This collection of vivid, accessible, contemporary stories can be read purely for the immense pleasure they offer. However, the stories can also be read for the way they explore elements from earlier works: from Maori myth and fairy tale to masterpieces by writers such as Katherine Mansfield, James Joyce and Anton Chekov. As the award - winning author says, those stories 'touched me deeply and I can recall their substance without hesitation'. Using them for inspiration, she also explores their concerns of dignity, honesty, bravery, weakness and passion.