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Original poster

Magical Realism recommendations

59 replies

gingerninja · 13/03/2008 20:42

I'm reading 100 yrs of Solitude and I've read other Gabriel Garcia Marquez and bit of Salmon Rushdie and while I quite like the writing style I'm finding GGM a bit hard going. I think it's because I'm not familiar with South American culture or spanish so get lost with names and cultural / political references.

Can anyone recommend anyone else? Are there any Brits writing in this genre? I'm not familiar with it outside these few books.

OP posts:
Bink · 14/03/2008 23:08

Apart from Midnight's Children, the only MR-type book I've ever really liked was Alice Walker's The Color Purple. I think the reason I rate those two is that they've each got a real solid fierce point to them.

policywonk · 14/03/2008 19:44

Just to second the following: Nights at the Circus, House of Spirits, and the three Louis de Bernieres (ONLY the three mentioned by jennster though).

poodlepusher · 14/03/2008 19:38

Like Water for Chocolate - by Laura Esquivel

Its a much lighter read than 100 Yrs of Solitude (which I think is one of the most amazing books ever).

But its compelling and funny and has the MR ingredient, definitely.

slayerette · 14/03/2008 14:13

If you want to give Angela Carter a go, start off with The Bloody Chamber - short stories based on fairy tales but with a dark feminist twist - fascinating!

kerala · 14/03/2008 14:08

Isabel Allende House of Spirits.

one of my all time favourite books

jennster · 13/03/2008 20:54

Louis de Bernieres

The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts (1990)

Señor Vivo and the Coca Lord (1991)

The Troublesome Offspring of Cardinal Guzman (1992),

I loved these. I've read Innocent Erendira (GGM) but didn't really like it.

Original poster
gingerninja · 13/03/2008 20:51

OOh Ta. I think someone else recommended Nights at the circus to me before.

I'm only asking for MR because I know he's categorised in that genre and I do like the way he deals with fantastical situations in a real and ordinary kinda way.

OP posts:
nkf · 13/03/2008 20:46

Jeanette Winterson. Ben Okri. Angela Carter for a more accessible read.

SenoraPostrophe · 13/03/2008 20:45

I love GGM, but he always makes his novels go on too long. about 40 years too long in the case of 100yos.

you might like angela carter. she writes books in a similar vein, although whether critics would call them magical realism I don't know. Nights at the Circus is good.