Many of you may have already read too many novels belonging to that current that made the magic and heritage of Latin American literature known to the rest of the world in the 60s. Others, on the other hand, may appreciate certain references when choosing new stories far from everything you've read before, in which the everyday and the supernatural come together in an irresistible cocktail.
These 4 books for appreciating magical realism can be a good starting point for all those who decide to set out in search of the yellow butterflies.
One Hundred Years of Solitude, by Gabriel GarcÃa Márquez
The most famous novel of magical realism , and possibly of Latin America, was the story of the BuendÃa family and Macondo , the town brought to life by Gabriel GarcÃa Márquez in this classic published in 1967. Ghosts that swarm among mud houses, the aforementioned yellow butterflies, and especially the ants are some clear components of the magical realism that inhabit the pages of this book, which, if you let yourself be transported (and keep track of the family tree via Google), will win you over.
The House of the Spirits, by Isabel Allende
The Chilean writer's first novel was a resounding success, thanks in part to the magnetism of its family saga spanning four generations during Chile's postcolonial period. Throughout the book, spirits mingle with mortals, and the political events of the era immerse us in a magical Latin America, not without a touch of soap opera and even hints of the roman à clef. The novel was adapted into a film in 1994, starring Jeremy Irons and Meryl Streep.
Pedró Páramo, by Juan Rulfo
Still from the film adaptation of Pedro Páramo, one of the great exponents of magical realism.
According to experts, this Mexican author's only novel was the first to launch the magical realism movement . It contains several key elements of the genre: characters in a poor and devastated environment, the presence of spirits, and the disruption of the concept of time evoked by the visit of young Juan Preciado to the town of Comala, in the heart of the Jalisco desert, in search of his father, Pedro Páramo.
Like water for chocolate, by Laura Esquivel
Also adapted to the cinema in the 90s, this novel by the Mexican Esquivel published in 1989 narrated the love story between Tita and Pedro during the Mexican Revolution, a key framework of Mexican magical realism. The contribution of this novel lies in the use of ingredients and Mexican recipes used as a metaphor to tell the feelings of the characters. Like One Hundred Years of Solitude, the outcome of the book is one of the reasons why it is worth being seduced.
These 4 books for appreciating magical realism become the best recommendations when starting out in a genre adapted by writers from other countries such as Haruki Murakami (Kafka on the Shore) or, especially, Salman Rushdie (Midnight's Children).
Do you like magical realism? What other recommendations would you like to contribute?