A teenage girl victimized by assault and prejudice. An office worker holding on to his boss's cat after a failed workplace romance. A father struggling through a ceremony for a son lost in combat. A family whose members can often predict the day they're going to die.

The characters in Casualties are damaged souls doing their best to keep moving despite their difficulties-a motley melange of memorable misfits who refuse to be victims despite their circumstances. It's a fantastic collection for young and old alike, a wonderful work about the walking wounded who somehow find a way to be kind despite life's cruelties.