El Naranjo

Through the figure of the orange tree, emblematic symbol of the mestizaje, Fuentes creates a world of short stories that describe the miseries of the Spanish conquest of America, the horrors of the European wars and the exoticisms of the contemporary world. Its characters risk their lives, suffer injustices and live a life of unfulfilled ambitions- a Portuguese sailor throws a bottle to the sea, a Spanish soldier who lives amongst Indians acts as Cortes' interpreter, Cortes' son is implicated in a conspiracy against the king, a Hollywood actor visits an Acapulco brothel.