The stories in this remarkable collection by Jane Rule explore the relationships among men and women, women and women, and families—both conventional and unconventional

From traditional families to relationships that break new ground, this anthology runs the gamut of human emotions.

The eponymous heroine "Dulce" is a self-proclaimed muse, witch, whore, "preying lesbian," and "devouring mother" who has a profound effect on the lives of the women and men around her. "His Nor Hers" tracks the unraveling of a marriage—with unexpected results. "The Real World" explores the moral universe of a female mechanic who creates an unconventional family. In "A Matter of Numbers," a divorced math professor falls in love with her twenty-year-old student. And the title story introduces two women—one widowed, one divorced—who rediscover romance aboard a cruise ship.

Whether she's turning the spotlight on unfulfilled wives, frustrated husbands, friends, or secret lovers, Inland Passage is Jane Rule at her most insightful.