Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ

Anita wrote: "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 b..."

Dang. I will go through the shelf link, though, and see if there is something on my tbr.

But, that's how things go and so many people enjoy this. I've read some before, so know I can muster up the strength to do this.

The only two books to get more than 1-3 stars from me on the first 5 pages of books, and I recommend them, are:

Holes
Lost Lake

ETA I hope I remember this later as I have put 3 on hold at the library, but these books from my tbr showed up. I went to page 25 of the shelf and started to work backward as I figured I'd have more success that way. My options right now are:

A Midsummer Night's Dream
Water for Elephants
The One and Only Ivan
The Secret Place

and all of these have been shelved magical realism more than once. I doubt I'll go through all 25 pages of Magical Realism to find more at this point :)

ETA again: perhaps The Art of Hearing Heartbeats

Joi wrote: "Got the audio of The Peach Keeper. Short book!

Also from the recent book lists found some really intruiging ones. Considering adding on
-Rainbirds"

Imalso picked up The Astonishing Color of After. Not sure I’ll get to it though.

Hayjay315 wrote: "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 serie..."

The description reads like pure Fantasy to me. However, in our game of PBT, if it is tagged as such, you can use it. Many of the group feel that they won't read it if it doesn't fit the tag even those it has the tag. That's a personal choice for you to make.

On the other hand, there are lots of really good ideas and recommendations in this thread that are really good and we'll probably do Fantasy or Time Travel at some point and you can bring that title back up!

June decathlon posted in message 343...

Anita wrote: "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 ..."

I heard Jesmyn Ward (author of Sing, Unburied, Sing) speak a few weeks ago. She is a quiet but very passionate speaker with - unfortunately - personal experience in how tragic a black man's life in the US can be. I had never read any of her books before hearing her speak, but I want to read Sing Unburied Sing now too. It will be later though - don't have time in June unfortunately. So I'm really looking forward to your review.

I plan to read -- or finish reading - LaRose by Louise Erdrich. This was one of my bookclub books a few months ago. However, I had only read the first few chapters before the meeting because, frankly, I find most of Erdich's books a little depressing. But it was a really interesting discussion, and now I want to finish the book :-)

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..."

Garden Spells is a light, fun read --- but my vote is totally for The Night Circus, which I loved and is on my keeper shelf.

Nicole R wrote: "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)..."

Yes! Not always a magical realism fan, but I do like fairy tales and I really liked this one! I was going to comment it would also have fit for fairy tales, as well.

I was disappointed that exactly zero people tagged Here Be Dragons as magical realism even though it is fantasy because I may be reading it in June and I could have killed two birds with one stone.

I figured I would have some to choose from to read for this, though it's not my favourite. Top choices from my tbr (though not sure if they "really" fit or not - at LT someone has them tagged "magical realism"):

- Tracks / Louise Erdrich
- Yarrow / Charles de Lint (have it as an ILL, so have to get to it soon, anyway!)
- The Lonely Hearts Hotel / Heather O'Neill
- Ghosts / Raina Telgemeier
- The Museum of Extraordinary Things / Alice Hoffman

The de Lint one might be more fantasy, but I'll be reading it, anyway, so we'll see.

I'd hoped to get to Ghosts this month, but that's unlikely to happen.

Alice Hoffman has been up or down for me, depending on the book, but I did add this one to my tbr!

Susie wrote: "Jason, LOL re: Life of Pi!!"

I have no respect for this book myself.
I wanted to like something 'interesting' and different and thought-provoking when I read it with a different group, but I did not enjoy or appreciate it.

I loved The Golem and the Jinni. I could stand to read it again. I also enjoyed Time Traveler's Wife, ditto. But this month is going to be super busy for us, so I'll choose only Wrinkle in Time, catching up on the other group's May read. ;)

Btw, the Listopia list linked in the OP is, I agree, full of stuff that doesn't seem to fit what I thought was the definition of the genre. But since most of the stuff on the first pp I've already decided are not for me or have read and rated low, I'm glad to find AWiT on it. Whether or not it belongs there.

