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Viktoria wrote: "The Princess Bride - ATY, 11th prompt - 5 stars! Wow, I loved it! The whole thing with S. Morgenstern, the story itself, the descriptions, the ending - everything was perfect. I'm also watching the movie tonight, so I hope they did the book justice...."


This is your first time watching The Princess Bride? Enjoy!!! Come back and tell us what you thought! For me, this is that rare case where the movie was better, but I wonder if I'm biased since I saw the movie first.

Nadine wrote: "Viktoria wrote: "The Princess Bride - ATY, 11th prompt - 5 stars! Wow, I loved it! The whole thing with S. Morgenstern, the story itself, the descriptions, the ending - everything was perfect. I'm ..."

I also saw the movie first, but not super close to when I read it. But, I was so picturing some of the more famous movie scenes. Especially the poison one.

I think the advantage to the movie was that even though Grandpa was reading the book to grandson, they didn't have all the ridiculousness of it being a true story and taking the grandson to the museum, etc, etc.

Hey everyone! It has been a difficult week for my family, but we got through it!

My mum had surgery on Thursday to remove a second brain tumor. She was in the OR for a little less than 5 hours, and did great. She is currently still in the hospital, and is doing well. It’s been tough not being able to go to the hospital to see her (per the hospital’s Covid-19 precautions), but we’ve been able to keep in contact through texts and phone calls. Her doctor said that she would probably be in the hospital for 2-3 days after the surgery, so she may be able to come home as early as tomorrow!

I decided to take a purposeful break from the POPSUGAR Reading Challenge this week, and focused on books that were not related to my remaining Reading Challenge prompts. I’ll be getting back to prompt-related reading next week, but I enjoyed the break.

POPSUGAR: 39/50
ŷ������: 121/150

Finished Reading:
Ungovernable: The Victorian Parent's Guide to Raising Flawless Children
Runaways: The Complete Collection, Vol. 1
The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food

Currently Reading:
Twitterature
Happily Ever After & Everything In Between

QOTW:
I have a tendency to binge-read, and frequently finish books the same day I start them, so this is kind of a hard question for me to answer. Some of my most recent unputdownable books were:
Network Effect (and the rest of the Murderbot Diaries series), The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, and the Midnight, Texas trilogy (which includes Midnight Crossroad, Day Shift, and Night Shift).

Lilith wrote: "Lynn wrote: "Lilith wrote: "Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire. I had a really hard time getting through the first half of the book. I'd read a page and fall asleep. I can buzz through 650+ pa...

Lynn, I think it's just me! The book has won at least 3 awards that I recall, and everyone seems to *love* it. I do like Seanan McGuire's writing style, and loved the ace and trans representation. I guess I am just wired differently ;)"

There is never a guarantee that any one person will like any one book, no matter about awards, etc.! :)

Lilith wrote: "This is a reread for a group I'm in, and it's tricky to contribute, because I'm now mixing authors up."

Thank goodness I am not the only one who does this! :)

I did not cry as much for the movie Just Mercy as I thought I might. But the book...man, it definitely got me in the feels! Good luck with both! IMO, the living proof that our whole society is totally screwed up is the fact that a person like Bryan Stevenson isn't 'paid' millions of dollars per year to do what he does. But...tons of other people make millions per year...sports stars, movie stars, CEOs, IDK, it just seems wrong to me.

I have a good friend who taught White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism in her sociology class at Purdue University. Brave soul!

Lilith wrote: "Sheri wrote: "Lilith, just so you know, it’s HBO, not Netflix. Standard HBO, not the hbo max they keep pushing as far as I can tell"

Oh thank you - I don't have tv, but my BFF does, so I may be ab..."

Ack! Yet something else we have in common, Lilith! No TV! ;)

Ankita wrote: "Hey Guys. This is my first check-in. Just came across.

Btw, I'm from India. And we have quite a mix of situations here. Pandemic, Political issues, Cyclones & Earthquakes all in the past few months. Basically, like everywhere else in the world. Lol. Hoping for the best though :D"

Although it seems all of us have our own struggles, this seems overwhelming! Let's hope it changes for the better!

