Announcing the June Tag

[Anita]

This vote was close throughout, especially when all three tags were under consideration, but in the end, the clear winner is:

magical realism

Please share your reading plans and recommendations below!

Remember, for the regular monthly reads, the book can be shelved as magical realism on Goodreads, or be a book that is not yet shelved that way but you feel should be.

One way to find books to read for this tag is to please visit:

https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...

[Cynda]

I was bummed fairytales or anthologies did not make it. Turns out to be okay. I will have opportunity to read some books on my tbr list:
The Marriage of Opposites Alice Hoffman
Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen
Eva Luna by Isabel Allende
I am resolved and even a good amount glad.
Added later
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

[Jason]

I'm still somewhat confused with the line of magical realism, fantasy, and sci-fi, so I'm my picks are not magical realsm, let me know.

I plan on reading 1Q84 and The Time Traveler's Wife

I do not have an recommendations but I can day, Don't Read Life of Pi.

[Anita]

Well, you know you aren't really going to get any recommendations from me unfortunately because as a general rule, I'm not a fan of the genre. However, I'm actually a-ok with the outcome because I just finished Salvage the Bones which has made me very interested in reading Sing, Unburied, Sing by the same author!

So that's definitely my plan. In a way, it worked out because I didn't have an option for either of the other two tags, though I would have enthusiastically embraced anthology because I really enjoy short stories very much!

[[deleted user]]

I thought this might win! Sorry Anita!
I'm new to this genre but enjoyed Garden Spells earlier this year so might read First Frost for this tag. My other possible is The Bear and the Nightingale

Some other possibilities (I asked on Litsy when the tags were announced!)
Uprooted
The Snow Child
The Night Circus
The House at the End of Hope Street
The House of the Spirits

And my personal recommendation:
Song of Solomon

[Hebah]

I didn't think I had many to-reads in this genre until I started searching the tag...
I think I'd like to read The Astonishing Color of After, Bone Gap, and something by A.S. King. Several of Catherynne Valente's books would also fit here, and I've been meaning to read more of her stuff beyond the Fairyland books. It could be a good time to try and read The Picture of Dorian Gray or Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. I've got a lot of options to work with here as I try to chip away at Mt. TBR.

[Jen]

Jenny wrote: "I thought this might win! Sorry Anita!
I'm new to this genre but enjoyed Garden Spells earlier this year so might read First Frost for this tag. My other possible is ..."

Uprooted is solid fantasy. I liked the book but I wouldn’t consider it magical realism. But that’s just me. :)

[Jen]

Jen wrote: "Jenny wrote: "I thought this might win! Sorry Anita!
I'm new to this genre but enjoyed Garden Spells earlier this year so might read First Frost for this tag. My othe..."

All the others seem to be great examples of magical realism

[[deleted user]]

Jen wrote: "Jenny wrote: "I thought this might win! Sorry Anita!
I'm new to this genre but enjoyed Garden Spells earlier this year so might read First Frost for this tag. My othe..."

Yeah... that was a recommendation from Litsy so my suggestions may not be totally accurate lol! 😂

[[deleted user]]

Hebah wrote: "I didn't think I had many to-reads in this genre until I started searching the tag...
I think I'd like to read The Astonishing Color of After, Bone Gap, and somethin..."

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell is very weird - i personally loved it, but you do have to understand the conventions of Victorian literature and/or like Jane Austen to really appreciate it.

[Nicole R]

Jason wrote: "I'm still somewhat confused with the line of magical realism, fantasy, and sci-fi, so I'm my picks are not magical realsm, let me know. "

I would not consider Time Traveler’s Wife to be magical realism, but more of a science fiction (Lite) book.

If it is tagged magical realism then go for it! But if you want to stick to something more in line with the actual definition of the tag, then I would perhaps pick something different.

I cannot speak to 1Q84 specifically, but I think of Murakami as more fantasy. But someone else should definitely weigh in on that one.

[Joi]

Dang.

I'll be reading something by Sarah Addison Allen.

Suggestions? Most magical realism I have NOT liked, so I'm not much help. I have enjoyed A Tale for the Time Being. Maybe American Gods or Exit West would count? both are tagged on the first page for Magical Realism.

I did NOT enjoy The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake, but I think I'm in the minority.

[Nicole R]

I do love me a good magical realism book!

I really enjoyed both of the Eowyn Ivey books I have read: The Snow Child and To The Bright Edge of the World.

The Snow Child is a mix of magical realism and fairy tale (maybe a little heavier on fairy tale for those of you who were hoping for that tag).

To the Bright Edge of the World is historical fiction with a very minimal amount of magical realism in the form of Native American shamanism.

For Nora Roberts fans, she has a SLEW of books that fit this tag! I recommend the Three Sisters Island trilogy which starts with Dance Upon the Air. Or, for a stand alone, Midnight Bayou, which is one of my favorite Nora books :)

Y'all also know that I want to recommend One Hundred Years of Solitude because I loved it so much, but it is not for everyone and my heart breaks a little every time someone doesn't gush about it.

