Ten intertwined stories of life in a northern Mexico town vividly re-create postrevolutionary Mexico of the 1920s and 1930s. A romance and a mystery of identity unify the stories as do richly drawn characters from all levels of village society. The colors, sounds, and fragrances of village life animate the dramas of rich and poor, old and young. Niggli effortlessly incorporates Mexican folklore - legends, traditions, and songs - to enrich her fiction. She has been claimed as an early Chicana novelist because of her concern with questions of nationality and ethnic origin. Perceptive and engaging, her stories preserve the past while addressing the contemporary preoccupation with borders, identity, autonomy, and community.