I wouldn't have read this book, or perhaps anything by Joyce, hadn't this been a gift from my partner. And am so glad I did! I liked the way the city is woven into the stories and becomes both a background and a character in each of them. The stories themselves are haunting, not just because of the plot or the myriad characters who hail from various classes, but because of the moments of reflection in them as well as the provocation to the reader to reflect by withholding judgment and even information. There is much to decode, and I am sure I missed a lot of the signs despite the useful notes, and there is much to think about.