I can see how some could find the storytelling uneventful and to be frank, boring, as most of the events in the plot relate to the, for the most part, uninteresting love life of a somewhat unmoving character. But though it may be sentimentalist it is not lacking in self-awareness. The novel is rich in both philosophy and style: profoundly deep, but with the humble scale that only the memories of a “small winner” can grant. So, if you allow yourself to be “bored” for a couple of hours, you may discover a lot in the brief and witty observations of Machado de Assis.

Also very sure the former is a time traveller.