Amagicaltaleofloveandrivalrybetweentwobrothers.Miguelisbeautiful.Hisbeautyissorareandmiraculousthatithasmadehimtheobjectofcult-likedevotioninthecity.Santiago,hisolderbrother,watcheswithamixofadmirationanddisquiettheprodigiouseffectthatMiguel’slookshaveonhismotherandfather,onpassersby,theirneighbors,andthedrovesoffemalesuitorsthatfollowhimeverywhere.Heloveshislittlebrotherbutendsuplivinginhisshadow.WithMiguelconstantlyunderthespotlight,Santiagoislefttoinhabitdarker,hiddenplaces,fromwherehewillfinallylearnthatlifeisnoteasyforanyone,evenhisprodigiouslyhandsomebrother.SetinMexico,thisstoryshinesateveryturnwiththemythicallightofmagicalrealism.Theconflictbetweenbrothers,theroleoftheparents,theloves,theviolence,thejourneysarepresentedwithrealismanddeeppsychologicalinsightyetpossessanauraoflegend.Disappointments,flights,regrets,reunions,goodbyes,epiphaniesmakeupthisstory,aswefollowthetwobrothers,theirfamily,thewomentheylove,andthepeoplearoundthem--allforevermarked,eachintheirownway,bytheirextraordinaryencounterwithBeauty.
