The reader is introduced to the everyday life of the inhabitants of a small idyllic village- Uranda- at the foot of a mountain, where everybody knows everybody. For these rural folk the village represents everything and they have learned to survive with the little they have. The villager's daily routine is only ever interrupted by the festive rituals and traditions that take place once a year. Taboo topics such as passion and love are subordinate to everyday practical concerns; however they are ever present like a latent fire, only reawakened thanks to the music and dance that come with the festivals. Teresa and Javier, who have known each other since they were young, are drawn to each other due to their circumstances. When Javier is recruited to fight in the civil war, he proposes to Teresa before leaving. Teresa receives letters from the frontline from her shy lover. After a short while, he deserts and runs away to the village, where they meet again in secret. Teresa gets pregnant. What follows is a colourful family saga, that sees the protagonists battling to resolve their personal problems against the background of the country's political evolution. Lucia, the daughter of Teresa, eventually manages to leave the village of her youth. Her generation makes for the city in search of a better future. In time, Lucia's daughter, Evamar will in turn rebel against her parents' pursuit of material wealth. Evamar starts studying, and learns about the struggle and ongoing political resistance against the establishment. These revolutionary ideals seem diametrically opposed to the peace and conservatism of the village where her grandparents still live. The conversations with her grandfather Javier bring about an element of balance in her life.