Has anyone read Raven Stole the Moon? It looks as though it fits and it is tagged as such, but would appreciate an opinion from someone who read it.

I've just got IQ84 (I have no idea that it is sooo long) and Life of Pi from library. I think I will also read The Picture of Dorian Gray as it is also stuck on my shelf for a few years.

I originally planned to read Ine Hundred Years of Solitude as well but I can't get any English copies from the library, so maybe I'll just finish the others first and see if I have time to read more...

Sharon wrote: "I've just got IQ84 (I have no idea that it is sooo long) and Life of Pi from library. I think I will also read The Picture of Dorian Gray as it is also stuck on my shelf for a few years.

I origin..."

One Hundred Years is long too, lol. I love the ambition!!! I hope you can squeeze them all in.

Doughgirl5562 wrote: "Anita wrote: "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 outc..."

I'm excited to read it because I really thought her other book was so well written. Very cool that you got to see her speak! I'm hoping maybe they get her for the National Book Festival this year, so I can see her as well.

Anita wrote: "Sharon wrote: "I've just got IQ84 (I have no idea that it is sooo long) and Life of Pi from library. I think I will also read The Picture of Dorian Gray as it is also stuck on my shelf for a few ye..."
I think I will start with the Picture of Dorian Gray first since I have bought it in secondary school, but never read it since...Luckily I've finished finals that I will have more time to read.

I was surprised by how quickly 1Q84 went by. I dreaded the length of it too, but when I finally dove into it for a challenge, I finished it pretty quickly.

I will read First Frost, I enjoyed the first book Garden Spells.

We request that you read the book, or at least a good portion of the book, in the month of the tag—so, in this case, June.

Of course, we are all on the honor system, but it seems to have worked well thus far.

I’m sticking with this spirit of PBT, no, you could not report Rules of Magic in June.

In sticking with*

Darn autocorrect. And darn GR app that doesn’t support editing of posts.

Nicole R wrote: "In sticking with*

Darn autocorrect. And darn GR app that doesn’t support editing of posts."

One of the benefits of having an old school tower pc is that we can edit (not that I always notice what I need to edit.) However, I highly doubt most tablet/phone users are going to revert.

Karin wrote: "One of the benefits of having an old school tower pc is that we can edit (not that I always notice what I need to edit.) However, I highly doubt most tablet/phone users are going to revert.

I love my old fashioned pc.

Yup, I don't do Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ on my phone, only on my PC. It's just too much trouble for my eyes.

Well, after reading all the comments that have been posted since i left for the week-end, it looks like even though the book I said I was going to read(A Conjuring of Light) is on the listopia, it really isn't Magical Realism-so I am still searching for a book

Booknblues wrote: "I love my old fashioned pc..."

Me, too! I hate having to type on my tablet!

This is a whole new world for me. I've not read any books from this genre. So I am going with Amy's recommendation
The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman
Then I'm going to read everyone's reviews or suggestions to decide what other books to read.

I'm planning to read at least two of these three books:

- One Hundred Years of Solitude, by Gabriel García Márquez

- 1Q84, by Haruki Murakami

- The Ocean at the End of the Lane, by Neil Gaiman

On other occasions these books have already been recommended to me, so I will take the opportunity given by this monthl's Tag to keep up with this genre.

Roberto wrote: "I'm planning to read at least two of these three books:."

Great options, Roberto!

You are going to adore the Dovekeepers! I might be like 10/10 For recommendations for you.

Amy wrote: "You are going to adore the Dovekeepers! I might be like 10/10 For recommendations for you."

I think so far you are! I'm looking forward to reading this book and trying out another genre. Spreading my wings here.

Very excited to be reading magical realism this month. Mostly because it lets me scratch the 2017 Fiction Pulitzer winner off of my list for the year.

