Lately, I have been on a magical realism kick. I have been devouring Ruby by Cynthia Bond, and I love her usage of magical realism as a way of depicting the historical and cultural fabric of her setting and characters. Any recommendations on similar books, that are modern, for adults, and use magical realism in a way that doesn't feel cheesy?
In the Eyes of Mr. Fury from Philip Ridley. It's the best . Neil Gaiman is also amazing. I personally suggest Ocean at the end of the Lane. It's more emotionally involved than say, American Gods.
South American literature is full of examples of magical realism. Here's just a small list of authors (both from South America and not): Gabrial Garcia Marquez, Jorge Luis Borges, Isabel Allende, Julio Cortazar, Jose Saramago, Kafka, and Murakami.
I highly recommend Marquez and Borges. I'd also add Alejo Carpentier and Ana Castillo to the list of South Americans (granted i use the phrase very loosely). I'd also recommend House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski. Also, things by Gunter Grass (he's widely seen as post-modernism, but he walks the line of magical realism quite well.)
Oh my consummately long reading list. Nothing is as sure as death and taxes...except for the fact I will never, ever complete my reading list. But thank you for the suggestions, in all sincerity. My Kindle keeps recommending terrible, cheap, erotica. And don't get me started on the New York Best Sellers List. I have tried and failed to read Rushdies Midnight Children (I think that's the title) But I loved his children's novels. I want to read all of these novels.
Midnight's Children. I tried to read it once before, but I don't think I was ready for it. I'll be trying it again pretty soon.
I've tried Midnight's Children too and I couldn't really get into it either (and I'm someone that likes to finish books). A lot of people really like his ambitious prose -- I found it unnecessarily clunky. To each their own I guess. But I liked his children's novels too! Come to think of it, though I love what magical realism can offer as a (sub) genre, I couldn't get into some of the more famous works. 100 Years of Solitude just wasn't my up of tea. It was hard to feel connected to the characters when you jump a generation every few pages. I had problems keeping track of all the characters, since many of them share the same name. As for Murakami's Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, I actually finished that book, but I can't say it's one of my favourites. Nothing happens. I mean OK, things kind of happen but most of the book comprised of things like dreams or backstory. I didn't feel satisfied.
Haroun and the Sea of Stories was excellent, and sort of heartbreaking because he wrote it for his son while he was in hiding.
American Gods was my first introduction to Gaiman, but it kind of got bulldozed by the proffessor who made it required reading. She was an early onset Gaiman groupie. We spent nearly a month on it, and it totally ruined it for me.
Try his children's books! American Gods was my first Gaiman book too, and it was a bit meh, though by no means bad. I like books that get you emotionally involved and Gaiman doesn't do that with his adult books. He said it himself, he's British and male, which makes his writing less emotionally expressive. His children's books however are different. Oceans and Coraline are two of my favourite books. I want to read The Graveyard Book too. You can try them out. You might just really like them
100 Years Of Solitude rewards effort. I found Marquez's writing tough but captivating, and by the time I got to the final third I just couldn't put it down. Chronicle Of A Death Foretold is a bit of an easier introduction to him, and if you want to go easier still, the first 3 Louis de Bernieres novels (The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts, Senor Vivo and the Coca Lord, The Troublesome Offspring of Cardinal Guzman) are basically him wanting to be Marquez really hard. Also: Salamander, by Thomas Wharton. It has a clockwork castle, an infinite book, a dress you can fit a brace of pistols down and the best sex scene I've ever read.
A Wild Sheep Chase by Murakami is one of my favorite novels. Also, Kafka on the Shore is really good. Besides Murakami, I haven't read much magical realism except for American Gods by Gaiman, which I thought was ok.
