Magical Realism

The Magical Realism Collection highlights narratives that present magical or supernatural elements in a realistic way. Often challenging literary conventions, these selections situate elements of fantasy, such as time travel or the ability to communicate with animals, in otherwise believable settings. This Collection features titles from authors who frequently employ magical realism in their narratives, such as Gabriel García Márquez and Haruki Murakami.

The White Giraffe

by Lauren St. John

Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Self Discovery, Animals, Grief

Tags Children`s Literature, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Coming of Age, Action & Adventure, Animals

Written by Lauren St. John and published in 2006, The White Giraffe is the first book in the Legend of the Animal Healer series. It tells the story of orphan Martine Allen, who goes to live with her grandmother in Cape Town, South Africa after her parents’ tragic deaths. Her grandmother lives in a wildlife sanctuary called Sawubona. As Martine wrestles with losing her family and adapting to life on another continent, she learns the... Read The White Giraffe Summary

The Wicked King

by Holly Black

Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Power & Greed, Death, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger, Siblings, Hate & Anger, Daughters & Sons, Family, Revenge, Fear, Trust & Doubt, Politics & Government, Appearance & Reality, Truth & Lies, Shame & Pride, Conflict, Fathers, Perseverance, Wins & Losses

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Magical Realism, Action & Adventure, Science Fiction

... Read The Wicked King Summary

The Wishing Game

by Meg Shaffer

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Daughters & Sons, Mothers, Fathers, Literature, Art, Perseverance, Hope, Love, Safety & Danger

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Magical Realism, Mystery & Crime Fiction

... Read The Wishing Game Summary

The Woman in the Dunes

by Kōbō Abe

Publication year 1962

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Loneliness, Hope, Masculinity, Animals

Tags Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Symbolic Narrative, Japanese Literature, Existentialism, Asian Literature, World History

Kōbō Abe’s 1962 novel The Woman in the Dunes (Sand Woman in Japanese) is an existential story of an amateur entomologist who goes on holiday to a seaside village. He winds up trapped in a sand pit with a woman engaged in a never-ending battle with the sand that threatens to overwhelm the village. It won the 1962 Yomiuri Prize for literature and the 1967 Prix du Meilleur Livre Étranger (France’s Prize for the Best... Read The Woman in the Dunes Summary

Through the Arc of the Rain Forest

by Karen Tei Yamashita

Publication year 1990

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Globalization

Tags Japanese Literature, Asian Literature, Science Fiction, Education, Education, Asian Literature, Magical Realism, Fantasy

Karen Tei Yamashita’s Through the Arc of the Rain Forest (1990) is a magical realist story from Coffee House Press. Narrated by a sentient floating sphere, the story primarily takes place in Brazil. Utilizing fantastical elements, the novel addresses issues of environmentalism, economic inequality, and faith.Plot SummaryA sentient ball narrates the novel in the first person and provides third person narration for the other characters. The story opens on the shores of Japan, where the... Read Through the Arc of the Rain Forest Summary

Tracks

by Louise Erdrich

Publication year 1988

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Historical Fiction, Education, Education, World History, Magical Realism

Tracks, by Louise Erdrich, appeared as the third in a tetralogy of works beginning with Love Medicine, continuing with The Beet Queen, and ending with The Bingo Palace. All of these novels center on the history of the Chippewa or Ojibwe tribe located in and around the fictional town of Argus, North Dakota. In Tracks, Erdrich reaches back into the early twentieth century to retell the great losses the Chippewa tribe experienced. When disease and... Read Tracks Summary

Tropic of Orange

by Karen Tei Yamashita

Publication year 1997

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Japanese Literature, Asian Literature, Magical Realism, Education, Education, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy

Tropic of Orange is a 1997 magical realism novel by Japanese American writer Karen Tei Yamashita. Taking place primarily in Los Angeles, the novel begins on the longest day of the year and spans the course of a week; it covers a magical event that begins in Mexico on the Tropic of Cancer and spreads north to Los Angeles. The story is told from the perspective of seven diverse principal characters; each character gets a... Read Tropic of Orange Summary

Unlikely Animals

by Annie Hartnett

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Family, Community, Forgiveness, Grief, Guilt, Memory, Mental Health, Death, The Past, Animals, Environment, Fathers, Siblings

Tags Magical Realism, Humor, Animals, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy

... Read Unlikely Animals Summary

Vampires in the Lemon Grove

by Karen Russell

Publication year 2013

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Tags Science Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Magical Realism, Fantasy

Karen Russell’s Vampires in the Lemon Grove and Other Stories, published in 2013, is a collection of short stories that are linked by the supernatural. The collection can be considered a work of magical realism because each story combines a realistic setting with magical elements; however, perhaps a more fitting label is that of speculative fiction, since many of the magical elements are darker in nature, and border on horror. Due to the many mature... Read Vampires in the Lemon Grove Summary

Victory City

by Salman Rushdie

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Gender Identity, Future, The Past, Colonialism, Nation, Power & Greed, Justice

Tags Magical Realism, Historical Fiction, World History, Indian Literature, Fantasy

... Read Victory City Summary