Wow!!! Words can hardly describe how much I loved this book, from its wordless illustration montages (gray with touches of red), to its delicious, sensual, and creepy prose, to its heavy paper and lovely design. The three stories are longer than short stories, but the third, "Hatchling," could almost be a novella, and I was amazed at the intricacy with which the plot was woven. I stopped trying to keep track of my favorite quotes; there were just too many gorgeous sentences and images. Five stars!! (PS for cat lovers - there is a part in the third story you won't like, but you should still read it.)