Lenny

Lenny is arguably the novel’s protagonist, or at least its antihero, although this does not become apparent until later sections. Lenny is introduced in the novel through the lens of the opening article, in a manner that initially obscures her role as the architect behind the story. The article adopts a detached journalistic tone, presenting itself as an objective investigation into a violent assault and the disappearance of a gold bar. Lenny appears within this narrative ostensibly as a subject to be interviewed rather than a figure exerting authorial influence. Nonetheless, the text gives her disproportionately positive coverage: she is depicted as articulate, insightful, and culturally literate, in contrast to the other figures portrayed, such as Spencer or Pegasus. This selective amplification hints, retrospectively, at the power she holds over the narrative, foreshadowing her later revelation as the true driver of the article’s production and framing...