This book is about Amboy, a drunkard who had let his family starve to death so that he can fund his vice. It also tells how his two sons completely shun the memory of their father and the shame it brought to them, and became leaders of their small barrio saying "We will never be like our father".
The love story between a nobleman and a beautiful lady whom he meets in church leads both of them to unexpected places, as many people would not put up with their love. This novel is considered to be one of the best Gothic novels ever written, by one of the first (and best) writers of the genre. How does an “indecent” love story become a Gothic tale? What is the outcome of this love story? If you want to know, read this book.