It's a book of ideas, or it provokes ideas in the reader. The book is three unrelated stories of three different people who have no connection to each other. Although they have different stories there is a link which is implied in the way the stories unfold.

The story of the mother collecting her daughter is very sad but then it's set against the story of the soldier who goes through another struggle which upsets all his previous convictions.

The story of the English businessman who stumbles into an affair and finds it isn't what he thought seems whimsical. Compared to the other two it seems very light but it isn't frivolous and is like change of key from the other characters.

The writing style is very clear and somehow it gives each character a voice which is their own.