Fabiano and Vitoria are fleeing with their two sons and an elderly dog from their home because of the drought that is plaguing the land. They find an abandoned ranch and decide to stay. They are barely hanging on. They find that the ranch isn't abandoned, but has an absentee landowner, who hires Fabiano to take care of the livestock. This is a spare novel without embellishments. I felt as though I were right there with them. Fabiano feels as though he is constantly being cheated and misunderstood, he can never get ahead. A powerful book.