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.
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Gothic Literature, LGBTQ, Magical Realism, Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Mental Illness, History: European, Immigration / Refugee, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
White Is for Witching, published in 2009, is Helen Oyeyemi’s third novel, for which she received the Somerset Maugham Award. A finalist for the Shirley Jackson Award, White Is for Witching explores both traditional horror and the horrors of racism. Oyeyemi’s novels often center the experience of historically marginalized groups, which perhaps reflects her own background as a Nigerian-born English citizen who attended Cambridge University. White Is for Witching frames histories of racism as supernatural... Read White Is for Witching Summary
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Magical Realism
Who Fears Death, published in 2010 and written by Nnedi Okorafor, is a post-apocalyptic science fantasy novel set in a future version of Sudan. In this future, the light-skinned Nuru have enslaved the dark-skinned Okeke; the novel follows Onyesonwu (Onye), the daughter of an Okeke woman raped by a Nuru man. Onye soon discovers that her biological father is a powerful sorcerer, and that she, too, has inherited great magical powers from both her father... Read Who Fears Death Summary
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Tags Children's Literature, Animals, Science / Nature, Magical Realism, Fantasy
Wishtree (2017) is a work of young adult fiction by Katherine Applegate. Directly addressing the bigotry and Islamophobia of the Trump era, the novel tackles the polarized American political climate by praising the value of diversity, tolerance, and compassion. Plot SummaryThis book’s narrator is a 216-year-old northern oak tree named Red. Red is a dioecious tree who has both male and female characteristics, so refers to themself with the pronoun “they.” The story takes place... Read Wishtree Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Historical Fiction, Western, Magical Realism, History: World
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Friendship, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Romance, Magical Realism, Drama / Tragedy, Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2005
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Class, Natural World: Animals, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Latin American Literature, Class, History: World, Magical Realism, Romance, Classic Fiction
Zorro, first published in 2005, is a historical fiction novel by the Chilean writer Isabel Allende. Taking the form of a biography or bildungsroman, Zorro is the first work to chronicle the origins of Zorro, a fictional character created by American pulp writer Johnston McCulley in 1919.Set against the backdrop of Spanish colonialism at the turn of the 19th century, the novel details the events that led the protagonist, Diego de la Vega, to become... Read Zorro Summary