[Nicole R]

For my choices, I am going to read a Sarah Addison Allen book. Of her library, I have not read The Peach Keeper or The Sugar Queen. I will start with The Sugar Queen because it is available immediately from my library.

I also recently realized that I have never read anything by Isabel Allende, which seems like an oversight. So, I may try to get to The House of the Spirits as well.

Two new releases that I have my eye on that also fit this tag are The Oracle Year and Space Opera.

[Nicole R]

Joi wrote: "Dang.

I'll be reading something by Sarah Addison Allen.

If you go with Sarah Addison Allen, Garden Spells is definitely her most popular. But, my personal favorite was Lost Lake.

I definitely think that Exit West would work! It is not the conventional choice but it does fit the bill for those not completely sold on the genre.

[Susie]

I recommend Exit West, and Sing, Unburied, Sing. I have no idea what I’ll be reading yet.

[Sushicat]

I plan on reading Sing, Unburied, Sing.

[Nicole R]

Nicole R wrote: "Two new releases that I have my eye on that also fit this tag are The Oracle Year and Space Opera."

Hmmm...upon closer inspection these look like they are solidly sci fi. So, no.

[Nicole R]

Sushicat wrote: "I plan on reading Sing, Unburied, Sing."

Excellent choice and something tells me you will not be alone.

[Hebah]

Jenny wrote: "Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell is very weird - i personally loved it, but you do have to understand the conventions of Victorian literature and/or like Jane Austen to really appreciate it.

Ex-English major here with a propensity for 19th century Brit Lit. Sounds perfect!

[Sushicat]

Joi wrote: "Dang.

I'll be reading something by Sarah Addison Allen.

Suggestions? Most magical realism I have NOT liked, so I'm not much help. I have enjoyed A Tale for the Time Being

I would consider American Gods to be fantasy rather than magical realism.

[Joni]

After doing some research and reading on kids books......I will be reading James and the Giant Peach. I already have it checked out and it also fits a category for a challenge I have at work.

[Nicole R]

Joni, awww, I loved James and the Giant Peach!

[Susie]

I’ve had a good look, and I see that Denizen gave The Snow Child five stars so I think I’ll start there. Other possibilities are Beloved, something by Alice Hoffman, or Murakami if I’m in the mood. I’ve not read Rushdie but the size of them is daunting! There are so many books tagged as Magical Realism that are not!

[Nicole R]

Susie, I agree! It seems like people struggle with magical realism v. sci fi v. fantasy. Which Jason pointed out above as something he struggles with as well.

[Susie]

Let’s talk The Bear and the Nightingale. It’s tagged Magical Realism, but I get the impression it is more fairy tale. Can anyone who has read it shed some light?

[Amy N.]

I would heartily recommend Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire. It's a more grown up take on the aftermath of the 'child tumbles into another world' trope made famous by the likes of Alice in Wonderland and the Chronicles of Narnia. It's a bit short, more of a novella, but there are already two sequels with more on the way.

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake I actually read for the family drama tag, but I very much enjoyed it. Be warned, though, it's kind of out there. (But isn't that the idea? ;)

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater is wholeheartedly a teen paranormal romance, but with a dreamy kind of atmosphere that I think fits the magical realism tag perfectly. If you were Team Jacob at any point, you will like this series.

I will be reading The Golem and the Jinni because it's been on my mental TBR shelf forever and once I got around to reading the preview I knew I had to put it on my actual TBR list.

[Susie]

Jason, LOL re: Life of Pi!!

[Susie]

Amy, I loved The Golem and the Jinni. I hope you do too. Thanks for your recommendations.

[Jason]

I just read an article that says even though 1Q84 seems like magical realism, it's not. Any comments?

[Barbara M]

Cynda wrote: "I was bummed fairytales or anthologies did not make it. Turns out to be okay. I will have opportunity to read some books on my tbr list:
The Marriage of Opposites [author:Alice Hoff..."

Ohhh, Start with Garden Spells. A real feel good book.

[Barbara M]

Jason wrote: "I'm still somewhat confused with the line of magical realism, fantasy, and sci-fi, so I'm my picks are not magical realsm, let me know.

I plan on reading 1Q84 and The Time Traveler's Wife. [But I can say, Don't Read Life of Pi. ..."

Now, see, I listened to Life of Pi and really liked it. My grandson read it a few years later and mentioned that he liked it too (He was 16).

[Barbara M]

Jenny wrote: "I thought this might win! Sorry Anita!
I'm new to this genre but enjoyed Garden Spells earlier this year so might read First Frost for this tag. My other possible is ..."

I really liked Snow Child and can recommend it.

[Jason]

One of my least favorite books. I liked it up until the island. Ruined the book for me from that point on.

[annapi]

I would not classify 1Q84 as magical realism. It's sci-fi/fantasy for me, kind of a mix - same goes for Time Traveler's Wife.

The Golem and the Jinni, Uprooted, and American Gods are fantasy, not MR.

