A typical Michener roman a clef spanning several hundred years of history of the Caribbean region. Starting with a few chapters of the indigenous history, it evolves to follow the fortunes of families from England, Spain, France and Africa as their experiences as plantation owners, imperial administrators and naval officers, slaves and freemen intertwine over the years to the time of publication of the novel (1980s).

From a historical perspective, it educates on the role of sugar in the colonization of the various islands such as Jamaica and Haiti and how the legacy of colonization affects the culture and economic health of the current nations.

One particularly interesting set of vignettes is devoted to the Caribbean service of the British naval hero Horatio Nelson.