The novel follows the coming-of-age years of Tadeo, a victim of one of his brother’s violence and of his older brother’s painful illness in a stifling household. He meets Vera, a girl his age,and through her and her family, he will learn a different and hopeful view of life.
This novel about growing up and the search of identity was described by the award’s jury as “thrilling” and “daunting”, rich in “luminosity”. They also highlighted the “healing powers” of the countryside’s landscapes and the author’s ability to “build a great story through household conflicts” to establish “a pattern for the deactivation of violence”.