In this novel de Pedrolo tells the story of Alba and Dídac, 14 and 9 years old respectively, who live in a Catalan town called Benaura. They become the only survivors on Earth after extraterrestrials destroy almost all humanity. Before the invasion, Dídac is attacked by some neb from the town because he is black. He falls into the water, and Alba, who sees the scene, jumps in to save him. Being under the water protects them from destruction. During the following four years, they survive in a destroyed world and face many and varied troubles and difficulties that make them mature quickly. They realise the importance of knowledge by keeping and reading books. They run away from the pestilence and take refuge in a farmhouse, where they find dead people and survivors. They walk by the ruins of
Barcelona and the Mediterranean Sea. They learn from everything that happens to them (illnesses, enemy defense) and from the information they collect. The book explores the relationship between the two children and the recreation of a world as a
utopia. The narration is structured in chapters that always start the same way: by mentioning Alba's age and her
virginity. The narrator is
omniscient and uses much description. == Translations ==