The Newford series is a loosely connected collection of novels, novellas, and short stories. They take place in a modern-day city, Newford, which was apparently originally based upon Ottawa, but which includes elements of various other cities, such as Seattle's underground old city (in Newford the result of an earthquake, unlike Seattle's which resulted from filling in to raise the ground level to stop flooding), the US legal system and medical insurance. Each story begins in an entirely real situation, often involving serious themes such as homelessness and/or recovery from child abuse, but then reality takes an odd turn, and something impossible happens. Just as in traditional fairy tales, fantastic elements are not merely there to be amazing, but somehow serve a deeper meaning. The stories don't just stop, as so many do; they each end with a satisfying resolution. Although they are not a set of sequels characters from earlier tales do pop up in later stories.
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