The character of Bruno appears at several points in The History of Love, but always through the filter of Leo’s eyes and words. A boy named Bruno was apparently Leo’s childhood friend in Poland who was killed by the Nazis in 1941. Rejecting or repressing this information, Leo believes that he meets Bruno again in New York and they resume their friendship. He identifies Bruno as his upstairs neighbor and writes him notes. There is some indication that Leo knows that this Bruno is not real, as he also calls him a friend that he “didn’t have” and refers to him not just as a character of his own creation but even “the greatest character I ever wrote." His emotional investment in Bruno may indicate that he is entirely fictional and serves as Leo’s alter ego.
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