  The last few years have seen tremendous progress in our understanding of
cataclysmic variable stars. As a result, we are finally developing a much
clearer picture of their evolution as binary systems, the physics of the
accretion processes powering them, and their relation to other compact
accreting objects. In this review, I will highlight some of the most exciting
recent breakthroughs. Several of these have opened up completely new avenues of
research that will probably lead to additional major advances over the next
decade.
