The Dead Command From the Spanish Los Muertos Mandan

"The Dead Command" by Vicente Blasco Ibáñez is a story set in the early 20th century about Jaime Febrer, the last member of a once-great noble family now struggling with poverty and the burden of their past. The book explores ideas like family history, social status distinctions, and what people expect from each other. Jaime lives in his family's old, run-down palace in Majorca, feeling lonely and sad about his family's lost wealth. After losing money gambling one night, he decides to go to the lovely village of Valldemosa to make a big decision: he plans to marry a woman looked down upon by society, a "Chueta." His talk with his loyal servant, Antonia, shows not just his poor situation but also the social problems between old noble families and rising social classes. As Jaime gets ready for this trip, the beginning clearly shows his family's impressive past and their tough present, setting the stage for battles to come.