A boy in Puerto Rico recalls the horror of a dramatic bonfire. A man remembers a tragedy that changed his life. A disabled girl reacts to her grandmother's terrible tale. A farm worker seeks impossible love. These are the first stories in this collection of 20 that take place on the Caribbean island or involve Puerto Rican characters. The author says: "My stories are not folktales. Except for a few of the Taíno Tales, they are not based on actual events. I like to inhabit the minds and bodies of men and women who—like all of us—are unique, and I like to invent experiences that never happened—but might have happened." Readers may especially enjoy the brief notes appended to each story.