This short story collection was simply GORGEOUS. I can't believe it's a debut! The stories take us all over China and the Chinese diaspora, and we get to see the wide variety of people and ways of life. Even the genres of the stories seem to vary, from contemporary fiction to literary fiction and even to more of a fantasy vibe with one story in which a group of people sit abandoned and trapped in a subway station with no explanation from authorities. (The metaphors here are sensational!) Many of the stories also had a bit of a thriller feel to them, or at least made me feel on edge as I eagerly continued turning the pages, needing to see how the story turned out. Te-Ping Chen is an incredibly talented writer and I can't wait to see what else she does. I really encourage readers who think that they are "not into short stories" to check this collection out!