Welcome to the weekly check-in! And I must tell you, I have a friend named Ankita, and I suggested she join ŷ������, so when I initially saw your name I was like, "Wow, is that MY Ankita?" So now I know two people named Ankita! ;) Glad to have you here!

Nadine wrote: "Teri wrote: "Good to know. I have both of them on hold at the library, but I'll stick with Stamped.

Also, to add to the confusion, there is the original book:
Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi"

I have a friend who read both and appreciated both of them very much. She felt the YA book was an easier-to-read and less detailed book that would work very well for an introduction to this genre/these issues. But she preferred Kendi's book for the additional information. She felt Reynolds did an excellent job adapting for a typical YA audience. After having listened to his Long Way Down, I would definitely trust anything he writes.

Are the weeks just flying by for anyone else? Looking forward to a rainy weekend, staying in and reading. Looks like opening up all the restaurants has resulted in a spike of new COVID cases here in St. Pete, FL. Surprise, surprise... NOT!

31/40 PopSugar
6/10 Advanced PopSugar
41/100 GoodReads

Finished Reading:
1.) My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell (No PS Prompt)- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ All the trigger warnings for this one, but I couldn't stop listening! Meryl Streep's daughter narrates the audio version and this was compulsive. It also really hit close to home and allowed me to re-evaluate some personal situations.

2.) The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys (#30- world leader || Francisco Franco) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - Ruta Sepetys is one of my good go-to historical fiction authors. This captured my heart almost immediately. Set in Spain in the 1950s we follow a wannabe photographer and many other character threads that tie together in the end. I will continue to pick up books by her, while this one wasn't my favorite (hello, Salt to the Sea) I really enjoyed it!

3. Ella Minnow Pea: A Novel in Letters by Mark Dunn (#26 Pun Title) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️- Had this one on my physical shelf for years! It was a delight, told in letters and all about language and slowly this island removes letters from their lives.

Currently Reading:
1.) Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
2.) Open Book
3.) Gods of Howl Mountain

QOTW: What was your last unputdownable book?
So many good ones lately-
The River
My Dark Vanessa
The Fountains of Silence

K.L. wrote: "Hey everyone! It has been a difficult week for my family, but we got through it!

My mum had surgery on Thursday to remove a second brain tumor. She was in the OR for a little less than 5 hours, a..."

That's fantastic news about your mum! Wishing her a smooth, uneventful recovery, and that she gets to come home asap!

Stacey wrote: "Lilith wrote: "Lynn wrote: "Lilith wrote: "Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire. I had a really hard time getting through the first half of the book. I'd read a page and fall asleep. I can buzz ..."

Wow, thank you for this informative and well-thought out post!

I think you expressed what I was thinking about representation. I was happy to see rep of Ace and trans, but I felt I was being 'told' rather than 'shown', especially as far as Nancy.

Usually, I'm fine without a fast paced plot. I love plot that pulls me in and won't let m go, but description can work in the right form . Epic poetry works, but a novella just �� doesn't.

I liked the author's writing style: her wry humor and observations worked for me. But the first half, it felt like I was getting an info dump about characters I didn't feel invested in yet.

I won't write her (or fantasy) off just yet, but I may need to be in a better headspace. Right now, I think I'm craving info and reasoning, so memoirs and introspections are working better for me.

Nadine wrote: "poshpenny wrote: "Devolution: A Firsthand Account of the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre ... they got some fun people in there too, like Nathan Fillion ...."


aaaaaand ... I've added that audiobook to my wishlist!

how did you get an advance copy of the audiobook?!..."


I have a friend with a bookstore. She can't possibly read all the ARCs so she gives me access and I give her summaries. With audio most of them aren't available early though, which is odd but *shrug*.

Lynn wrote: "She felt Reynolds did an excellent job adapting for a typical YA audience. After having listened to his Long Way Down, I would definitely trust anything he writes."

Always trust Jason Reynolds. Always.

It's nice to see all the Stevenson love. If you'd like more, both he and Michelle Alexander, who wrote The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness are featured in the film 13th from Netflix, which you can watch in full and for free here

I'm just finishing up Moloka'i by Alan Brennert.
Question re: the Pop Sugar Challenge (I'm new to it) - can you use one book for more than one category?
I am currently at 13/50 but I have some that can be used for other categories also.
Thanks!

