The plot takes course over a long period of time, a generation it seems like. Clara is clairvoyant and very spiritual and intuitive while her husband is ambitious and pretty much evil. Esteban rapes girls and obsesses over his wife, Clara. They have three children, Jaime, a scholar, Nicolas, an adventurer, and Blanca, a girl in love with a man she is forbidden to see. There are passionate relationships and themes of forbidden love and pride. It seems like a lot of the story also focuses on the difference between men and women and the rich and the poor. Esteban prohibits Blanca from seeing a boy from the Tres Marias. His name was Pedro Tercero.
At times the story was a bit disturbing. I found it a little graphic when the setting was at whorehouses or scenes of rape.
Overall, thanks to my English teacher for assigning this book to read. Had it not been for her, I would have probably never been exposed to such a wonderful piece of modern literature.