De Lint is a prolific writer of short stories. Most of them take place in urban settings, especially fictional Newford, a place where magic mixes with modern urban life.

These stories often feature unusual people such as Zoe Brill, whose ability to heal others sets her apart. Lesbianism, touched on in "Small Deaths," is touched on elsewhere in de Lint's fiction, notably in "Bird Bones and Wood Ash" (1995), in which the main character's actions are motivated in part by the loss of a long-time lesbian lover.

As for Gordon/Bob, Newford abounds with odd characters like him, such as animals made human, fairylike people, and other figures based on folklore. Like "Small Deaths," most of de Lint's stories read like fairy tales, and like "Small Deaths," they tend to end with the main character having learned something important about herself.