wow thank you so much for your comprehensive reply, your perspective really helped in understanding their motives, especially Alicia’s. you’re right she tried to test him and get the upper hand, as i believe she told Theo a different story of not fully remembering the person who broke into their house when in reality she did recognize him!

also i totally see your explanations; and maybe if Theo hadn’t come across to me as such a callous psychopath, it would’ve been plausible that he felt guilt/remorse in causing Gabriel’s death so that could explain his involvement in a more wholesome way lol. tysm!

good question but honestly i overlooked every loose end except the ones concerning the 2 main characters, because every other character was a red herring with no narrative value.

What bothered me the most about this book is how nonsensical Theo’s and Alicia’s actions are, especially after the big reveal. The plot twist did nothing for me except make me question their behavior, which in itself is a huge plot hole… Because if Theo is the one following Alicia all this time and he is the perpetrator from the night Gabriel died, then WHY THE HECK did he infiltrate her asylum and risk being outed by her?

WHY was he trying so hard to make her speak, knowing what she would say?!

The whole book is put into motion by Theo’s motivation to re-enter her life and make her talk, which makes no logical or literary sense. After he seemingly got away with it, why would he try putting himself in the spotlight again? And why didn’t Alicia tell anyone that it was him, why did she allow this psychopath to become her therapist?! And how could she possibly write all that down in her diary (moments before dying) and hide the diary in the painting? Why did she choose to expose him ONLY after she is dying, and not before he killed her and he got away with it again?

Honestly nothing makes any sense to me, this whole book is a big hole, so I wasn’t even surprised at the minor loose ends. Edit: i’m curious about your opinion or if you have any answers to this as it seems like you enjoyed the book!

I’d say that one is slightly more obscure

Probably “fuck” or “fuck me.” As a Spaniard, I can assure you everyone knows that word, even those who have no clue about anything else in English.

Also I’m from Barcelona and love that book!