Lady Astronaut fans!

Did you enjoy The Calculating Stars? The Fated Sky?

I saw Mary Robinette Kowal do her brunch chat for TorCon this morning. She read the first chapter of The Relentless Moon, with all her narrator voices, and during the chat let us know some fun stuff coming up.

She narrates her own (and other people's) audiobooks, and they are going to livestream her narrating the entire book.

AND, I'm very excited for this, the launch party on July 14 will be an online immersive theatre event where she will be in costume as Nicole. You will go through astronaut training and if you make it through certain points they will mail you actual mission patches, which she held up and they are very cool! I'm not sure you could design an event more tailored to my interests. Maybe if Snoopy is there too! Which is possible, he's worked with NASA for decades. Although not in her timeline...

If you pre-order The Relentless Moon and sign up below, the character Nicole will physically send you a postcard "from the Moon."


You can watch the TorCon Books and Brunch here

Laureen wrote: "Question re: the Pop Sugar Challenge (I'm new to it) - can you use one book for more than one category?"

Some do, some don't. Do whatever works best for you.

K.L. wrote: "Hey everyone! It has been a difficult week for my family, but we got through it!

My mum had surgery on Thursday to remove a second brain tumor. She was in the OR for a little less than 5 hours, a..."

I'm so glad all seemed to go well! I hope she has a speedy recovery!

Hello!

This week I tried to read more, so I could finished the book I've been reading. Of the rest here were I live, somethings are reopening, others still closed and the research in my university is one of them. I am still waiting for when I could come back to the lab.

I finished The Old Man and the Sea for the prompt Book from a journalist and a topic I know nothing (fishing).

I still not decided what to read next.

QOTW: I really put thougth on this one. I am sure 1Q84 was the last one. I really got into the world Haruki Murakami invented on that story. I couldn't wait to keep reading and discovering everything of the story.

poshpenny wrote: "Laureen wrote: "Question re: the Pop Sugar Challenge (I'm new to it) - can you use one book for more than one category?"

Some do, some don't. Do whatever works best for you."

Thanks!

poshpenny wrote: "Lynn wrote: "She felt Reynolds did an excellent job adapting for a typical YA audience. After having listened to his Long Way Down, I would definitely trust anything he writes."

Always trust Jason Reynolds. Always.

It's nice to see all the Stevenson love. If you'd like more, both he and Michelle Alexander, who wrote The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness are featured in the film 13th from Netflix, which you can watch in full and for free here

..."

Yep! I loved Alexander's book as well. I have forgotten about 13th. I have Netflix, so will put that on my list. Thank you for the reminder!

poshpenny wrote: "Lady Astronaut fans!

Did you enjoy The Calculating Stars? The Fated Sky?

I saw Mary Robinette Kowal do her brunch chat for TorCon this morning. ..."

Wow! Cool stuff! I loved the first book and own the second but have yet to read it. July 14, huh? Sounds great!

poshpenny wrote: "Lady Astronaut fans!

Did you enjoy The Calculating Stars? The Fated Sky?

I saw Mary Robinette Kowal do her brunch chat for TorCon this morning. ..."

Thanks so much for posting this! Just watched it and it was awesome! :)

Lynn wrote: "Ankita wrote: "Hey Guys. This is my first check-in. Just came across.

Btw, I'm from India. And we have quite a mix of situations here. Pandemic, Political issues, Cyclones & Earthquakes all in th..."

I am from California and we also have our struggles. We have the pandemic, certainly political issues, earthquakes (though so far mild here) and fires have started here in southern California. We will all get through this I am sure.

Lilith wrote: "Wow, thank you for this informative and well-thought out post!

I think you expressed what I was thinking about representation. I was happy to see rep of Ace and trans, but I felt I was being 'told' rather than 'shown', especially as far as Nancy."

