[1] Among the common themes in the Rosales Novels are the intimate relationships and marriages between cousins, the father figure who is beaten up by the political and social structures, vengeful and aggressive attacks on persons who symbolize repression and subjugation, the love-hate relationship between the characters and the town of Rosales, as well as its barrios such as Cabugawan, Carmay and Sipnget.

The novel is set during the Philippine–American War, when revolution and nationalism were presented as the solution to the social and political problems in the Philippines.

[3] The fourth novel, ⁣Tree, pursues the life of the unnamed grandson of Don Jacinto, the overseer of the Asperris and protector of the Samsons in Po-on.

[3] The succeeding three books after Tree reinforce the existing strain between Philippine colonial heritage and bona fide patriotism.

[3] The third novel, My Brother, My Executioner, concentrates on the life of Luis Asperri and his half-brother Victor during the 1950s, a time that was plagued with the Hukbalahap rebellion.

His half-brother Victor warns Luis that if the peasantry does not receive economic justice, the Hukbalahap insurgents would annihilate the elite class.

As a result, Antonio Samson is unable to marry his true love and cousin, Emy, with whom he sired an illegitimate son.