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n Denslow’s short story collection, cryptids and mythological creatures invade everyday life, creating surreal and darkly humorous situations for their human counterparts. What separates this from other ‘modern fairytale’ books out there is that Denslow has woven these magical beings into everyday situations in a way where each story reads as less like a parable and more like an exploration of the ways in which we use shared stories to understand the strangeness of quotidian life. Particular gems include: “Waves,” “Ache,” and “Silence.”