The novel is set in the town of Sampilong which is under the conjugal dictatorship of Donya Leona and Don Severo Grande. They control the wealth and power in the town and use the institutions of politics, Church and law for their own ends. The townsfolk are composed of farmers and people living in depressed areas. Bandong, a teacher, serves as their leader and adviser. He educates the people and tries to bind them together to fight the wealthy and greedy couple. The novel has wonderful set-pieces that vividly show the gap between the rich and the poor— the feast in the house of the rich as opposed to the imprisonment of Andres, the slum-dweller; the wake and the setting up of the cooperative; the wicked ways of the people under the control of the Grande family and the corrupt politicians. The novel ends when the townsfolk discover that the Grande family does not own the land they are claiming as theirs. The townsfolk have awakened from their slumber and decide to change the unjust system. They now have a newfound faith in themselves and their capacity to change their lives and the destiny of their country.

Danton Remoto, an accomplished scholar and writer, holds degrees from the University of Stirling and Rutgers University. He's been a prominent figure in academia, serving as the head of the School of English at the University of Nottingham, Malaysia. As a prolific writer and journalist, he's received numerous awards and currently works as the news editor of The Manila Times. He also hosts the radio show "Pinoy Konek" and continues to produce literary works. Amado V. Hernandez (1903– 1970) was a renowned Filipino nationalist writer whose works ignited resistance against US imperialism and the country's socio-economic inequalities. Born in Tondo, Manila, he began as a journalist and later won literary awards. Hernandez actively engaged in activism, served time in prison, and championed human rights worldwide. His influential writings, including "Mga Ibong Mandaragit" and "Luha ng Buwaya," continue to shape Filipino education and culture.