Replete with underlying pessimism pointing to the darker side of human nature and the seamier side of life, this anthology of journeys through life's varied cycles is awash with surprises, deep imagination, and unease. Yet along with the prevailing macabre threads and black humor evidenced in tales relating the sadness of prostitution, the brutality of rape, the desperation of AIDS, and the perils of old age, a glimmer of hope and rejuvenation also arises.