Living alone in Paris, estranged from his family, suffering from heartbreak and possibly madness, Serena's Alioscha Coll works with saintly intensity on what will be his final manuscript: Attila. Once the final words have been written, he vows to end his life, convinced that his existence will have lost its meaning. Told through the viewpoint of a cultural critic and friend of Coll, and taking its title from Coll's own posthumously published novel, Attila expands Javier Serena's inquiry into writers who remain dedicated to their art, to their aesthetic vision, in the face of a dismissive publishing industry and inexistent readership. In this elegant portrayal of a tormented and uncompromising figure who lives to -- and through -- literature, readers will find a poignant tribute to a writer who clung fiercely to his literary convictions, no matter the cost.