Jean-Claude Pelletier is a French academic and literary critic specializing in the works of the enigmatic German author Benno von Archimboldi. Pelletier's obsession with Archimboldi begins in 1980 when he discovers one of the author's books as a young PhD student in Paris. This discovery shapes the course of his academic career, leading him to become a foremost expert on Archimboldi's work. Pelletier's character is defined by his intellectual passion and his complex relationships with the other critics, particularly Liz Norton, with whom he becomes romantically involved. His journey throughout the novel reflects the broader themes of obsession, academic pursuit, and the elusive nature of truth. Pelletier's character also serves to highlight the contrast between the rarefied world of European academia and the brutal realities of Santa Teresa, as his search for Archimboldi eventually leads him to confront the darker aspects of human nature and societal violence...