Pretmakers in een berglandschap

The novel's backdrop is rich with historical detail, but I'm curious how much that setting shaped the characters' decisions and conflicts. Did the author intend for history to be a driving force here?

The protagonist's choices felt complex and sometimes uncomfortable — I kept debating whether I was rooting for him or judging him. Am I the only one who felt this way?

The way art is woven into the story adds layers of meaning, but I wonder what motivated the author to choose art as a central theme for examining personal and moral identity.