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 Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth
Tags Fantasy, Realistic Fiction, Magical Realism, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Identity: Gender
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Magical Realism, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Japanese Literature
1Q84 is a novel written by the Japanese author Haruki Murakami. The book was first published in Japanese in three volumes and released in 2009 and 2010, ahead of an English translation published in 2011, and includes elements of magical realism and dystopian literature. Set in 1984 in Tokyo, the story concerns an assassin who stumbles upon an alternate world she refers to as 1Q84. There, she becomes embroiled in a conspiracy involving an abusive... Read 1Q84 Summary
Publication year 2004
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism
Publication year 2004
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Society: Community
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Japanese Literature, Surrealism
After Dark was published in 2004 by acclaimed Japanese author Haruki Murakami. The novel follows protagonist Mari Asai through one night in Tokyo. Mari has run-ins with organized crime, people on the run, and others who do not fit into Tokyo’s often conservative society. After Dark was met with lackluster critical reception, partially due to Murakami’s characteristic ambiguity and apparent lack of an ending; however, others argue that this ambiguity allows readers to interpret events... Read After Dark Summary
Publication year 2000
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Magical Realism, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Magical Realism, Fantasy
Publication year 2012
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Siblings
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Fantasy, Religion / Spirituality
Alif the Unseen is the debut novel of G. Willow Wilson, an American-born writer of comics and prose who lived in Egypt for a time and converted to Islam in 2003. Published in 2012, the book won the 2013 World Fantasy Award for Best Novel and was nominated for the 2013 Locus Award for Best First Novel. Blending fantasy, dystopian, and cyberpunk themes, it follows a young man’s journey through the seen world of humans... Read Alif the Unseen Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Flora/plants, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Music
Tags Romance, Harlem Renaissance, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Fantasy
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Family
Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Romance
American Street is a contemporary coming-of-age novel by Haitian American young adult author Ibi Zoboi. It was published in 2017 and was a finalist for the National Book Award for Young People's Literature the same year. Plot SummaryAmerican Street tells the story of a teenage Haitian immigrant named Fabiola who moves back home to the United States, her country of birth. As she and her mother are reentering the US, immigrant authorities seize Fabiola’s mother... Read American Street Summary
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Grief / Death, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Religion / Spirituality
A Monster Calls (2011) was written by Patrick Ness, illustrated by Jim Kay, and the original idea for the novel is credited to the late Siobhan Dowd. Ness wrote the novel in Dowd’s memory after she passed away in 2007 from breast cancer. Set in present-day England, A Monster Calls is a young adult fantasy novel that explores topics of terminal illness, grief, death, anger, and the grieving process through the eyes of a child;... Read A Monster Calls Summary
Publication year 2005
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Fathers, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Fantasy, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Humor
Anansi Boys is a fantasy novel by British author Neil Gaiman, written in 2005. It is set within the same world as his earlier novel American Gods and shares the title character of Anansi. In 2006, the novel won both the Locus Award and the British Fantasy Society Award. Anansi Boys deals with themes of family, duality, and storytelling, drawing from West African mythology and archetypes to create a story rooted in the here and... Read Anansi Boys Summary
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Action / Adventure, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, History: World
An Echo in the Bone (2009) is the seventh novel in the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. Combining elements of the historical fiction, adventure, fantasy, magical realism, and romance genres, the series follows the adventures of Claire Randall, a WWII battle nurse who accidentally time travels to 18th-century Scotland and falls in love with Jamie Fraser, a Highland warrior. Over the course of 10 planned novels, Gabaldon follows Claire, Jamie, and their family as they... Read An Echo in the Bone Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Fantasy, Romance
Publication year 1998
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Indigenous, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, Historical Fiction
Antelope Woman is a novel by Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) author Louise Erdrich. First published in 1998 as The Antelope Wife, Erdrich revised and updated the text in 2012 and re-issued it, adding new content, storylines, and chapters. Like much of Erdrich’s other work, the novel is a multi-generational story of both Indigenous and white families set in and around traditional Ojibwe lands in North Dakota and Minnesota. Erdrich is known for her use of magical realism... Read Antelope Woman Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Self Discovery, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Colonialism
Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Action / Adventure, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: War, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Military / War, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Natural World: Climate, Identity: Language, Identity: Indigenous
Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, LGBTQ
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, Music, Relationships, Children's Literature
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality, Self Discovery, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Courage
Tags Fantasy, Mythology, Magical Realism, Race / Racism, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Historical Fiction, Japanese Literature
A Tale for the Time Being is a 2013 work of literary fiction written by Japanese-American novelist Ruth Ozeki. Told in four parts, the book goes back and forth between the stories of two protagonists: sixteen-year-old Naoko “Nao” Yasutani, who is writing about her life in Tokyo during the early 2000s, and Ruth, a Japanese-American novelist living on an island off the coast of Western Canada. Ruth finds Nao’s diary on the beach shortly after... Read A Tale For The Time Being Summary