Aww thanks for the appreciation! <3

That's what I was trying to express, yeah. :) I'm always happy to see some rep too and at least appreciate when an author tries but it definitely felt like a missed opportunity in this case. Yes, this was totally a tell > show situation! Maybe it gets better in the rest of the series though? Despite hearing many people talk about the books on booktube I can't recall anyone commenting on how/if that changes throughout the story but they all seemed to love them so they just spent time raving about them! :P

I don't mind an info dump usually as long as it's relevant to the plot, the magic system or the world. I totally would have eaten up more info dumps about the portal worlds involved in here,haha! When it comes to info dumps about characters though, I'd much rather just see the character experiencing it or explore their memory of it instead.

I have seen both character info dump and magical realism done together in a way that I actually really enjoyed though in The Astonishing Color of After! I'm having a hard time pinpointing exactly why I enjoyed it there and tend to really dislike it in other books though. Maybe because the magical realism was more involved in a subplot? or because it wasn't the end all/be all that fixed all the problems? or maybe because the character was actually questioning it too and not just accepting it so it felt like a more realistic response to it happening in the real world?

I don't think I'll ever write off fantasy, it's one of my favourites! :D There are times where I'm not in the mood for any fantasy or where I prefer to only pick up high/epic fantasy though since I find that those tend to have less chance of including things I typically don't like within the genre but I'm always discovering more about my tastes and finding new exceptions so who really knows, haha!

I haven't written off McGuire yet either and I'm actually debating on moving on to Down Among the Sticks and Bones just because it's on scribd so it wouldn't cost me anything extra to try and I know that it takes place within one of the portal fantasy worlds so that right there says to me that I'll probably enjoy it so much more because it should have more exciting world building and it hopefully will have actual magic (which I'm way more a fan of) and not just magical realism/fantastical elements. I'm totally okay with magic solving plot points in a magical world, it just feels so different than magical realism in the real world for some reason. I also may check out Into the Drowning Deep (written under her pen name) since I've heard some good things about that; a dark story under the sea involving mermaids or sirens (I forget which) sounds intriguing! I know a lot of booktubers rave about Middlegame as well but they also all raved about Every Heart and that didn't work out for me, haha! Also, from what I've heard about it I don't really think it's my cup of tea. I've heard that it's character driven and scatterbrained almost, that there's a lot happening but that it doesn't necessarily make sense or come together.

Stacey, I might not be the best to recommend since I have enjoyed everything Seanan Mcaguire has written, that I’ve read so far. But Into The Drowning Deep is so good! It’d also work for the women in stem if you need that prompt, there’s several women scientists involved. It’s a full length book not novella, so there’s more time for set up and everything.

Stacey wrote: "I have seen both character info dump and magical realism done together in a way that I actually really enjoyed though in The Astonishing Color of After! I'm having a hard time pinpointing exactly why I enjoyed it there and tend to really dislike it in other books though. ..."


This book is so popular, but I don't like magical realism either (and I do love SFF) so I've been very hesitant. AND I have never liked any book I've read by Seanan McGuire, I am more or less done trying, her books just don't do it for me and I don't know why. So many members here and so many of my GR friends LOVE her!! Since you seem to feel the same way, I'm thinking maybe I should try "Astonishing Color" - maybe it will be one of those rare magical realism books that I like!

Personally, Into the Drowning Deep didn't do it for me. I thought the cast was really flat, and it took way too long to get to the part where mermaids were killing people, and the buildup wasn't that great either. (Not scary enough. It was mostly character-based, and like I said the characters didn't click with me.)

I'm interested in Middlegame because I loved the five-chapter preview, but also wary because McGuire is so hit-and-miss with me.

Haha I also really loved Middlegame so that probably doesn’t help either. However it’d work for the vision prompt since one twin is color blind and the other lacks depth perception.

Stacey wrote:
I have seen both character info dump and magical realism done together in a way that I actually really enjoyed though in The Astonishing Color of After! I'm having a hard time pinpointing exactly why I enjoyed it there and tend to really dislike it in other books though. Maybe because the magical realism was more involved in a subplot? or because it wasn't the end all/be all that fixed all the problems? or maybe because the character was actually questioning it too and not just accepting it so it felt like a more realistic response to it happening in the real world?

I also may check out Into the Drowning Deep (written under her pen name) since I've heard some good things about that; a dark story under the sea involving mermaids or sirens (I forget which) sounds intriguing!

