Javier Cercas likes to describe his book as a non-fiction novel, a mixture of chronicle, autobiography and biography (of Pope Francis). "It is impossible to invent something as exotic and extraordinary as the Vatican. Believe me, it's totally impossible. Why would I make it up?" The Vatican opened its doors wide to him and for two years he was able to meet a whole series of high-ranking officials.
"It's part of what was unusual about this pope. He was able to open doors. The Church had never done that before, opening the doors of the Vatican to a writer to ask questions, to talk, to discuss, to see whatever he wanted to see and to write whatever he wanted to write," explains Cercas.
