Books matching: surreal narrative
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- #1
'The Big Book of Classic Fantasy' edited by Jeff and Ann VanderMeer is a massive anthology that covers classic fantasy stories and excerpts from longer books dating from the early 1800s to World War II. The collection includes a wide range of authors, blending classic fantasy, sci-fi, weird, and literary legends dabbling in the fantastical. The stories have a folklore, fairy tale, or tall tale feel, with elements of magic realism, surrealism, and political satire. offers a diverse selection of stories, showcasing a variety of styles and themes, from archaic to modern, from simple to complex.
Bettina von Arnim was the title of Elisabeth Katharina Ludovica Magdalena Brentano (1785–1859), a German writer, composer, and activist. She wrote in an exuberant style that matched her paradoxical pe... 'The Autumn of the Patriarch' by Gabriel Garcia Marquez is a challenging read due to its unconventional writing style, with long paragraphs and sentences that can span several pages. The book delves deep into the mind of a dying Latin tyrant who ruled over an unnamed Caribbean country. The story follows the life of the dictator, exploring themes of deception, illusion, and the oppressive nature of his regime. The narrative jumps back and forth in time, offering insights into the dictator's character and the impact of his rule on the population.
The book portrays the dictator as a complex and fascinating character, despite his repugnant actions and hideous psychology. Through surrealistic language and detailed descriptions, Marquez creates a hypnotic and dreamy atmosphere that captivates readers. Despite the challenging structure and intense themes, the book offers a unique exploration of power, solitude, and the human condition, making it a rewarding read for those willing to delve into its complexities.
awoke out of its lethargy of centuries with the warm, soft breeze of a great man dead and rotting grandeur. Only then did we dare go in without attacking the crumbling walls of reinforced stone, as th...- #3
"Untold Night and Day" by Bae Suah is a surreal and experimental novel that follows Ayami, an actress, on a journey through the hot, dark streets of Seoul. The story blurs the lines between reality and imagination, with recurring characters and motifs that challenge the reader to question the connections and meanings behind them. The prose is described as sleek and dreamlike, creating a narrative that feels like a jungle cat - powerful and captivating, yet elusive in its full understanding.
The novel unfolds in a cyclical and confusing manner, with events seen through the window of a car driving at night, where characters merge into each other and surreal dreams blend with reality. As the day progresses, the heat and humidity increase, adding to the surreal quality of the story. The translator's note by Deborah Smith enhances the novel, elevating it to another realm and providing insights into the motifs and imagery that intensify as the story reaches its peak.
With the lights off, the interior of the auditorium seemed as though submerged in murky water. Objects, matter itself, were softly disintegrating. All identity became ambiguous, semi-opaque. Not only ... - #4
"The Cipher" by Kathe Koja is a horror novel that revolves around the discovery of a mysterious, pulsating hole in a storage room by Nicholas and his girlfriend Nakota. As they become obsessed with the hole, experimenting and exploring its depths, their lives and mental states deteriorate. The book delves into themes of nihilism, obsession, and the unknown, with a writing style that is described as visceral, bleak, and sometimes challenging to follow due to its stream of consciousness narrative.
Nakota, who saw it first: long spider legs drawn up beneath her ugly skirt, wise mouth pursed into nothing like a smile. Sitting in my dreary third-floor flat, on a dreary thrift shop chair, the windo... - #5
Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas by Tom Robbins is a whimsical novel that blends fantastical scenarios with social commentary. The book follows a stockbroker named Gwen who embarks on a journey with a mysterious man named Larry Diamond, exploring themes of materialism, spirituality, and absurdity. Robbins' writing style in this novel is described as maniacal, poetic, and hypnotic, with characters that defy Earth's physics and a narrative that mixes magic realism with eccentricity.
The day the stock market falls out of bed and breaks its back is the worst day of your life. Or so you think. It isnt the worst day of your life, but you think it is. And when you give voice to that t... - #6
Bestiary by K-Ming Chang is a novel that defies traditional descriptions, with a unique and captivating writing style that flows like poetry throughout the story. The book follows three generations of Taiwanese Americans, exploring themes of culture, displacement, family legends, and the struggles of finding one's place in a new home. The narrative weaves together elements of magical realism, mythology, and generational trauma, creating a richly detailed and deeply human story that is both fascinating and heartbreaking.
The author's poetic language and vivid imagery bring to life a narrative that blurs the lines between reality and myth, offering multiple perspectives on the experiences of immigrant families. Through the stories of Daughter, her mother, and grandmother, the novel explores themes of lineage, young queer love, and the shaping influence of cultural heritage. Bestiary is a beautifully told tale that challenges traditional storytelling structures, offering a fresh and original perspective on the immigrant experience.
Ba doesn’t know where he buried the gold. Ma chases him around and beats him with her soup ladle. You’ve never been to a funeral, but this is what it looks like: four of us in the backyard, digging wh... - #7
'Dermaphoria' by Craig Clevenger is a dark and puzzling tale that slowly reveals the story through a fragmented narrative. The protagonist, Eric Ashworth, wakes up with amnesia, unsure of what is real and what is a drug-induced hallucination. The book delves into Eric's journey as he tries to recover his memories and piece together the events leading up to his current predicament, all while the past and present intersect in a unique storytelling style.
The writing style of 'Dermaphoria' is deliberately over-the-top and self-conscious, similar to high-profile stories like 'Memento' and 'The Prestige'. The novel keeps readers on their toes by presenting a profoundly unreliable narrator and utilizing abstract prose that challenges the reader's perception of reality. Clevenger's experimental approach to storytelling, filled with literary tricks and attention-grabbing elements, makes 'Dermaphoria' a gripping and mind-bending read.
I PANICKED AND SWALLOWED A HANDFUL OF FIREFLIES AND BLACK WIDOWS the inferno had not. Shiny glass teardrops shattered between my teeth while the fireflies popped like Christmas bulbs until I coughed u... 'The Woman Who Married a Cloud: The Collected Short Stories' by Jonathan Carroll is a chunky collection of thirty-eight stories spanning 600 pages. The stories include elements of fantasy, horror, surrealism, and social commentary. Carroll's writing style is described as fascinating, masterful, and distinctive, with a delicate blending of different worlds. The stories touch on themes of love, loss, fantasy, and the complexities of human emotions, often surprising the reader with unexpected twists and turns.
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Rudy Rucker's 'Wetware' delves into a futuristic world where humans and robots coexist, with robots known as boppers having been exiled from Earth and now planning their return. The plot revolves around boppers attempting to impregnate a human woman to re-colonize Earth, leading to a series of wild twists and turns. The novel explores themes of robot-human hybrids, the consequences of a bopper-human war, and the blurred lines between machines and biology, all presented in a lyrical writing style that seamlessly melds the reader to the subject matter.
It was the day after Christmas, and Stahn was plugged in. With no work in sight, it seemed like the best way to pass the time… other than drugs, and Stahn was off drugs for good, or so he said. The tw...
(Also, see 22 recommendations for the series Ware ) - #10
"Sayonara, Gangsters" by Genichiro Takahashi is a surrealistic tale about a poetry teacher known as Sayonara, Gangsters, who continues to write poetry in various life situations, such as the birth and death of his daughter, finding and losing love, and attempting to become a gangster. The novel is divided into three parts, with the first part focusing on the former lover of Sayonara, Gangsters and their daughter, while the second part delves into his job at the poetry school and his musings on the purpose of writing poems. The final part introduces three yakuza characters who enroll in the poetry school and meet a tragic end, creating a funny yet vivid scene in the narrative.