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The story is set in antebellum New Orleans, from 1825 to 1865. It follows Stephen Fox, an illegitimate Irish immigrant who rises from poverty to become a wealthy plantation owner named Harrow. The novel chronicles his life, including his marriage to an aristocratic Creole woman, his relationships with three women (his wife, her sister, and his Black mistress), and his experiences during the Civil War. The book has been compared to other historical romances like Gone with the Wind, but some critics note that it subverts many of the myths and tropes of the "Lost Cause" narrative by centering on the enslaved people who built and sustained the plantation. The novel was adapted into a film in 1947 starring Rex Harrison and Maureen O'Hara. Yerby sold the screen rights under the condition that the Black characters would not be stereotyped, but the film ultimately reduced their roles and changed key plot points, such as making the main character's mistress a white woman, due to the Production