“Based On A True Story” by Delphine de Vigan (post 3): It is never explained why the mystery character is named “L,” or who named her.

The novel ends with a classic multiple personality scenario: A manuscript for a new novel, apparently written by Delphine, is received by her editor, who loves it. Delphine, herself, has amnesia for writing and submitting it. Moreover, Delphine can find no objective evidence that a real person “L” had ever existed. Except that Based On A True Story ends with “THE END*”— the asterisk being L’s marker, which suggests that maybe L really does exist (which of course she does, as one of Delphine’s alternate personalities).

There is one thing about this novel that is truly mysterious and intriguing: the naming of the character as “L.” No explanation is ever given for referring to this character by a letter only. What was the reason?

Since there are twenty-six letters in the alphabet, the odds are against its being an accident that this character was named with the first letter of the pseudonym used by Delphine de Vigan—“Lou Delvig”—for her first novel.

So it would appear that the naming of this character (“L”), and not the asterisk, is the real clue to the true story on which this novel is based (the author’s normal version of multiple personality). But who was responsible for leaving this clue? Delphine de Vigan? Lou Delvig? Or another personality who chooses to remain nameless?