This strange and mythical-feeling book is more than a little frustrating at the outset, but settles into a rhythm of sweeping generalizations, specific happenings, thoughts on love, and moments in a person's life where everything changes, or maybe nothing does. I liked the way the characters with the repeating names might be the same people, or might be completely different from story to story. I'm frustrated that I never found out what happened to the girl in the woods with the boy who may or may not have hurt his leg. I liked that Handler made himself part of the story, which he is always so very good at.