The narrator who comes from elsewhere is a beloved device of great writers, as they can observe from a distance and up close, express judgments and make assumptions that habit does not allow locals.

And the subject of their observation, the central hero of the story, lends itself to psychological profiling and study. The narrator's curiosity is sparked as Krespel does many strange things and even constructs wonderful violins... However, after trying them, he hangs them on the wall and no longer allows anyone to touch them.

And then there is young Antonia, a tender artistic being. The reading is full of mystery and twists, but it doesn’t end there. Essentially, it constitutes a study of art and artists, of life and death.

Hoffmann's writing, pioneering for its time, overturned the landscape and created a new tradition in Central European literature.