Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
What we're reading

Find your new favourite book or recommend one on our Book forum.

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:
suedonim · 18/03/2008 16:00

I've just finished The Mistress of Spices by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. After reading this thread I'm assuming this is a MR book too? It's set mostly in America with parts in India. I actually bought my copy in Delhi so it's the genuine article. Shame it's taken me 10yrs to get round to reading it.

LaComtesse · 18/03/2008 20:13

I've read the Mistress of Spices too - another fantastic book.

Original poster
gingerninja · 18/03/2008 20:14

Crikey, hadn't realied this thread had taken off again. Thanks for the suggestions.

OP posts:
Original poster
gingerninja · 18/03/2008 20:22

May have to bookmark this thread I think it's going to last me some time! Thanks again for all the great recommendations I've read some you've mentioned and will get my hands on some Angela Carter as she seems so well thought of.

OP posts:
noscat · 18/03/2008 20:47

I've just finished the Deptford Trilogy and really enjoyed it, what would the Robertson Davis fans suggest next?

sfxmum · 18/03/2008 20:53

The Salterton Trilogy - Tempest-Tost, leaven of Malice, a Mixture of Frailties.

but I love the Cornish trilogy often very funny and my intro to Davies.

am also very fond of The Cunning man

suedonim · 18/03/2008 21:08

I have to say, MR isn't really my cup of tea. I find myself skipping through bits to get onto the 'real' story.

noscat · 18/03/2008 21:14

He grew on me, so I'd like to read more. Know what you mean about the "real" story, but in the Deptford Trilogy I found the analysis section just as interesting as the main theme.

marina · 18/03/2008 23:17

I love the Salterton Trilogy, but in part that's because like Veronica/Pearl, I work in a library
The Cornish Trilogy is him at his funniest though. Maria Magdalena's mother and uncle...it will always be Bebby Jesus in our house forever now
I love the way he weaves real events into his sprawling tales - Giles Revelstoke is based heavily on Philip Heseltine/Peter Warlock.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page