The characters in this collection of short stories struggle with secret desires, hidden and haunting memories. They seek healing in love, religion, alcohol and withdrawal from communal ties. So they love deeply, pray fervently, drink heavily and brood self-righteously. and for a while, they find inner peace and even happiness. But the wounds on their souls are deep, so eventually, despite their best efforts, they succumb to utter despair. And yet in their struggles and failures, we see a little bit of ourselves.