Thursday, January 30, 2025

Eight historical novels that add a little magic

Susie Dumond is a queer writer originally from Little Rock, Arkansas. She is the author of Queerly Beloved, Looking for a Sign, and Bed and Breakup, and she also talks about books as a senior contributor at Book Riot and a bookseller at her local indie bookstore. Dumond lives in Washington, D.C., with her spouse, Mickey, and her cat, Maple. When she’s not writing or reading, you can find her baking cupcakes or belting karaoke at the nearest gay bar.

At Book Riot Dumond tagged "eight novels that combine historical fiction with magical realism and fabulism to create something truly special." One title on the list:
The Wind Knows My Name by Isabel Allende

What list of magical realism historical fiction would be complete without the legendary Isabel Allende? This sweeping epic involves three different protagonists orphaned by political violence who seek a different kind of family together. Samuel lost his parents to the Nazis in 1940s Austria. Leticia suffered great loss during a revolution in 1980s El Salvador. Seven-year-old Anita recently found herself separated from her loved ones at the U.S.-Mexico border. Anita, who is blind but has a gift of seeing much more than others, is placed temporarily with Samuel and Leticia, who work in his home. The three find a meaningful connection that gives them all hope for a better future. Weaving together multiple historical narratives with contemporary lives and touches of magic, Allende tells a powerful story of multiple generations healing from trauma.
Read about the other entries on the list.

--Marshal Zeringue