For readers who like a touch of fantasy with their true-to-life fiction, magical realism books blur the line to create unique takes on the ordinary world. Instead of hidden magic and portals to far-off worlds, this genre imbues what’s real with magic. The characters who live there simply accept the ghosts, time-bending, spells, or paranormal things as part of normality. Readers, however, will discover truly amazing things between the covers of these popular magical realism books.
18 Best Magical Realism Books
The Night Circus
This NY Times bestseller by Erin Morgenstern introduces readers to a mysterious circus that appears out of nowhere and only runs for one night. Magicians Celia and Marco are pitted against each other in a fierce duel that is only supposed to have one survivor. The pair fall in love, however, and upset the plans, the patrons, and reality itself.
The Unmaking of June Farrow
A mysteriously cursed flower farm provides the unique setting of this magical realism book by Adrienne Young. June strives to solve her mother’s disappearance amid increasingly strange and uncanny happenings. When she discovers the hallucinations are tangible, she enters a reality of discovery and love.
One Hundred Years of Solitude
This ultimate classic of the magical realism genre by Gabriel Garcia Marquez follows an important family through time. Macondo, a mythical town is built up, thrives, and then dwindles and disappears over 100 years. A masterpiece often listed among the best Spanish books, it’s widely considered one of the first and most influential novels in the genre.
The Echo of Old Books
Books have a magic all their own, and readers will discover more within the pages of this one by Barbara Davis. Main character Ashlyn discovers mysterious unpublished books that describe a tragic romance that mirrors her own life in unusual ways.
The Master and Margarita
Author Mikhail Bulgakov sends readers back to the Soviet Union, where the devil himself is causing chaos. The story explores different times and places, the realms of reality and imagination, and provides a spark of freedom to Russians living under Stalin.
Beloved
The harsh reality of slavery is explored from the point of view of Sethe, a runaway slave living in Ohio and haunted by her dead baby. Toni Morrison’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel has become a cornerstone of magical realism and American literature.
The Midnight Library
Matt Haig writes about the ultimate ‘What If?’ question all people consider. In a mystical library, books exist for every possible life each person in existence could have lived. Main character Nora Seed travels to this magical place with the option to change everything and discovers what makes a life worth it in the end.
Ishmael
Magic and realism combine in this important book by Daniel Quinn. It explores a variety of global problems, and the possible solutions personified in the travels of one man and a gorilla. It is one of the most important stories that takes a keen look at humankind’s place in nature.
The House of the Spirits
On the surface, this tale by Isabel Allende follows a proud patriarch, his family, and a forbidden love that leads to happiness in the end. However, the magical realism elements that weave through the narrative add another layer of understanding that echoes in the wider world.
If Cats Disappeared from the World
Genki Kawamura wrote this book about a young man on an epic quest to discover meaning in his life before succumbing to a serious medical issue. With his cat at his side, he’s forced to make a horrible choice when the devil offers him a deal. It’s a reflection on loss and how even the smallest things make a difference.
Once Upon a River
A mysteriously resurrected child becomes the focus of three families affected by losses in this magical realism novel by Diane Setterfield. It explores the conjunction of myth, science, and the supernatural along the banks of the Thames.
The Naturalist Society
Knowing the true name of a thing gives you power over it. In this book by Carrie Vaughn, a magical system of taxonomy covers everything in the world. Beth carries this men-only knowledge and skill, and must team up with two others to harness her powers to save the world.
The Snow Child
A struggling couple trying to eke out a living in the Alaskan wilderness find their snow child transformed into a real girl. The magical realism novel by Eowyn Ivey speaks of parenthood, mysteries, and things beyond comprehension to people busy with real-world problems.
Kafka on the Shore
A troubled child, Kafka, and a simple elder, Nakata, are drawn together in a search for family and safety. This book by Haruki Murakami sends readers through a strange world of raining fish, ghostly pimps, and talking cats among other magical realism elements and mysteries.
Midnight’s Children
Salman Rushdie wrote what is considered one of the best books ever written with this magical realism piece that sends readers back to the Indian independence. A baby born at midnight that night is imbued with magical powers that are wound tightly with the fate of the country and all its people.
The Book of Laughter and Forgetting
This unique magical realism book by Milan Kunera gives readers seven different interwoven parts that explore the imaginative realm of humanity. Like many others in this genre, it speaks heavily on political and social conditions without the heavy-handedness of non-fiction rhetoric.
The Golem & The Jinni
The two mythological creatures named in the title are unwittingly released in 1899 New York. They strive to integrate into a world of diverse immigrants, forge an unlikely friendship filled with challenges, and resist separation. Helene Wecker’s book reveals great insight into cultural bonds across lines.
Among Others
Jo Walton spins a tale of a young woman, Mori, who grew up with spirits, was disabled by her mother’s dark magic, and sent away to explore the realm of spell craft with new friends. This magical realism novel blends fantasy with an in-depth exploration of mother-daughter relationships in a way that resonates with many readers.
If you’re ready to dive deeper into your next great read, don’t stop here. After exploring our top picks for speculative fiction books, be sure to check out the 16 Best Speculative Fiction Books for even more imaginative adventures. Looking for something different? Discover gripping stories in our list of the Best Detective Novels, explore supernatural twists in Paranormal Romance Books, or find empowering reads in Books for Women in Their 20s.
For romance lovers, don’t miss our favorite College Romance Books and Military Romance Books, and if you’re building the ultimate reading list, start with our timeless selection of Books to Read Before You Die.
