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Magical realism books for young adults12/28/2023 ![]() For example, ghosts are typical figures in magical realism novels at the same time, many cultures consider ghosts to be a natural reality. What’s especially troubling about this is the fact that this application tends to come from a Eurocentric position that labels “magical” any beliefs considered “irrational” or “unreal” from a very narrow perspective. ![]() ![]() The major issue with the term magical realism is that it has a history of being applied to works by minority writers, especially BIPOC writers the world wide. Similarly, Cherokee writer Brandon Hobson has discussed what he sees as the problematic use of the word magic, explaining that magic is “a little cheap way of talking about it.” They’re not alone. Toni Morrison was very public about the downsides of using magical realism to define her works (and those of other BIPOC writers). In his essay “ What We Talk About When We Talk About Magical Realism,” Fernando Sdrigotti underscores the damaging ways that magical realism has been used to essentialize, exoticize, and pigeonhole writers of color - most especially Latinx and Latin American writers. Others are very specific, considering only works where the tone is highly objective - even journalistic - but the characters or events break from reality.ĭespite the term “magical realism” having its roots in 1920s German art criticism, most literary uses of the term are traced to the Latin American “Boom” literature of the 1960s. Some scholars include anything that is not typically the domain of the “real,” the broadness of which can see the label “magical realism” applied to folklore, mythology, fairytales, fantasy, speculative fiction, paranormal literature, and more. Regardless of how much magic there is, what counts as “magic” is widely disputed and largely disagreed upon. Sometimes the magic permeates the text, jumping out at you from every page, while in other instances the magic is occasional. Beyond that, well, there’s a lot of confusion. Generally speaking, magical realism novels are characterized by its overall adherence to realism…except for the magic. So broad, in fact, that it can absorb other genres (like fantasy). What defines a magical realism novel? The presence of magic, obviously! But that’s an extremely broad definition. Originally hailing from the sun and sandstone of southern California, she currently resides with her partner, offspring, and feline companion in the sleepy mountains of western North Carolina. ![]() She exists on a steady diet of books and hot chocolate, with a heaping side of travel whenever possible. Anne Mai Yee Jansen is a literature and ethnic studies professor and a lifelong story addict. ![]()
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