La Partie Espagnole

The story ramped up so fast near the end that I almost missed some of the subtle clues. Was that a deliberate choice to heighten tension or just my reading experience?

The vibrant backdrop added a lot of flavor, but I'm curious if the setting was chosen for its political significance or just because of the plot's needs.

The protagonist's choices felt complex and realistic, but I wonder if that was based on real espionage figures or purely fictional creation.