Tag: Magic realism

Books to Read for Hispanic Heritage Month

~ The Regal Writer ~ Leave a comment

Every so often, I like to share a list of reading recommendations–books I’ve either read or would like to read. Usually, they’re focused on a specific genre or location.

For example, in August 2024, to go along with the Summer Olympics in Paris, I shared a list of books by French authors or stories that took place in France. Earlier that same year in March 2024, I posted a list of books by Irish authors or with settings in Ireland to go along with St. Patrick’s Day..

As Hispanic Heritage Month gets underway, I thought it would be fun to compile a list of books by Hispanic authors or set in Spanish-speaking countries. The list covers a range of genres from literary and historical fiction to magic realism and romance. What I appreciate most about these stories are the unique characters and colorful settings. The true magic is in the storytelling, which brings the Hispanic heritage to life on the page.

I’ve broken the list into two sections: books I’ve read and books I’d like to read. Perhaps you’ve read these books yourself or have your own favorites to share. I welcome them in your comments.

Books I’ve Read

Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya.  I first heard about this book when it landed on PBS’ The Great American Read list of must-read books several years ago. It’s a coming-of-age story about a young boy’s spiritual transformation, guided by his mentor, an elderly medicine woman. I found the story fascinating. As with many stories written by Latino authors, there’s plenty of magic and surrealism. The book has been banned in some locations because of its Spanish profanity and occult themes.

Like Water, For Chocolate by Laura Esquival. I remember seeing this as a movie so I wanted to read the novel too. It has romance, magic and tragedy featuring an all-female family. Youngest daughter Tita has fallen in love with Pedro, but cannot marry him because Mexican tradition requires that she must stay and care for her mother until she dies. To stay close to Tita, Pedro marries her older sister. Meanwhile, Tita pours all her unresolved emotions into her cooking, which makes for some interesting results. 

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. It’s been a long time since I’ve read this book, which is considered a modern classic. It’s the story of a shepherd boy named Santiago who yearns to travel the world and the treasures he finds along the way. It’s a story about longing, the wisdom of listening to our hearts and learning to follow our dreams. I may have to re-read this one.

The House on Mango Street by Sandra (Esperanza) Cisneros. Written by Chicagoan Sandra Cisneros and structured as a series of vignettes, this novel appeared on The Great American Read list and is considered a modern classic. It follows 12-year-old Esperanza, a Chicano girl growing up in a Hispanic neighborhood of Chicago over the course of one year where she enters adolescence and faces the realities of living in a poor and patriarchal community.

In The Time of The Butterflies by Julia Alvarez. I loved this historical fiction novel about the four Mirabel sisters who fought back against the Trujillo dictatorship in the Dominican Republic. Written from their four different perspectives, their bond as sisters and family grew even as the world they once knew fell apart.

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika Sanchez. This Young Adult novel features a young girl Julia dealing with the loss of her older sister and the pressures and expectations of her family, particularly her overprotective mother. Instead, Julia has dreams of her own, including moving out of her neighborhood to explore the world.

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. I’ve had this book on my shelf for the past year, and I’m finally getting around to reading it. Though I’m only a couple of chapters in, I am enjoying it so far. The book is described as a blend of creepy horror and classic gothic tropes, set in a crumbling mansion in the mountains of Mexico in the 1950s. It’s earned high praise from critics and readers alike, so naturally I want to read what the excitement is about.

Books to Read on My TBR Shelf

One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia-Marquez. This title lands at the top of almost every must-read list. It’s been sitting on my shelf for several years and I haven’t opened it yet because I find the size (more than 500 pages) is rather daunting.

In The Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia-Marquez. This one is also on my shelf. I tried to read it once, but it was at the start of the pandemic. The plot was too much like what we were all going through at the time.

How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accent by Julia Alvarez. The follow up to In The Time of the Butterflies, this story spans 30 years in the lives of four sisters, told from their different perspectives, as they begin their adult lives in the United States. The cool thing about this novel is that the story is told in reverse chronological order with the story concluding in their native Dominican Republic as children.

The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas. For a change of pace from the somber tones and serious themes of previous works, here comes a rom-com I’m looking forward to reading. Besides, who wouldn’t want to be invited to a wedding in Spain?

The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende. This novel has been on my wish list for several years. Combining elements of romance and magic realism, this title appears on many must-read book lists and has received praise from readers and critics alike.

