The House of the Spirits | Exploring Magical Realism

I find magical realism super interesting and have decided to do a study of some magical realism novels in an attempt to learn more, starting with The House of the Spirits by Isabelle Allende!

** This is being submitted as a video assignment for my directed reading course at the University of Guelph. I feel like I'm supposed to mention that.

[metalsabatico]

Reading this type of books reminds me of hanging out with my grandparents and aunts and uncles as a child. They would talk about all these legends and superstitions and take them as fact. That's kind of how I picture narrators in magical realism. Also, leelo en español.

[acalvord]

your videos keep getting better i love it keep it up

[theysheshe]

oh sweet, I'm excited for your Wind Up Bird Chronicle review. his work is kind of intimidating. and I've never truly realized how vague thr definition of magical realism is.

[barrygol]

When i was a kid this book was shelved in my aunts book corner. The south american people who visited her complimented her on possesing the book. It is a latin american classic.

[NocturnalBlaze]

I love Murakami and his touch of magical realism, can't wait to hear your thoughts!!

[sharl]

I love that you read a Latin American novel! I'd love to see more reviews like this that inspire me to read more of my own culture.
I'm not a fan of magical realism but we studied it a lot in school and to me it means having magical elements in an otherwise contemporary setting but this elements aren't questioned or seen as something out of the ordinary. Gabriel Garcia Marquez has some of my favorite examples.

[emma-brge]

Ariel please make more writing videos! IM ADDICTED

[bettyreads]

love your bit at the end about seeing yourself in the book because that's why it's so important to read books by Latin American authors to me. just getting to have that moment of oh you get me!

[wordsbyjulia]

It's so great that you are getting into Magical Realism! I'm looking forward to your videos about it.
Since literary Magical Realism originated in latin america, I think it's important to show some of those books too, even if it has become international. So thanks so much for that!
If you are looking for other books I'd recommend Julio Cortazar's short stories, most are very heavy on the magical realism!

[AndalusianIrish]

Magic realism "...refers to literature in particular that portrays magical or unreal elements as a natural part in an otherwise realistic or mundane environment." Wikipedia

[bitsbard]

An educational goldmine! If you dig this, a related book is a must-have. "Twilight Descent" by Olivia Whitestone

[starvedoldsoul]

Magical Realism started with Arabian Nights which is the best representation of this genre.
Gunter Grass, Marquez and Allende rediscovered it in our modern era.
Magical realism novels are the most interesting, but not to everyone.

[glass]

100 Years of Solitude for you my friend :) or anything by Julio Cortázar.

[lulubaldo]

I'm definitely no expert on magical realism, but other than Garcia Marquez, who's probably the most known (which sounds quite similar in themes and plot to The House of the Spirits), I've read Vargas Llosa's Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter, which was very different to the concept of magical realism that I thought I knew. It was very very funny and it had less of that all-encompassing grandiose intention of representing the history of a country at the same time as you're reading about a specific family/village. An author with hugely influenced by magical realism is Louis de Bernieres. He's a British author who's written many magical realist novels set in South America. I can't give you a judgement on those, but his most known work is Captain Corelli's Mandolin and that is set in an island of Greece. I really loved it and it was incredibly interesting from both a historical and narrative point of view.

[TheJarheadwife]

This is the definition that first popped up when I googled it: Magical realism is a fiction genre in which magical elements blend to create a realistic atmosphere that accesses a deeper understanding of reality. I think oh so many books can fit into this category if this definition is an accurate one, wouldn't you agree? I surely have many books on my shelves that fit this description. As Crazface said in the comments The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivy is definitely a good example, as is Anna and the Swallow Man by Gavriel Savit which many book tubers are reading this year. You have now piqued my interest on this topic and I am going to peruse my book shelves and see how many books I have that can fit the description of magical realism. Good video.

[kaze]

..Can you upload the 22 min video? That would be super interesting :)

[morganp]

I would love to see that rant on Esteban!

[TenleyNadine]

This book sounds awesome. I just called my local bookstore immediately and ordered a copy.

[MsDream]

You really should check out the other books by Isabel Allende, H0use of spirits is really my least favorite book of her. I absolutely love sepia portrait and the maya's notebooks by her. I think you should read those two. Ines of my soul is also really beautiful.

[AprendizdeLeitor]

The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle is amazing, but is it going to be your first Murakami book? If so, it's not a good way to start with the author given its size and complexity.