This novel is set in a military academy in Lima, where adolescent boys from different backgrounds are shaped by a harsh code of loyalty, bullying and obedience. Nicknames, secret groups and dares rule the dormitories, and the school's official ideals of honour sit uneasily beside what the cadets actually do.
When an incident disturbs the academy, the authorities try to hide the truth, and several students and officers must decide where their loyalties lie. The book moves between characters and time periods. It was Vargas Llosa's first novel and brought him international attention for its sharp view of Peruvian society.
Quotes
It is easy to know what you want to say, but not to say it.
Lima frightened him, it was too big, you could lose yourself in it and never find your way home; the people on the street were total strangers.
He is always furious, on account of what he finds out or what he doesn't find out.
Every thing is done halfway in Peru, and that is why everything goes wrong.