La Femme au dragon rouge

The book spans multiple eras, and I'm curious whether the author had specific moments in history that sparked the story's core or if it evolved during writing.

The characters seem so influenced by the political and cultural shifts of their times — did that add to the authenticity or make it harder to follow for some readers?

There are so many real events and figures woven into the plot — I wonder what process was used to keep things believable without sacrificing storytelling.