The story centers on , a young mother who is suddenly widowed and left to manage her family's estate in the Alentejo region.

: Saramago was so disappointed by the initial reception (and the title change forced by his editor) that he essentially stopped writing novels for nearly two decades.

The digital version of La Viuda is available through major retailers and libraries: Amazon.com: La viuda (Spanish Edition) eBook

: The Spanish edition was released in 2021 to commemorate the centennial of his birth, restoring his original title, La Viuda . Where to Find the EPUB