This is not a happy, joyous book. Despite the fantasy elements, the stories show all the different facets of the suffering of life that I don't see much outside of Raymond Carver's collections. Except that the pain of the characters isn't hidden under even a thin veneer. But the stories aren't devoid of hope, unless you're talking about optimistic, feel-good, against-the-odds kind of hope. The collection seems more about the kind you find in real life, that of scarred people who find their hope in clawing their way forward, choosing to light an inch rather than curse the darkness. And, not everyone does, not in life or in this book, I'll just be up front about that right now.To fully experience Map of Dreams, save "The Chambered Fruit" for last. Seriously. It's only after you've read all of the other tales of loss and suffering that you can read "The Chambered Fruit" and, like the protagonist in that story, put all of that pain into the perspective you need to move forward.M. Rickert is the writer I want to be when I grow up. This book is up for three World Fantasy Awards for a reason! I give it five stars because goodreads won't let me give it six. ( )