Each story featured in this collection includes fraught family bonds of one kind or another, and this theme therefore connects this set of stories with Valdez Quade’s other works of fiction. The author’s full body of work conducts an intense investigation into the problematic aspects of identity formation and interpersonal relationships, and she has spoken on multiple occasions about the central role that human behavior and interactions play in her writing. Because she has an avowed interest in depicting personal identity without the damaging lens of stereotype, Valdez Quade often tackles difficult issues like abuse, violence, teen pregnancy, and addiction, revealing all of these topics to be rooted in complex trauma. Many of the families depicted in this collection are characterized by their troubled relationships, and it is important to note that true heroes, as well as true antagonists, are rare. Rather than relying on such simplistic labels, Valdez Quade creates a nuanced situation and deconstructs the dysfunctional elements of each set of characters in order to reveal how each person contributes to the difficulties of their family. What emerges is a representative, honest portrait of the fact that people can love and harm one another with equal ferocity.