I think the fact that I read, nay demolished, this in one day says a lot, even though it is short as books go, I really could not put it down. Each story portrays a different aspect of love and loss that will touch every reader on their level depending on their own experiences and heartbreak. Black Vodka tells of an outsider advertising executive who discovers that there are people out there who can see past his physical appearance and those who find it and him simply fascinating and the effects this has on our unnamed narrator. The ending allows the reader to add their own stamp by leaving it open to interpretation, be it happy or sad. Shining a Light follows Alice as she spends time in Prague without her beloved baggage and discovers that in losing it she has opened herself up to experiencing even more than she could've dreamed. Is it possible that she lost more than just physical luggage at the airport, you decide. Vienna tells of a meeting between ex's and the complexity of the emotion, feeling and attraction that comes with it leading to the inevitable bedroom antics before the final good-bye and the emptiness this leaves. Stardust Nation shows how the bond between two men, employer and employee, best of friends, can form and strengthen to a point that the one suffers the troubles and sorrows of the other and how this can change both parties involved. Pillow Talk follows Pavel and Ella as their relationship is tested and changed by the actions of one and the desires of the other and how this can drive people apart, and together, for better or worse. Cave Girl shows the development of a child into teenage-hood from the view point of her brother and how these changes can be disturbing, terrifying and cause stirrings of unknown and unwarranted feeling. This shows the confusion that engulfs both of the sexes when it comes to those complex teenage years. Placing a Call is a short tale that takes place in a garden where our narrator struggles to hear and accept the truth of the loss she feels and the implications of this loss. Despite it's short length this is a really poignant story and one that will forever be brought to mind by the sound of an old style telephone. Simon Tegala's Heart in 12 Parts follows Simon as he falls for Naomi, written in 12 short parts this story shows the ups and downs of new love (lust?) and how this can infiltrate every aspect of a person's being. Roma is a heartbreaking tale that follows our unnamed narrator as she dreams of her husband leaving her before waking and finding it is true, that deep down her subconscious was preparing and warning her of what was to come, allowing her to preserve some of herself as her world crumbles A Better Way to Live tells of Joe and Elisa as they move on from their losses in their early years to find a better life, a life filled with those things that they have missed out on. A somewhat uplifting tale despite the low start that shows that you can change your path for the better.