The premise of the book is fascinating: what would a Spanish expedition in the 'new world' look like, through the eyes of a Moroccan slave? I went into the book fearing it would be a hard read, but I should not have worried: the story will carry you through. Some interesting themes run through the book. First, the power of story-telling, and of putting things into writing (be it a map, a chronicle, or a notary act). Second, the way in which power and powerlessness interplay with human nature. Third, the relation between identity, 'race' and belonging. On the other hand, I wished the protagonist, Esteban, wasn't that perfect a man. True, he traded slave in the past, but this is put down to a moment of greediness, in an otherwise gentle, wise, and 'enlightened' character. He restrains from the violence and plundering in which the Spanish explorer engage, powerless to stop it. These traits put him in the position of the innocent witness, simply recounting what he sees, and judging it from the vantage point of an outsider (or, perhaps, of a XXI century author. Perhaps irrelevant, I couldn't help noticing that the book fails the Bechdel text. While Esteban is respectful of the women in his life, they are always 'alive' only as Esteban's mother, Esteban's lost love, Esteban's wife, etc. Though I understand the book is narrated from his perspective, and it is set in a 'men's world'...I couldn't quite get over it. Admittedly, it is also entirely possible that I missed the points the author was trying to make about these relations.