Katherine Harbour's Blog - Posts Tagged "magic-realism"

Boy, Snow, Bird
This is a somewhat realistic (maybe magic realism?) telling of Snow White, from the stepmother's pov. It begins in the 1950s with Boy Novak, a young woman with a horrible father. (He makes a living as a rat catcher.) She escapes and marries a kind, bewildered widower, and meets his beautiful child Snow. Boy is a tough, fascinating character, reminiscent of the heroines in 50s movies. Her bad side appears when her daughter Bird is born and she learns her husband's family are African Americans passing as white. But she loves Bird. It's selfish Snow, perfect and loved by everyone, whom she begins to mistrust. It's left to the reader to decide who's wicked. There's also a portion of the book dedicated to young Bird's pov, and she's a lovable, flawed young girl who reaches out to her exiled sister Snow.
And, of course, the mirror is a theme that reflects the way Boy, Snow, Bird--and even the rat catcher--are seen by the world. A gorgeous story.

Vassa in the Night
Living with her two sisters in a magic realism version of Brooklyn, Vassa has lost both parents; one to illness, the other having turned himself into a dog. When Vassa is sent on an errand one night to the dreaded convenience store BYS, she becomes trapped by its witchy owner, Babs. (The store is surrounded by the heads of shoplifters on spikes.)
Vassa, who has a small, living doll as a companion, is soon trapped into working for Babs. During the course of her employment, she meets a motorcyclist who might be Night itself, a brace of swans, two bizarrely sentient disembodied hands, and a charming and reckless boy. Very Bad Things happen.
This is a lovely, lyrical tale of magic realism, based on the Russian folklore of Baba Yaga. Vassa is a resourceful and wryly charismatic heroine, and who would think my two favorite characters would be a wooden doll named Erg and a murderous hand called Dexter?

All the Crooked Saints
Set in Colorado in the early sixties, this is the story of the Soria family. Its younger members--sixteen-year-old Joaquin, eighteen-year-old Beatrice, and nineteen-year-old Daniel--aspire to different things. But Daniel is a saint who can perform miracles.
The miracles manifest in strange ways and the pilgrims who come for them often suffer an odd transformation that won't vanish until they reach some sort of catharsis. Joaquin and Beatrice run a pirate radio station. Beatrice believes she's cold-hearted even after meeting a sweet boy named Pete, who comes to work at the Soria ranch. There are striking characters, such as a girl in a constant veil of rain and a bridal gown covered with live butterflies, and I found the magic realism haunting. As the Soria family's fantastical history unfolds, one of them is placed in peril and must be saved by a miracle. More of a fable than a plot-driven narrative, this story is for fans of Isabel Allende, Francesca Lia Block, and Alice Hoffman.

The Rules of Magic
Set in the 60s and a prequel to Practical Magic, this novel can be read as a standalone. Franny, Jet, and Vincent are raised by distant parents. After tragedy strikes,they must survive on their own in New York City. Their ancestry--they are all witches--has given them rules they must follow to avoid trouble. And there is a curse that has to do with love and the danger the siblings pose to anyone they fall in love with. With an atmosphere of magic realism, this is a fairy tale about three siblings who are determined to live their own way. There's a lovely twist ending that I didn't see coming. The theme, despite the anguish it conveys, is that one must love often and love more. I wanted to follow the characters everywhere and of course I want a movie.

Jane, Unlimited
This is a book about possibilities. Jane is invited to her friend's mansion Tu Reviens. Jane has just lost her aunt, who was raising her. Jane's hobby is making umbrellas that reflect her moods.
Tu Reviens is inhabited by a group of eccentric people preparing for a gala.There are the knowledgeable servants, the mysterious brother and sister, Patrick and Ivy, and the best friend's brother, Ravi. There's the reclusive millionaire father and others who have secrets. Although the story seems contemporary, there are hints, in paintings and frog rains, that things are not quite as they seem.
Jane is presented with five choices throughout the story.With each path she chooses, there's a different outcome and a different genre. It's an amazing feat of writing, weird and wonderful, with a protagonist who has the best qualities of the pluckiest Austen heroines.

Akata Witch
Sunny was moved by her family from America, to Nigeria. Albino and fourteen, she has enough problems before she realizes she's a free agent, an avatar for a powerful spirit. She meets Orlu, Sasha, and Chichi, three other young people who are also avatars. Meanwhile, a bad agent named Black Hat Otokoto is ritualistically murdering children. Sunny is determined to find her way in this strange shadow world.
With its exquisite details, spectacular imagery of Nigerian folklore, and four fierce heroes, this coming-of-age story is for every age.