Irish American Nelson O’Brien fell passionately in love with the poetess Mariela Montez while photographing the ravages of battle during the Spanish-American War. After marrying, they moved to the United States to start a new life. Together, they had a remarkable 15 children: 14 daughters and 1 lone son. Here, the lives, loves, and tragedies of this sprawling Irish Cuban family unfold. Over the course of a century, each member moves in and out of each other’s lives, while Margarita—the Montez O’Brien’s eldest daughter—ruminates on the nature of femininity, sex, love, and earthly happiness. And as Margarita learns and grows in an overwhelmingly female environment, she can’t help but contrast her experiences with those of Emilio, her intensely masculine brother, whose B-movie career in the 1950s has left him adrift and frustrated, with little hope of success.