Wow. I devoured this book. It pretty much hit all the right notes for me: exotic places, a little romance (but not too much), spies, MI6, deception, and fashion. I always seem to resonate with the international bestsellers. The Far Pavillions is a favorite, as is Perfume. Anyway, I recommend this book highly. With two full time jobs, a child, and a novel that I'm revising, the fact that I finished it in three days should sufficiently recommend it.

Every so often I encounter a novel that keeps me mesmerized and enchanted, This novel is a masterpiece in writing, story telling, characterization, plot and setting. Told in first-person narrative, this is also a character- driven book; the reader sees, feels and experiences everything through the protagonist's perspective, and yet there are many mysterious areas unexplored. I applaud Sira's bravery, quiet dignity and immense adaptability. She also exudes an innocence and a lack of selfish motives; she responds to every situation and leaves behind a sense of grave, painstaking accomplishment. Set in Madrid, Morocco and Lisbon, the reader gains a inside experience of the Spanish Civil War and the onset of World War II, but more importantly, the dramatic effects war had upon these countries' inhabitants, and the bravery of those willing to risk all to stave off evil.And intricately woven within the sentences, paragraphs and chapters, there are other tales within tales, and these moments of personal encounters are truly intimate: captivating and transcending.

"Vrijeme izmeu krojenja"; Jedna od knjiga koje se zaista teko isputaju iz ruku...Neka vas ne odbije preko 650str.... Ja se ne sjeam kada sam zadnji put ovako opsenu knjigu proitala u ovako kratkom vremenu.. Pria sama po sebi nije nita novo i, dosad, nevieno - pratimo sudbinu Sire Qiuiroge mlade krojaice iz Madrida... Ali ta je sudbina, ah...toliko zanimljiva da grozniavo okree stranice u iekivanju dogaaja... Iako se radnja dogaa u prvoj polovici 20st. (1. i 2. svj. rat), Sira ga (iako je bitan sudionik) provodi na lokacijama poput, naravno, Madrida, ali onda i egzotinih Maroka i Tetuana, Lisabona i portugalskih ljetovalita ... Ona je kerka, ljubavnica, pa i pijunka.. U knjizi se pojavljuju i stvarne povijesne linosti,a temeljena je na brojnim istraivanjima.. Prvijenac Marie Duenas, prevedena na vie od 20 jezika, dobitnica mnogih knjievnih nagrada.. Od mene velika preporuka, a mogu je itati ljubitelji svih anrova..Kao to Sira kroji svoje modele, tako je autorica skrojila jednu savrenu priu...