In the novel Lealtad, a work of experimental literary fiction, author Jorge San Martin Zambrano weaves a story within a story, challenging readers to question what’s real and what’s fictional, bend their perceptions of time, and follow two stories to their very different endings.

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Protagonist Andrew Joseph works for the cleaning department of the university where he’s studying creative writing. After being attacked by his boss, Jack Bennett, Andrew struggles with whether to exact bloody vengeance or to forgive him, earning himself the nickname Yoyo. Perico, Andrew’s loyal friend and colleague, believes violent retribution is the only course of action—and he’s more than willing to do the dirty work.

Having received a diagnosis that leaves him unsure of how much time he has left, Andrew decides to write a story about his experience, hoping that justice will unfold accordingly if Bennett ends up reading it and recognizing himself. He also soon finds himself on a mission to avert the murder of Bennett at the hands of Perico. The lines between fiction and reality begin to blur as Andrew’s attempts at preventing Bennett’s murder play out both on the page and in his reality.

The narrative glue of Lealtad is comprised of the interactions between Andrew and his writing professor, Professor Levine, who suspects that the story isn’t entirely fictional. He’s tasked Andrew with crafting two endings, so that he might fully explore the ideas of fairness and free will.

When Perico dies unexpectedly, Andrew is forced to consider what this means for his story. He knows he must dig deeper into the idea of forgiveness and look directly at his painful past. And he knows he must weave this past into the narrative as well.

Then he meets Bellatrix, Perico’s mysterious long-lost daughter, who moonlights as a contract killer and inspires Andrew to consider yet another direction for his story.

As he writes, Andrew is taken on a journey of healing that requires him to reflect on his definition of loyalty. He’s also forced to confront the reality of free will, a tricky gift that leaves Andrew with an ending he never could have expected.

Ultimately, Lealtad is a story of empowerment. It encourages both Andrew and his readers to examine what it means to be human and flawed.