A masterful adaptation of the eponymous 19th century Portuguese novel evokes the complex narratives of Victor Hugo and Charles Dickens. The story centers on Joao, the bastard child of an ill-fated romance between 2 members of the aristocracy who are forbidden to marry, and his quest to discover the truth of his parentage. An engrossing tale that follows a multitude of characters whose fates conjoin, separate and then rejoin again over 3 decades in Portugal, Spain, France and Italy.