This is really helpful! I will have to check out these titles. I can't put my finger on why either, but info dumps can work in certain places for me. Books that I have loved that do this tend to have a solid grounding in this shared reality *and* another.

Drakeryn wrote:
I'm interested in Middlegame because I loved the five-chapter preview, but also wary because McGuire is so hit-and-miss with me.

Maybe she's just hit or miss with me too?

I'm really enjoying this conversation. I have been pushing myself to keep trying genres I've avoided in the past. like SFF and romance. (I know that sounds weird, as tons of people love these genres lol. )

I *love* magical realism. I would go for months reading only Alice Hoffman, Margot Berwin, and Laura Esquivel. Maybe I relate better when A) the characters were so well written and rich, and B) there was a solid grounding in this reality and at least one other.

And I loved the Binti trilogy - she was such a marvelous, relatable character! H2G2 had the wry observations and humor I love. Annihilation worked for me too. I was engrossed in the biologist and her observations and thought processes.

I guess I will seek out recs from like-minded folk!

Lilith wrote: "That's fantastic news about your mum! Wishing her a smooth, uneventful recovery, and that she gets to come home asap!

Thanks so much, Lilith!

Shannon wrote: "I'm so glad all seemed to go well! I hope she has a speedy recovery!

Thank you, Shannon!

Nadine wrote: "This book is so popular, but I don't like magical realism either (and I do love SFF) so I've been very hesitant. AND I have never liked any book I've read by Seanan McGuire, I am more or less done trying, her books just don't do it for me and I don't know why. So many members here and so many of my GR friends LOVE her!! Since you seem to feel the same way, I'm thinking maybe I should try "Astonishing Color" - maybe it will be one of those rare magical realism books that I like!"

I've taken a bit of time to think about it and I think I've come to the conclusion that I'm maybe just not creative enough to appreciate most magical realism since it generally doesn't appeal to my logical side enough when I encounter it. Usually when I see it, it feels like it comes out of nowhere, everyone seems to go along with it like it's no big deal and it's sometimes used to solve plot points simplistically. I'll be over here like...but why doesn't anyone think this is strange? Why are we just going with this and not questioning it? Why did this happen? Why did that have to be such an easy solution? ._.

Magic in most fantasy has a very different feel than that for me. It usually has concrete rules, a developed system or maybe happens in another world so it doesn't need to follow the same logic in my mind. Also, usually characters have to question it and grapple with it. There's almost always some kind of limit or problem with it and the author generally still has to use a huge logical explanation or get creative with it to solve plot points because of the limits.

The Astonishing Color of After falls in the middle of that spectrum for me. Sure there are moments of magical realism where we don't really get an explanation and just kind of have to go with it and moments that the characters accept it fairly easily but they usually at least acknowledge that something odd is happening and have some kind of reaction to it. There are also several aspects of it that include some explanation and some rules. Some aspects are compared to a legend that's included (not sure if it's a true legend or a totally fictional one?) and some are triggered by a characters actions. For an example of what I mean that includes a spoiler for a broad piece of the plot but without any real specifics...(view spoiler)[ the MC has to burn a certain kind of incense along with either burning or holding (I forget which) a specific object together in order to trigger a vision of a memory associated with that object. She uses these visions to help her make sense of things and they help answer some of your questions along the way. (hide spoiler)] I think enough details surrounding the magical realism were included here to make it feel purposeful and limited and so I think that's why I could still appreciate it.

Also I think that because I had low expectations based on the synopsis (I definitely rolled my eyes at her thinking that her mom was a bird!), because this read like a YA contemporary with some hard hitting moments, because I wasn't expecting or looking out for a high fantasy/aspects that I would typically find in one and because this had some subplots and a little depth I just had a really different mindset while reading it than when I read Every Heart. The MC here has a lot of questions and is on a journey to make sense of things so I also had several questions while reading and wanted some answers about those things and because of that it also still somewhat appealed to the more plot driven reader that I am.

Hopefully that helped provide some clarity for you on whether or not you think you'd enjoy it! :)

Sheri wrote: "Stacey, I might not be the best to recommend since I have enjoyed everything Seanan Mcaguire has written, that I’ve read so far. But Into The Drowning Deep is so good! It’d also work for the women in stem if you need that prompt, there’s several women scientists involved. It’s a full length book not novella, so there’s more time for set up and everything."