I'll be reading:

The Underground Railroad
Exit West
The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August

I am not normally a reader of magical realism, but I highly recommend: The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto by Mitch Albom, especially if you are a music lover. I read it last year and really enjoyed it.

Here's a link to my review in case it is helpful: /review/show...

I'll probably read a book I can get from Overdrive: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz.

By the way, Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende is on the list, but I read it recently and I am not sure it fits the magical realism tag (or if it does maybe someone can tell me how, as I must have missed it - maybe the Chinese healer?) Having said that, I highly recommend it! Link to my review: /review/show...

Barbara wrote: "Hayjay315 wrote: "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 th..."

Thanks for the input Barbara and I will be saving this for a different tag. After going back through my TBR list as well as the Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Magical Realism shelf and Anita's Book Riot link I have settled on Everything Is Illuminated by Jonathan Safron Foer! Joy D's recommended book The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto by Mitch Albom is also intriguing!

Joy D wrote: "I am not normally a reader of magical realism, but I highly recommend: The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto by Mitch Albom, especially if you are a music lover. I read ..."

Im currently reading a Mitch Albom book and have read a few others, am also a music lover so will definetely have to check this one out! thankyou!

I have a recommendation:
I've started listening to Nights at the Circus by Angela Carter.
It's been in my lists for years.
I'm only few chapters in - but it's brilliant so far.
(after a shaky beginning)

The story of a winged woman. Smart, funny, well written, with great women - both lead and support crew. Don't know where it's going yet, but I'm loving it

I'm really going to do it. It's going to be The Master and Margarita

Nicole, for real this time?!?

I've read quite a few of the books that are on the list. I highly recommend one of the Isabel Allende novels if anyone is looking for suggestions. She is a terrific storyteller.

As for me, I'm going to give Cloud Atlas a go.

Hebah wrote: "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..."

I read this one a few years ago. I enjoyed it, but didn't LOVE it. If you're feeling ambitious, it's worth a try.

I plan on reading The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.

While this not a genre I normally seek out, I highly recommend The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey. A truly beautiful book.

I can really recommend:
Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World
Life After Life
Anansi Boys
The Book of Lost Things
The Night Circus

I actually have 4 books that fit this tag so I feel spoiled for choice! Sometimes my book hoarding pays off.
The Bone Clocks
Cloud Atlas
A Discovery of Witches
Beloved

Well, I don't think that A Midsummer Night's Dream actually fits, plus I listened to it yesterday, so am scratching that one.

I wouldn’t call A Discovery of Witches a magical realism book. The main characters are a witch and vampire and their powers are central to the story. Just an FYI if you like to use a more strict definition.

A few of my favorite books are in the magical realism genre! Some classics first:
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami

A quick and surprisingly creepy read is The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman.

Exit West by Mohsin Hamid is a new bestseller in the genre that sneaks magical elements into the story in a very realistic way.

A couple I haven't seen mentioned yet:
The Vegetarian by Han Kang is another quick read and recent bestseller. Be forewarned, it's disturbing and weird!
Everything Is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer

Meli wrote: "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 :)"

Yes the Master and Margarita is classic magical realism!

I plan to read The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake and also a friend lent me Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch which she says might fit the theme.

Cool picture!

Does A Dream in the Red Chamber counts for the tag?

Sharon wrote: "I plan to read The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake and also a friend lent me Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch which she says might fit the theme."

Rivers of London is urban fantasy, not magical realism, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was tagged as such. It's a good one, and if you do audio books, a phenomenal one with a great reader who really brings it to life well.

If you are going by a more text book definition, magical realism as a sub genre when there are unexplainable elements to a story that is otherwise very realistic. These unexplained elements are not usually called magic and the people that are able to do them have “special� talents but are not usually called witches.

Since GR crowdsources the shelves, there are lots of books that are about magic and witches in a more realistic world, that are getting tagged as magical realism but really are not.

That being said, the goal of the groups is to read outside of your comfort zone and if it’s on the magical realism shelf, then we accept its for the tag.