Popular European Magical Realism Books
Find magical realism books written by authors from Europe for the next part of the Read Around The World Challenge. (81)
1.
A Botanical Daughter by Noah Medlock EN
EnglandDescription:
Mexican Gothic meets The Lie Tree by way of Oscar Wilde and Mary Shelley in this delightfully witty horror debut. A captivating tale of two Victorian gentlemen hiding their relationship away in a botanical garden who embark on a Frankenstein-style experiment with unexpected consequences. It is an unusual thing, to live in a botanical garden. But Simon and Gregor are an unusual pair of gentlemen. Hidden away in their glass sanctuary from the disapproving tattle of Victorian London, they are free to follow their own interests without interference. For Simon, this means long hours in the dark bas... continue
2.
Airman by Eoin Colfer EN
IrelandDescription:
Conor Broekhart was born to fly. Or more accurately, he was born flying. Little wonder he became what he became. In an age of discovery and invention, many dreamed of flying, but for Conor flight was more than just a dream, it was his destiny. In one dark night on the island of Great Saltee, a cruel and cunning betrayal destroyed his life and stole his future. Now Conor must win the race for flight, to save his family and right a terrible wrong...
3.
All the Names by José Saramago EN
PortugalDescription:
When a drone in the Central Registry discovers a stray unfiled birth certificate, he decides to investigate the identity of the woman--the first step in an obsession that will lead him to her. By the Nobel Prize-winning author of Blindness. Reader's Guide included. Reprint. 60,000 first printing.
Serbia5.
6.
At Twilight They Return: A Novel in Ten Tale by Zyranna Zateli EN
GreeceDescription:
This multigenerational saga is the story of Christoforos, who first weds Petroula, and then Evtha, followed, after her death, by Persa; of his sexually promiscuous son Hesychios and the many bastard children left on the doorstep following the untimely demise of so many would-be daughters-in-law; and of the sisters, brothers, children, and grandchildren who inhabit a household and a history expanding to near-bursting. Rich in symbolism and magical realism, this complex and wondrous family story unfolds nonsequentially in ten interrelated tales. It is a touchstone of contemporary Greek literatur... continue
7.
ItalyDescription:
Baudolino, having just rescued a court official caught in the sacking and burning of Constantinople in 1204, proceeds to entertain the man with the fantastical story of his life.
Spain9.
Cât de mult o iubim pe Glenda by Julio Cortázar RO
BelgiumDescription:
"Cit de mult o iubim pe Glenda" este o colectie de zece povestiri: cosmaruri care se petrec la lumina zilei, permutari imperceptibile intre realitate si fantastic, umor, violenta si melancolie. De la ambiguitatea extrema, care comunica cu tine fara sa-ti dai seama, construindu-ti in minte imagini care n-au fost niciodata pe hirtie, la structuri perfect coerente, dar cu atit mai nelinistitoare, temele lui Cortazar se incheaga dincolo de limbajul nostru, de gindurile pe care ni le-am fi imaginat posibile, jucindu-se cu visele, pisicile si femeile, pictura, timpul sau muzica in infinite... continue
10.
Cereus Blooms at Night : A Novel by Shani Mootoo EN
Description:
Set on a fictional Caribbean island in the town of Paradise, Cereus Blooms at Night unveils the mystery surrounding Mala Ramchandin and the tempestuous history of her family. At the heart of this bold and seductive novel is an alleged crime committed many years before the story opens. Mala is the reclusive old woman suspected of murder who is delivered to the Paradise Alms House after a judge finds her unfit to stand trial. When she arrives at her new home, frail and mute, she is placed in the tender care of Tyler, a vivacious male nurse, who becomes her unlikely confidante and the storyteller... continue