The China Factory Stories Author:Mary Costello In these twelve haunting stories, Mary Costello carefully examines the passions and perils of everyday life and relationships and, with startling insight, casts a light on the darkest corners of the human heart. What emerges is a compassionate exploration of how ordinary men and women endure the trials and complexities of marriage, memory, adult... more »ery, death, and the ripples of disquiet that lie just beneath the surface. With a calm intensity and an undertow of sadness, she reveals the secret fears and yearnings of her characters, and those isolated moments when a few words or a small deed can change everything, with stark and sometimes brutal consequences. ""Irish writer Costello shows a mastery of the short-fiction form in her first collection. Her prose is subtle, strong, and lyrical, while her knowledge of human nature yields memorable characters.""-Booklist« less