Considered the first Hispano-American novel, "Periquillo Sarniento" tells the picaresque tale of Pedro Sarmiento, a young man who grows up in a poor and dysfunctional family in colonial Mexico. Through a series of misadventures and encounters with various social strata, Pedro learns the harsh realities of life and the hypocrisy of society. The novel is a sharp critique of the social and political conditions of Mexico during the transition from colonial rule to independence, and it offers a vivid and entertaining portrayal of everyday life in the early 19th century.