Each story begins with how “Mutis” came across the following story about the never-do-well sailor Maqroll – whether through documents found or a story told by a friend or Maqroll himself. This device binds together the stories into a whole. As character that falls into unsuccessful get-rich-quick schemes, I expected more of a realistic, earthy narrative instead of these lyrical and melancholy interior studies of Maqroll and his closest friends.