Márquez presents a society that is steeped in superstition and sees evil and signs of doom everywhere. He centres his story around the metaphor of love as madness and demonic possession. A wild dog attacks the people in the market of Cartagena. All those who were bitten die of rabies with the exception of a 12-year-old Sierva Maria who shows no sign of decline. Soon, strange incidents begin to take place in the city, attributed to the girl. Through folklore and magic realism, Márquez creates a colourful tapestry of themes and beliefs, with a vivid cast of characters. Story that is visceral and beautiful, powerful and tragic. An exotic allegory that shows how human beings can do the worst evil imaginable. Not any demon, not any devil but men.