The four stories in this very short collection were inspired by Quiroga's fascination with cinema. Since Quiroga is well known in Hispanic literature for his use of surreal and fantastic element, it doesn't come as much of a surprise that three of the stories are dark fantasies. These three stories are bound together by the theme of film as a sort of immortality or alternate reality.

"El Espectro" is an intriguing story, whose theme of obsession and absorption made me think of a cross between Cortazar´s "Axolotl" and the "Ring" movies, up until the end which was a bit muddled and disappointing. "El Vampiro," about an inventor who brings a movie image to life, seemed heavy on concept low on plot, with some interesting twists but lacking in tension. "El Puritano" relies less on concept and more on the idea of an ill-fated romance between a movie star and a man who refuses to leave his wife, but by this point the conceit of filmic immortality had worn a bit thin for me.

"Miss Dorothy..." is rather intriguing, with something akin to a fantasy tone and the theme of obsession which often features in Quiroga's work, but it's also a little bit of a lark, fun and playful.

Overall, I'd recommend the work if you´re already a fan of Quiroga, but I wouldn't recommend it as an introduction. ( )