of the new world awaiting him. The opening of the novel introduces us to João da Silveira as he boards the ship "Almería" in Lisbon, reflecting on his sense of loss and being a "man without a homeland" after the upheaval caused by the Portuguese Republic. Throughout his introspection, he contemplates his past life filled with privileges and the stark contrast of his current reality. As the journey begins, he encounters the grim conditions of third-class passengers, and while his initial thoughts are consumed by the pursuit of beautiful women in South America, he is also forced to confront the hardships of the less fortunate, setting the stage for his emotional and psychological development amidst the voyage’s challenges. (This is an automatically generated summary.)