What better than a short story collection by Pedro Almodóvar to dive into a world where vibrant characters and deep emotions come to life on the page? The stories are entertaining, and vividly reflect the enormous culture he introduced to the world through his films. With each narrative, readers are transported into a universe brimming with passion, humor, and the rich, complex tapestry of Spanish life that Almodóvar so masterfully portrays in his cinematic works.

This is an intriguing blend of the personal, thoughts, his remarkable professional film career and more from the superb Pedro Almodovar, a man whose larger than life, colourfully vibrant, offbeat films I have adored. He speaks of how he has refused to write a autobiography or consider a biography, here some of these details filter through. This is a 12 story collection that shifts genres and is drawn from the 1960s, right up to the present:

The Visit
Too Many Gender Swaps
The Mirror Ceremony
Joanna, the Beautiful Madwoman
The Last Dream
The Life and Death of Miguel
Confessions of a Sex Symbol
Bitter Christmas
Adios, Volcano
Redemption
Memory of an Empty Day
A Bad Novel

This is a mixed bag of a read, covering some familiar territory, and while this was a fascinating read, covering the themes and ideas that have caught his eye, is obsessed by and reflects on. It is clear that Almodovar has established a stellar career for himself in movies which is his true home and where he excels, and he is more than aware of this. To give you a taste of the tales, the title story is about the death of his mother and being a son, and he goes on to cover revenge, Andy Warhol, religion and the power of the church, redemption, the singer Chavela Vargas, addictions, the madness, darkness, and his twisted imaginative visions, such as that of a vampire.

This is definitely a collection worth reading, particularly if you are a fan of the cult innovative film director, as it gives us a glimpse into Pedro Almodovar and his mind. Highly recommended. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

Almodóvar's The Last Dream is a collection of 12 personal stories and fiction, each touching on his artistic interests, from childhood memories to the struggles of fame. Some stories, like “La Visita,” really stand out and connect to his films but others failed to grab my attention. Ultimately, I found the book’s fragmented style challenging and many of the stories and personal reflections not very interesting.

12 fragmentarily biographical stories by Almodovar.
I still feel entirely grateful to have had the opportunity to read and review The Last Dream prior to the publication of its English translation.

I was also glad to see the use of the em dash/quotation dash for the dialogue lines. As someone who read book where the dialogue was indicated as such as a child, I related to the this style.

The Visit started off well. We immediately cut to the chase. The themes were important though the storytelling and the characters did not grip me as much as I wanted. A particular character’s reactions did not make sense, and I think the reading of the diary inside the story was not efficient. It interrupted the flow. This being a short story, I expected a roller coaster ride all the way.

The title story The Last Dream stood out. I also enjoyed the complementary quality of some these stories to Almodovar’s films and his passion for writing as well as his musings. Most of my favourite parts were when his voice was blended into the story/notes (the introduction was quite enjoyable).

The writing style was a mixed bag for me. I valued the efficient use of language but the bizarre and the fresh takes Almodovar offers were not fully enough for me enjoy the prose. I expected the characters, the shapes, the colours the artist masters at (as,someone who is both a filmmaker and an author writing literary fiction and essays, I am no stranger to the similarities and distinctions between the forms and mediums - I am referring to my expectations of Almodovar as a writer of literary fiction) to be more prominent, vivid, coming to life in this collection.

Another pro of this title is the ease - it is readable, reader friendly.

I will revisit this title to see if I have missed any of the elements that I was looking for and anything else I might have missed.
For now, in full honesty, this was a 3 star read for me - would recommend to others, but would not be memorable for long for myself.

I absolutely love a Almodóvar film, and credit him with my love of foreign films, so I was very pleased to get my hands on this.
It lived up to my expectations.
Colourful characters and situations, a little madness.
Warmth, humour and strangeness. Everything I enjoy about his work to be fair.
It filled a Pedro shaped hole for a little while, whilst I eagerly await his next film.
Very enjoyable.

Pedro Almodóvar is a legendary filmmaker and this is his first published collection of stories / writings.

These stories certainly provide a sense of Almodóvar’s creativity in what must be first steps to the film writing process .

Each has a certain twist - reflective certainly - and as reader you feel a sense of cathartic release in each tale whether it be through personal experiences or wider societal perspectives..

Some of the stories feel like dark adult fairy tales - with clear messages to the reader; others explore the path to self destruction and redemption ; the power, influence and cruelty of the church is never faraway and many allude to the writer’s own life , addiction to painkillers and the world of fame .

This is a curious cornucopia of tales and Frank Wynne’s translation certainly capture the off- centre / slightly askew view of the world around .

Some of the stories certainly haunt after reading - vengeance, retribution and struggle all themes that linger

Challenging and rewarding