Javier Cercas is a master of the non-fiction novel. As in past books like "The Lord of all the Dead", the in-depth history of the deception of the main character is interlaced with the author's misgivings about writing the book, reaching a climax in an imagined dialogue with the protagonist. The why behind the lies is never fully fleshed out, leaving the distinction between truth and fiction as a continuing exercise for the reader.