I'm glad you enjoyed it and her other stuff and it's totally fine, we might just have different tastes? :) I definitely feel like I have some unpopular opinions on popular books sometimes though!

I've already filled the woman in STEM prompt; I read The Kiss Quotient earlier in the year (the MC Stella is an econometrist so fits the math part) and I actually used Every Heart a Doorway for the vision prompt (because of Loriel) but thanks for the suggestions maybe someone else can benefit from them? :)

Drakeryn wrote: "Personally, Into the Drowning Deep didn't do it for me. I thought the cast was really flat, and it took way too long to get to the part where mermaids were killing people, and the buildup wasn't that great either. (Not scary enough. It was mostly character-based, and like I said the characters didn't click with me.)

I'm interested in Middlegame because I loved the five-chapter preview, but also wary because McGuire is so hit-and-miss with me"

Really good to know, thanks! I'm not sure if Into the Drowning deep is really my cup of tea and I think I should pass on it. Initially I figured that I'd maybe enjoy it even though i'm not into horror because it's not a relatable everyday situation to insert yourself into so it shouldn't be scary for me and because it has fantasy elements. Now knowing though that it's more character driven and that you thought these characters were lacking and also reflecting that I was lukewarm on it to begin with, that I'm more of a plot driven reader and that I didn't like how McGuire wrote her characters in Every Heart, I'll probably have the same feelings as you on this.

Maybe I should check out Middlegame at some point though. Soo many people love that and have listed things that I think will be interesting for me. I know it's also character driven but I know that it includes some different types of characters than her other books so it might be a bit more appealing for me and the main thing that's turning me off it is that people are saying they had no idea what was going on while reading (but that might be a good thing if it makes me curious for more?) and people saying that it felt scatterbrained and that things didn't tie together but I just found out the other day there's going to be more coming/that it will be a series of some kind so maybe that was intentional (and I've seen that sort of done in ways that I'll appreciate too..like Brandon Sanderson with all his interludes that tie in several books later in a series haha). It's not high on my priority list anyways but maybe it will fit a harder prompt for me next year or something, who knows? :P

Lilith wrote: "This is really helpful! I will have to check out these titles. I can't put my finger on why either, but info dumps can work in certain places for me. Books that I have loved that do this tend to have a solid grounding in this shared reality *and* another.
"

Right! Sometimes it can be so tricky to pinpoint and figure out why I liked something in one book but not in another and I end up experimenting with reading different things a lot (part of why I love this challenge, haha)!

I'm really enjoying all of the conversation this week too! :)

This whole conversation about Seanan McGuire has made me really want to read her books--I *love* magical realism! I realize this has largely been about y'all finding others who aren't super into her writing, but a lot of the issues y'all have with her are things I tend to like lol. I've been curious about her books, because they do hit on so many things I enjoy, but I haven't read her yet because several also sound horror-ish, and I can't do horror.

Shannon wrote: "This whole conversation about Seanan McGuire has made me really want to read her books--I *love* magical realism! I realize this has largely been about y'all finding others who aren't super into he..."


what's funny is I don't consider her books to be magical realism - they have all been solidly SFF in my mind - I mean, you've got zombies or mermaids or doorways to other fantasy worlds or superhumans ... For me, I tend to not like magical realism, AND I tend to not like her books. I wonder if the reasons I don't like her books are the same that I don't like mr - maybe she approaches fantasy the same way mr writers approach their worlds, and that's what doesn't sit right with me. Because I have no idea why I have not loved her books. Everything about them is what I should like.

Mary Robinette Kowal is beginning her Livestream narration for The Relentless Moon in 5 minutes! And I'm at work! ppfftt

Unless that's just a test...

I don't think these books are what you-all think of as "magical realism," but the book club I facilitate has some members who do not range far and wide in their reading preferences, so we end up with virtually no science fiction or fantasy (The Night Circus was one exception to that), but they do have some favorites for magical realism:
(1) Anything written by Sarah Addison Allen
(2) Season of the Dragonflies was an absolute favorite for them
(3) The Dress Shop of Dreams also had romance
(4) Chocolat
(5) The Scent Keeper Actually, they love anything Erica Bauermeister has written!

