I am not a big fantasy reader, but over the past couple of years, I have been enjoying magical realism. In this post, I want to share my favorite magical realism books.
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What is Magical Realism?
Some people consider magical realism to be a subgenre of fantasy. However, magical realism books are set in a realistic world that has elements of magic. The difference between magical realism and fantasy is that the epic fantasy The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien is set in Middle-earth and has hobbits, elves, dwarves, and wizards uniting on a quest to destroy the One Ring. On the other hand, a magical realism book like We’ll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida is set in the everyday world of Kyoto. However, it has magical elements, with a clinic that only appears to people when they need it and a doctor who prescribes patients cats.
My Favorite Magical Realism Books
What You Are Looking For Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama
I have read several magical realism books by Michiko Aoyama, and What You Are Looking For Is in the Library is my favorite of hers. The book is set in Tokyo and follows visitors to a library. They ask the librarian, Sayuri Komachi, for books she recommends. The magical realism element comes in when Komachi is able to sense what they need in their life. She makes a list of recommended books based on what they ask and also what they need. What You Are Looking For Is in the Library is a heartwarming read because the visitors come to the library needing guidance. By the end of their story, they find what they need at that point in their lives.
Available at Bookshop
Dinner at the Night Library by Hika Harada
Dinner at the Night Library centers on Otoha Higuchi, who begins working at a library in Tokyo that is only open at night. The library houses the private book collections of deceased authors. Unlike traditional libraries, none of the books can be checked out. The story follows Otoha’s time at the library and the book-inspired dinners she eats at the library’s cafe. The book has elements of magical realism with the night library and the mysterious owner no one has met, along with strange occurrences that happen. I did find the ending abrupt, but overall Dinner at the Night Library is an enjoyable read.
Available at Bookshop
We’ll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida
We’ll Prescribe You a Cat is set in Kyoto and follows the people who visit the Nakagyō Kokoro Clinic for the Soul. However, the clinic can only be found by people struggling in their lives and needing help. Instead of being prescribed ordinary medicine at the clinic, they receive a prescription for a cat. We’ll Prescribe You a Cat is a great example of magical realism. The clinic is set in the real city of Kyoto, and the story follows 5 individuals who are experiencing everyday challenges in their lives. The book is such a cozy read and shows how cats can help those when they need it the most.
Available at Bookshop
Marigold Mind Laundry by Yun Jung-eun
Marigold Mind Laundry is about Jieun, who has powers to heal people’s pain and make dreams come true. Jieun then opens the Mind Laundry in the village of Marigold. The customers of the laundromat share the painful memories that are holding them back, which are turned into stains and creases on a T-shirt. Their pain is then washed away, and the creases are ironed out. There is quite a bit of magical realism with Jieun’s powers and the opening of the laundromat. That said, Marigold Mind Laundry is a wonderful book with the theme of healing.
Available at Bookshop
The Cat Who Saved Books by Sōsuke Natsukawa
The Cat Who Saved Books is about Rintaro, who inherits his grandfather’s secondhand bookshop, Natsuki Books, after his death. A talking tabby cat named Tiger then appears at the bookshop and needs Rintaro’s help. Rintaro has to rescue books from people who have imprisoned, mistreated, and betrayed books. The Cat Who Saved Books is in the magical realism genre, with Tiger and Rintaro going through labyrinths to rescue the books. Overall, The Cat Who Saved Books is a great book for those who love books and reading.
Available at Bookshop
When Haru Was Here by Dustin Thao
The last magical realism book I recommend is When Haru Was Here. The book follows Erik Ly, who creates imaginary scenarios in his head to deal with the grief after the death of his best friend. One of the scenarios then becomes real. Haru Tanaka, a boy he met in Japan, appears in a coffee shop and sits next to him. However, no one else can see Haru. I recommend When Haru Was Here to anyone looking for an emotional magical realism read.
Available at Bookshop
They all sound good.
They are all good books I enjoyed reading!
Whoa!!! Magical Realism! That’s an interesting name. I thought stories that are set in the real world but have magic in it is called urban fantasy. I wonder what the difference is between urban fantasy and magical realism. The books you recommended sound awesome. I would like to add the first and the second one to my TBR. Thank you for sharing ^_^
There can be some overlap between magical realism and urban fantasy, but I believe urban fantasy has more of a focus on fantasy/supernatural characters like witches, vampires, demons, gods, etc. and they are in an urban/modern world. Some examples can be The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare and the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan.
Both What You Are Looking For Is in the Library and Dinner at the Night Library are good books!
beautiful post, thank you
Thanks!