"A Ilustre Casa de Ramires" by Eça de Queirós is a realist novel published in 1900. The story follows Gonçalo Mendes Ramires, a nobleman from a small Portuguese town who aspires to enter politics. To gain recognition, he writes a historical novel about his thirteenth-century ancestor, a valiant knight. Yet his literary talents prove questionable, and his moral character equally dubious. Through parallel narratives of past heroism and present mediocrity, Eça crafts a sharp commentary on Portuguese society and tradition.
Wikipedia page about this book: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Illustrious_House_of_Ramires Wikipedia page about this book: pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Ilustre_Casa_de_Ramires