Goodreads Most Popular Magical Realism Books

Once Upon a River

A mesmerizing tale of mystery and magic unfolds on the river Thames, where a girl's miraculous return to life sparks a quest to uncover her …

The Ten Thousand Doors of January

January Scaller discovers a mysterious book that reveals secret doors to other worlds, intertwining her own story with tales of adventure an…

Kafka on the Shore

A surreal odyssey of two men, Kafka Tamura and Nakata, whose lives intertwine in a world where reality blurs with the fantastical, filled wi…

1Q84

A dual narrative set in a dystopian world where reality shifts and the past looms large, following an assassin and a writer entangled in a m…

Sing, Unburied, Sing

A haunting tale of a young boy navigating family, loss, and the supernatural on a road trip to free his father from prison.

The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender

Ava Lavender, born with bird wings, navigates a world where love and obsession intertwine in magical and haunting ways.

Garden Spells

In the enchanting town of Bascom, North Carolina, the Waverley women are known for their magical touch and a garden that blooms year-round. …

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake

A young girl discovers she can taste emotions in food, uncovering hidden family secrets and the complexities of love. This magical realism n…

The Ocean at the End of the Lane

A man revisits his childhood memories of a mysterious farmhouse, ancient beings, and dark forces, uncovering a story of wonder and terror th…

The Master and Margarita

A devilishly witty and surreal tale that blends political satire, love, and the supernatural in a Moscow teeming with chaos and magic.

The Midnight Library

Nora finds herself in a magical library where she can explore the lives she might have lived, raising profound questions about choices and r…

The Starless Sea

A graduate student discovers a mysterious book that leads him to a hidden underground world filled with secrets, love, and adventure.

Before the Coffee Gets Cold

Step into a Tokyo café where time travel is served with coffee, but only as long as your brew stays hot. Four customers, four heartfelt jour…

The House of the Spirits

Unfolding over four generations, this enchanting saga weaves together the lives of an unforgettable family with spirits, nature, and history…

Love in the Time of Cholera

A sweeping love story that spans decades, intertwining the lives of three people in a tale of passion, longing, and the enduring power of lo…

Exit West

A love story set against the backdrop of a crumbling city, Exit West follows the journey of Nadia and Saeed as they navigate a world in cris…

A Monster Calls

A haunting tale of a boy grappling with loss and truth as an ancient monster forces him to confront his deepest fears.

Piranesi

Piranesi lives in an infinite, labyrinthine House filled with statues and tides, documenting its wonders until mysterious messages disrupt h…

The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle

A surreal and captivating journey through the subconscious, where dreams and reality blur in a tale of love, loss, and self-discovery.

The Shadow of the Wind

In post-war Barcelona, a young boy discovers a mysterious book that leads him on a thrilling quest filled with secrets, love, and danger.

Life of Pi

After a shipwreck, a young boy named Pi finds himself adrift in the Pacific Ocean with a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, and a 450-pound Benga…

Midnight’s Children

One Hundred Years of Solitude

A sweeping tale of love, war, and magic that follows the Buendia family across generations in the enchanting town of Macondo.

The Night Circus

A magical circus appears overnight, enchanting visitors with its wonders, but beneath the surface, a deadly competition between two young ma…