Reading this collection of 23 short stories and poems is like taking a train journey through womanhood — peering out the myth-hazed window and into the 'real' lives of the protagonists as they venture through girlhood, marriage, family life and grief, before reaching ultimate redemption. An accomplished author (With 14 Of these stories previously published in literary journals), Forbes has a reliable formula for good storytelling. She finds her strength in creating pace and rhythm, suspense, and setting that supports the characters. Also, her endings are neatly packaged, either in the form of a twist or the emotional realisation of the central character. Although separate stories, they unfold into each other, enhancing the meaning of the next through clever use of contrast and thematic links. This is most evident in the transition between Choice and Sleeping Beauty — where the vast ocean and a woman's struggle with motherhood ate made stark by the opening paragraph Of the next story, breathing homely warmth and fond childhood memories. Tracey-Anne Forbes weaves a rich text of poetry, detective fiction, stories that make social comments and emotive writing. making social comments Forbes presents a humane view; particularly in Of Mice and Men, where she explores the psychology behind the Martin Bryant killings. She also draws on French language. setting and characters, adding a universal dimension to the experiences in womanhood. Most appealing about Forbes' style is the way she writes lyrically about sorrow and death. In Flesh and Blood I could feel the cold, hollow emptiness echo through the hospital corridors, of things unsaid, as a woman births a stillborn child. And this mournful text in Currents — 'A storm bird warks its siren cry. The wind sighs in mango leaves and a jacaranda drips dark, soft tears.' It is her precise details and their Australian familiarity that breathe life into Forbes' collection. She creates a picture through the use of original metaphors and similes that make you feel as if you are there, as if you are safe — and then pulls the rug from beneath your feet with her honesty. Crushed Sugar ends an uplifting note in Part V, aptly titled Le Reveil (meaning The Awakening), and is a satisfying end to this journey. Perhaps these stories appealed because I could relate as a woman, as a mother. But Forbes' collection would also appeal to language lovers Who crave that ignite all the senses and readers who like their endings neatly packaged. - Susan Bonaci (2007)