These stories, many of which riff on traditional Japanese folk tales and lore, explore the lives of individuals caught between desire and duty, as well as the conflicting expectations of different cultures.
For example, in 'Day Pass,' a college student in South Carolina befriends a female prisoner on a work release program, thinking that she will be a good influence, but then realizes that she has gotten in over her head. In 'Blue Murder,' a Japanese farmer troubled by the crows eating his pears becomes besotted with a kingfisher. The narrator of 'Down the Mountain,' a descendant of the Heike clan, recounts the tragic life and death of her beloved sister as she urges her own daughter to leave their secluded mountain village and go out into the world, and in the title story, 'River of Dolls,' a Japanese woman struggles with infertility.
Ranging from dirty to magical realism, the stories collected here are often infused with humor, while exposing universal truths.