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.

Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Power & Greed, Politics & Government, Friendship

Tags Humor, Magical Realism, Parenting, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy

Nothing to See Here is a 2019 novel by New York Times best-selling author and short story writer Kevin Wilson. The novel, which is set in Tennessee, includes a dedication to fellow Tennessean writer Ann Patchett. This is not Wilson’s first work about unusual characters and their families. He achieved success with his first novel, The Family Fang, and another called Perfect Little World. In these works, Wilson developed the prototype for the unique brand... Read Nothing to See Here Summary

Publication year 1984

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Magical Realism, Religion & Spirituality, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Canadian Literature, Classic Fiction

Not Wanted on the Voyage is a 1984 novel set prior to and during the event known as “the Flood”. However, the setting is not in accordance with the traditional Judeo-Christian telling. Instead, it is heavily steeped in magical realism, including unconventional interpretations of mythical creatures, oblique references to alchemy and arcane magic, and a plethora of conflicting anachronisms that lead the reader to frequently revise their understanding of the world. However unusual the world... Read Not Wanted on the Voyage Summary

Publication year 1994

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Music

Tags Magical Realism, Latin American Literature, Historical Fiction, Romance, Classic Fiction

Set in the seaport city of Santa María de Antigua, in colonial Spanish Colombia, at the end of the 18th century, Gabriel García Márquez'snovel Of Love and Other Demons tells the tragic story of Sierva María de Todos Los Ángeles. The only daughter of the American-born Marquis de Casalduero, Sierva lives with her father the Marquis, and her mother, Bernarda, in a decaying mansion.Neither parent takes an interest in their daughter, so she's raised by... Read Of Love And Other Demons Summary

Publication year 1967

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Siblings, Family, War, Fate

Tags Magical Realism, Latin American Literature, Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Fantasy

One Hundred Years of Solitude, first published in Spanish in 1967 as Cien años de soledad, is an internationally renowned and classic work of literature by Colombian writer Gabriel García Márquez. The most highly regarded English version of the book is Gregory Rabassa’s translation, which was first published in 1970. This guide uses citations from the HarperPerennial Modern Classics Edition, which was released in 2006. García Márquez became the fourth Latin American winner of the... Read One Hundred Years of Solitude Summary

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Hope, Love, Memory, Future, The Past, Sexual Identity, Trust & Doubt, Gender Identity

Tags Romance, LGBTQ+, Science Fiction, Humor, Magical Realism, Modern Classic Fiction

Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Community, Family, Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Safety & Danger, Order & Chaos, Loyalty & Betrayal, Plants, Animals, Food

Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, Coming of Age, Children`s Literature, Animals, Food, Relationships

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Truth & Lies, Literature, Daughters & Sons, Family, Mothers, Animals, Place, Grief, Memory

Tags Magical Realism, Coming of Age, Grief & Death, Relationships, Science Fiction, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Religion & Spirituality

Publication year 1997

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Race, Gender Identity, Community, Fear

Tags Historical Fiction, African American Literature, Gender & Feminism, Magical Realism, Race & Racism, Love & Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction

Toni Morrison’s novel Paradise was published in 1997, just a few years after she won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1993. According to Morrison, it is the last book of a trilogy that includes Beloved and Jazz. Morrison is an esteemed American novelist, having also received the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction (1998) and the Coretta Scott King Award for Authors (2005), among other awards. She was educated at Howard University and Cornell University, and... Read Paradise Summary

Publication year 2017

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Race, Coming of Age, Family, Mothers, Self Discovery, Immigration, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Children`s Literature, Magical Realism, Indian Literature, Fantasy

Publication year 1955

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Memory, Community, Religion & Spirituality, Grief, Justice, Power & Greed

Tags Latin American Literature, Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Trauma & Abuse, Education, Education, World History, Fantasy

Pedro Paramo is a 1955 novel by Mexican author Juan Rulfo. In the novel, Juan Preciado returns to his mother’s hometown after her death to seek out his father. Rather than his father, he discovers a town populated by ghosts and traumatic memories. Pedro Paramo has been hailed as one of the most important novels of the 20th century and a vital foundation stone in the genre of magical realism. This guide uses the 2014... Read Pedro Paramo Summary

Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Gender Identity, Justice, Good & Evil

Tags Science Fiction, Fantasy, LGBTQ+, Social Justice, Trauma & Abuse, African Literature, Black Lives Matter, Children`s Literature, Magical Realism

Akwaeke Emezi’s Pet, published in 2019, is a Speculative Fiction/Fantasy novel intended for Young Adult readers. Named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time, Pet was also a finalist for the 2019 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. The novel received the Stonewall Book Award, which recognizes achievement in LGBTQIA+ literature. Emezi, a non-binary Nigerian Igbo and Tamil writer who uses they/them pronouns, is also the author of two novels... Read Pet Summary

Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Guilt, Death

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Magical Realism, Health, Asian History, Gender & Feminism, Parenting, Asian Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature

Translated from the Korean by Chi-young Kim, Please Look After Mom (2008) by Kyung-sook Shin is an international work of best-selling fiction. When 69-year-old So-nyo Park goes missing one Saturday outside Seoul Station, her disappearance sets in motion a desperate search not only for where So-nyo might be but for who So-nyo was to her shocked and confused family members. One by one, So-nyo’s family comes to terms with the fact that they didn’t know... Read Please Look After Mom Summary

Publication year 1986

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Birth

Tags Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Classic Fiction

Potiki, a novel by Patricia Grace originally published in 1986, tells the story of a Maori community in New Zealand and their struggle for survival against the attempts of land developers to buy, bully and coerce them off their land. What the developers fail to understand about this community, however, is that no amount of money can entice these people away from their sacred land and buildings, and that there is ultimately more strength in... Read Potiki Summary