Uncertainty

Uncertainty is a primary undercurrent of each character arc, as well as the overall narrative, as the novel questions how well people can know the future, and even know other people. These dynamics are prominent in many different elements of the story, as every character is heavily defined by their own struggles against the inherent uncertainty of the present and the future. In one notable early example, Irimiás meets with a commanding officer at a Soviet intelligence agency, only to discover that the officer and the agency appear to be in a state of organization and general ignorance. The officer also has very little in the way of actual direct control over Irimiás: “You’ve been summoned because you have endangered the project by your absence” (32). Ultimately, Irimiás’ report to the intelligence agency is of little use anyway, and thus the novel reflects...