Of Love and Shadows by Isabel Allende. Of Allende’s many other published works, this is next in line to read behind The House of the Spirits.

Romance, mystery and magic are hallmarks of these stories, which makes them more fun to read.

Magic Realism Brings Charm to Reading Fiction

~ The Regal Writer ~ Leave a comment
Photo by willsantt on Pexels.com

Who doesn’t love a little magic with their reading? I certainly do. Lately, I’ve been fascinated by magic realism, a genre that’s been around for decades but is getting more exposure of late.

Popularized in Latin-American fiction, magic realism combines surreal and fantastical elements in realistic settings. Fantasy slips into everyday life seemingly as if they belong there. But they don’t exist simply for the sake of entertainment. The magical elements are intended to question or emphasize real-world situations, whether they be societal, familial or emotional, among other things.

The works of Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Salman Rushdie and Isabel Allende are frequently cited as key players in this genre. Marquez’s book One Hundred Years of Solitude is considered a classic and a must-read for anyone who wants to explore this type of writing either as a reader or a writer.

What makes a story magic realism? Three key characteristics set it apart from other types of fiction:

  • The story is set in the real world, not in a make-believe setting.
  • The story contains magical and fantastical elements that have real-world implications, whether to question the political environment, society or familial environments.
  • The story is written as literary fiction but without traditional plot structure. The story may weave back and forth between the past, the present and the future.

Reading these types of stories requires an open mind. You have to be open to the nature of the fantastical and the surreal. Most important you need to suspend judgment about what is happening on the page.

I’ve read several of these stories over the past few years, from the light-hearted (Garden Spells) to the deeper exploration of a man’s identity (Song of Solomon). Some I liked very much; others not so much. But each one left me looking at the world a little differently. Isn’t that what writing is all about?

Are there any magic realism books you’ve read that you’d recommend? Share them in the comments.

Six magic realism titles I’ve read:

1.  Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen. One of the first magic realism books I’ve read. This one reminds me a lot of Practical Magic with its two magical sisters. I love the garden setting, especially the apple tree that throws apples at people.

2.  The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. I loved this book by Morgenstern that pits two magicians against one another in a battle to the death – until they fall in love with one another. The magical creations at the circus are incredible.

3.  Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman. I have always loved Alice Hoffman’s writing, especially with the way she plays with plot lines and story structures. Historically, she has played with mystical characters and situations. PM is on the lighter side of her collection of works. It’s the first of a series about the Owens family who have been cursed in love for several hundred years.

4.  Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquival. Charming story about the youngest daughter in a Mexican family who longs to be with her beloved Pedro, but can never have a relationship with him because of a family tradition in which the youngest must take care of her mother until she dies. Tita is only able to express herself when she cooks.

5.  Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison. The story follows the birth and life of Milkman Dead, who was born after a man jumps of a roof while trying to fly. It’s a strange journey for Milkman, who grows up stifled and alienated. His aunt Pilate, a bootlegger and a conjure woman, becomes a central figure in his life who helps him understand his family’s past.

6.  The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender. When young Rose bites into her mother’s lemon cake, she begins to taste her mother’s emotions – that of sadness and longing. She learns to navigate life with her strange ability.  
Six magic realism novels on my reading list:

1.  One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. When you talk about magic realism, Marquez’s book is considered a classic. It has set the standard that all other magic realism stories must live up to.

2.  House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende. Allende is on my list of must-read authors, and this title is considered a classic in the magic realism spectrum.

3.  The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey. This debut novel set in Alaska in the 1920s tells the story of a couple so desperate to have a child of their own that they create a child out of snow. The next morning the snow child is gone, but in its place is a real little girl, wild and secretive.

4.  The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. Imagine going to a library where one book tells the story of your current life, and all the other books describe your life as it could be if you had made different choices.

5. Land of Love and Drowning by Tiphanie Yanique. An epic family saga set against the magic and atmosphere of the Virgin Islands in the early 1900s. Orphaned after a shipwreck, two sisters and their half-brother are faced with an uncertain future, but each possesses a particular magic that will either hurt them or save them.

6. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman. I’ve heard a lot of good things about Gaiman, so this title lands on my list. From Gaiman’s website, “This harrowing and bewitching tale of mystery and survival, and memory and magic, makes the impossible all too real.”