 The book is full of picturesque descriptions of Rio de Janeiro's life in the early 19th century, including popular feasts and holidays.The book is considered to be an outstanding work in the Brazilian Literature, because of its almost grotesque humor against some Brazilian institutions, like the Army, the Church and is considered, besides a literary masterpiece, an important source of Brazilian history.The novel is set at around 1808 (since the first line line is something like "It was in the Time of the King") and it tells the colourful story of a problem child (Leonardo), from when his parents first meet, until his childhood, in a hypocritical and corrupt society.