My recommendations would be anything by Sarah Addison Allen or Eowyn Ivey.

[Barbara M]

Amy wrote: "I will be reading The Golem and the Jinni because it's been on my mental TBR shelf forever and once I got around to reading the preview I knew I had to put it on my actual TBR list. .."

Oh Amy, like Susie I loved The Golem and the Jinni and I think you will too. Can't wait to hear what you think. I suppose it could be considered Fantasy because it is pretty heavily into the magical and light on realism. However, if it is tagged as such, you can read it for the tag.

[annapi]

The Bear and the Nightingale has been on my TBR for some time, but it sounds like fantasy to me, not MR. I will have to poke around...

[Barbara M]

Recommendations for Magical Realism, anything by Hoffman and Sarah Addison Allen. Neil Gaiman is listed as MR and the first one I read The Graveyard Book is still my favorite. This is probably on the line between MR and Fantasy. The Shadow of the Wind and the others in the series are ones I can also recommend.

As for me, these are on my list:
Something by: Joanne Harris - Chocolat, Peaches for Father Francis, etc
Something by Hoffman
Lincoln in the Bardo
Every Day
The Hummingbird's Daughter
Exit West
Not likely I'll get to all or even most of these! Depends on what's available at the library!

[Jason]

Found an article saying Shadow of the Wind is not magical realism. I don't get the dang definition of this genre.

[Jason]

It refers to it as possibly treading lightly at the edges of magical realism.

[Magdalena]

I absolutely hated Life of Pi (sorry to anyone who liked it) I don't think I even managed to finish it. Still I'm looking forward to this tag. I voted for fairy tales but I think this will be fun too even if I haven't figured out what I'm reading yet. Right now I'm considering Like Water for Chocolate, Chocolat, The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Night Circus or maybe something by Alice Hoffman but I don't know yet. I haven't read a lot of magical realism or if I have I didn't know that's what it was so no suggestions are coming to me right now but I'll keep thinking.

[Jgrace]

Susie wrote: "Let’s talk The Bear and the Nightingale. It’s tagged Magical Realism, but I get the impression it is more fairy tale. Can anyone who has read it shed some light?"

IMHO, the The Bear and the Nightingale is fantasy based on traditional fairy tales.

[Susie]

Thanks Jgrace. The description led me to think that was the case.

[Meli]

Is The Master and Margarita by Bulgakov magical realism?? my husband suggested it... he lit up when I told him "magical realism" was the June tag :)

[Amy]

I’m going to third and fourth the recommendation for the golem and the jinni. I just loved it Other Amy.

I think I’m going to read the girl in the tower, Which is the second the sequel to the bear and the nightingale. Which would have been fine for either magical realism or fairytales. I think I just learned there is a third book in the winter night trilogy. Of this series. I’m going to see what else on my shortlist happens to fit for magical realism.

[Jgrace]

I agree with NIcole R, I loved Eowyn Ivy's books:

The Snow Child
To The Bright Edge of the World

And Sarah Addison Allen is great. I still haven't read The Sugar Queen so I might go for that one.

It feels like most of us have already read Exit West but those doors are clearly magical in a realistic contemporary setting.

I also recommend :
The House of the Spirits
Like Water for Chocolate
A Tale for the Time Being
The Picture of Dorian Gray ( Publication of this on predates the definition, but I think it fits)
Midnight's Children - (with reservations, It's really long.)
The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts
The Keeper of Lost Things ( a bit like S.A.Allan gone British)

These are books that are on the Good Reads list. I'm not sure I agree with all the people who tagged them Magical Realism, but they were great books!

The Bone Clocks
Life After Life

[Jen]

Nicole R wrote: "Jason wrote: "I'm still somewhat confused with the line of magical realism, fantasy, and sci-fi, so I'm my picks are not magical realsm, let me know. "

I would not consider Time Traveler’s Wife to..."


No Murakami is definitely magical realism. 1Q84 is a good example of magical realism but it’s really long

[Jen]

Jason wrote: "I just read an article that says even though 1Q84 seems like magical realism, it's not. Any comments?"

I think it is magical realism. What was the argument against it being magical realism? To me Murakami is the quintessential writer of MR

[Book Concierge]

I would recommend:
Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel
The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts by Louis de Bernieres
Cellophane by Marie Arana
Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya
Saving Fish from Drowning by Amy Tan
The Love Queen of the Amazon by Cecile Pineda
The Old Man Who Read Love Stories by Luis Sepulveda
The Hummingbird's Daughter by Luis Alberto Urrea
Rain of Gold by Victor Villasenor
The Double by Jose Saramago


This one by James McBride stretches the definition but carries the tag - Miracle at St. Anna


====================

As for what I'll read .... probably book three in the Latin American trilogy by Louis de Bernieres: The Troublesome Offspring of Cardinal Guzmán

[Hayjay315]

I have never delved in to this genre so am woefully unfamiliar with what the parameters are. I recently heard about this book: The Girl from Everywhere which is the first in a series and it really caught my attention. I'm just not sure if it fits the tag?