An intense novel for people interested in art. Prize-winner war photographer Faulques retires from his profession to a tower in Spain, where he decides painting a battle mural will be the culmination of his life's work. He believes that painting can be real in ways photography has failed him: in conveying the brutality yet inevitability of human aggression. His plan is disrupted when one of his subjects, a Serbian soldier, shows up unexpectedly to settle a score. The interchange between the two--and Faulques's poignant memories of his lover Olvida--explores the capabilities of art, human responsibility in war, and (a less interesting topic) the role of the media in encouraging aggression. A simple premise with so many fascinating ramifications!