I am uncertain if this will help any of you here, but just thought I would throw it our there just in case...

This conversation is making me realize I don't really know what magical realism is! I usually think of it as "contemporary fantasy that's light on the fantasy elements" but I'm not sure if that's correct.

Drakeryn wrote: "This conversation is making me realize I don't really know what magical realism is! I usually think of it as "contemporary fantasy that's light on the fantasy elements" but I'm not sure if that's c..."

I just read a magical realism one where the only magic is love that helps a certain tree heal very quickly, etc. Plus the woman sees colours for each type of apple in the orchard, etc.

Official definition is "Magic realism. ... "Magical realism", perhaps the most common term, often refers to fiction and literature in particular, with magic or the supernatural presented in an otherwise real-world or mundane setting, commonly seen in novels and dramatic performances. It is considered a subgenre of fantasy."

Gabriel García Márquez is considered the father of it, with 100 Years of Solitude in particular. Still haven't gotten to that one myself, been on my list.

@Drakeryn, it's more like realism/contemporary with a supernatural/magical element. Murakami and Carlos Ruiz Zafon (Shadow of the Wind) are other examples of writers in the genre. But as all genres it's not always easy to determine the exact boundaries - like how much fantasy does it take to make it fantasy and not magical realism?

poshpenny wrote: "Mary Robinette Kowal is beginning her Livestream narration for The Relentless Moon in 5 minutes! And I'm at work! ppfftt

"

Since I'm still working from home, I am listening to this as I edit documents. It is an amazing process! They have to be so very patient to make the process work! Thanks for posting the link!

Johanne wrote: "@Drakeryn, it's more like realism/contemporary with a supernatural/magical element. Murakami and Carlos Ruiz Zafon (Shadow of the Wind) are other examples of writers in the genre. But as all genres..."

Oh, yes! I had forgotten about The Shadow of the Wind! It's been so long since I read that!

Sheri wrote: "Official definition is "Magic realism. ... "Magical realism", perhaps the most common term, often refers to fiction and literature in particular, with magic or the supernatural presented in an othe..

Gabriel García Márquez is considered the father of it, with 100 Years of Solitude in particular. Still haven't gotten to that one myself, been on my list."

I have yet to read this as well. :(

This is the full Wikipedia article: .

Lynn wrote: "poshpenny wrote: "Mary Robinette Kowal is beginning her Livestream narration for The Relentless Moon in 5 minutes! And I'm at work! ppfftt

"

Since I'm still working from home, I am listening to this as I edit documents. It is an amazing process! They have to be so very patient to make the process work!"

Oh it's working now! I can hear it! Woohoo!

Lynn wrote: "I don't think these books are what you-all think of as "magical realism," but the book club I facilitate has some members who do not range far and wide in their reading preferences, so we end up wi..."

Wow, Lynn, I forgot to add these books and authors!!

I LOVE Sarah Addison Allen <3. She is incapable of writing a bad book.

I really enjoy Menna Van Praag and Joanna Harris. I've read most of both of their books.

I will have to checkout the other two you mentioned.

Drakeryn wrote: "This conversation is making me realize I don't really know what magical realism is! I usually think of it as "contemporary fantasy that's light on the fantasy elements" but I'm not sure if that's c..."

My take on magical realism has been that the story is very firmly rooted in the here and now --contemporary fiction. The magical elements tend to augment the character(s)' experience, but magic doe not solve anything. Characters still have to solve their real life problems in real life ways.

Or the magical elements underscore the emotional experience, the attitudes, the heightened sensitivity. If a woman's husband dies, and she suddenly is unable to see color, I suspend disbelief, I go with it, but at the same I know this is the way to understand her grief.

Or if a character gets involved in impetuous otherworldly and dangerous activities, and endangers her self and her sisters, I go with it, but for the reader it becomes an subconscious foreshadowing of how she copes with trauma.

Margot Berwin is great at *very* contemporary stories whereby a character gets involved in some magical experiences, and the character's reaction is...wth? But the character goes with it for the spiritual experience, which works in the story, and works on the reader really well.

Just my experience with some great magical realism which isn't connected to SF or F at all.