, was Sira's first boyfriend; Marcus Logan, is a journalist; Gonzalo Alvarado is the father of Sira and Candelaria Ballesteros, who owns the pension.

Similarly we find Félix Aranda, a neighbor of Sira; Jamila, who is the Moroccan employee; Doña Manuela Godina, who owns the workshop; Claudio Vázquez commissioner, Manuel Da Silva, is a Portuguese administrator; Beatriz Oliveira, secretary to Manuel Da Silva; Don Anselmo, is a teacher who is in the pension.

📒 Summary and synopsis of the work

The story is about a young dressmaker named Sira Quiroga, who is leaving Madrid, before falling head over heels in love with a man named Ramiro. They flee the city when the Civil War is approaching in 1936. At first, everything seems to be working well, but things that change their lives begin to happen to him.

So these remain in Tangier, which is a worldly, strange and throbbing city where everything impossible can be done. You can also witness abandonment and deception. The protagonist is also full of debts that are not hers, so she seeks to go to Tetouan with her love, fleeing the war that is coming. Because of this, he creates his new identity with the help of friends who do not have a very good reputation, and with his cunning he manages to advance and serve clients from remote origins.

The novel "The time between seams" is made in different places in Morocco, Madrid and Lisbon in the time of the first post-war period. Sira finds herself in the need to constantly lie and obtain favors from very harmful people in order to survive in the city. In this way he manages to live as he wishes, he succeeds through his new identity. So she manages to be the owner of a very high-level sewing workshop. Here the clients are very selective.

 This is how the story goes, where different events of a political and historical nature are present, and the protagonist Sira is involved in these events. Her relationship with key characters in the play such as Juan Luis Beigbeder, Rosalinda Fox and Alan Hillgarth influence her to assume a great responsibility that will determine her destiny.

📚 Analysis of the work

"The time between seams" refers to a famous Spanish novel that reflects love in the midst of a social and political crisis that was beginning to emerge, giving rise to the Civil War. Very significant event for that Nation. The protagonist Sira finds herself in the need to flee Madrid to go to Tetuán with her beloved Ramiro to aspire to a better life. So he founded a very prestigious sewing workshop.

This work became a best-seller not only nationally but internationally. It was translated into more than 25 languages. In addition, a Spanish television adaptation called Antena 3 was made, which premiered in 2013 in the form of a miniseries.

"The time between seams" presents a high-level literary discourse, with truly splendid prose. It reveals an exciting adventure in which the haute couture workshops, the glamor of prestigious hotels, the political machinations and the questionable missions of the secret services that merge with loyalty to those who want to appreciate the overwhelming power of love stand out.

On the other hand, this magnificent work offers us an environment full of entertainment, but also full of uncertainty and unsolved mysteries, where there is a certain tension between the characters and the events that are presented, since it takes place on the eve of an atrocious War. In this way, the author perfectly creates an atmosphere full of concern that fills the reader with questions who seek to decipher the implicit message presented there.

Finally, "The time between seams" is not simply a story of a fleeting love, but it reveals Spanish society in the midst of political and social chaos that is taking place. Therefore, the protagonist seeks to have a better lifestyle and changes her identity. But she begins to meddle with people of bad repute who lead her to do wrong things. However, she manages to set up her workshop and be successful, beyond the social chaos that is developing.

📚 Quotes from the book

At any time and for no apparent reason, everything we think is stable can go wrong, deviate, twist its course and start to change." -The Time between Seams.
"Women distinguish perfectly when a man looks at us with interest and when, however, he does it like someone who sees a piece of furniture."

"He spoke with complicity, with closeness, as if he knew me: as if his soul and mine had been waiting for him since the beginning of time."

 "No matter how hard the times were, the optimism with which he underpinned all the blows and who took refuge to always see the world from the side where the sun shines more clearly never left his side."

“Throughout the years there were many moments in which fate prepared unsuspected bankruptcies, surprises and unforeseen corners that I had to face Matacaballo as they came. I was once prepared for them; many others, no. ”

"Attraction, doubt and anguish first. Abyss and passion afterwards. ”

"There were fewer and fewer whispers, fewer allusions to everything that had hitherto enchanted me."