A tour de force of voice, the chapters of Malae's debut novel read almost like extended prose poems, or perhaps more to the point philosophical posits brought forth by specific example. This is not to say that the novel is not just that--a novel, beautifully written and against the grain of effete, tongue-in-cheek tripe that spews from Brooklyn these days. The book dazzles while it informs. A must-read, especially for those from the Bay Area.