Mythic Reading Lists

The field of mythic fiction consists of contemporary works that draw on the timeless themes and symbolism of world mythology, medieval romance, folklore, fairy tales, and the oral stoytelling tradition. Mythic fiction is set in the modern (or historical world), not in a far–off Nevernever land. But it portrays a world infused with mythic archetypes, mystery, and magic. Works of mythic fiction can be found on the mainstream fiction shelves in the form of magic realism and surrealism, as well as in genre fiction, Young Adult fiction, and other parts of the bookstore.

The prevalence of mythic fiction today is due, we believe, to several factors: the influence of Latin American magical realism, the renaissance of adult fairy literature fostered by feminist writers such as Angela Carter and Anne Sexton, a re–awakening of interest in world mythology due to the works of Joseph Campbell and other scholars, and a decrease of cultural prejudice against nonrealist forms of storytelling in generations weaned on C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and J.K. Rowling.

The following list contains 100 fine novels by 100 fine writers of contemporary mythic fiction. The books on our list range from charming, entertaining confections to powerful novels that rank among the best works of modern literature. The authors on our list range from promising first novelists to modern masters of mythic fiction. For more information, the title link will take you to the book's page on Amazon. (Please bear in mind that if you purchase a book through these links, a portion of the money you pay will be donated to our children's charity.)

For recommendations for younger readers, see Mythic Fiction for Young Adults by Julie Bartel.

Kathleen Alcala, Spirits of the Ordinary
Isabel Allende, The House of the Spirits
Kim Antieau, Coyote Cowgirl
Kate Atkinson, Human Croquet
A.A. Attanasio, The Moon's Wife
Peter S. Beagle, A Fine and Private Place
Judith Berman, Bear Daughter
James P. Blaylock, Winter Tides
Richard Bowes, Minions of the Moon
Paul Brandon, Swim the Moon
Kevin Brockmeier, The Truth About Celia
Judy Budnitz, If I Told You Once
Jack Cady, The Off Season
Angela Carter, Nights at the Circus
Ana Castillo, So Far From God
Michael Chabon, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay
(winner of the Pulitzer Prize)
Vikram Chandra, Red Earth and Pouring Rain
Susanna Clarke, Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell
(winner of the World Fantasy Award and the Mythopoeic Award)
Rick Collignon, The Journal of Antonio Montoya
John Crowley, Little, Big
(winner of the World Fantasy Award and the Mythopoeic Award)
Achmat Dangor, Kafka's Curse
Catherine Temma Davidson, The Priest Fainted
Gail Anderson–Dargatz, The Cure for Death by Lightning
Kathryn Davis, The Thin Place
Marele Day, The Lambs of God
Seamus Deane, Reading in the Dark
Louis de Bernieres, The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts
Charles de Lint, Someplace to Be Flying
Bradley Denton, Lunatics
Lilas Desquiron, Reflections of Loko Miwa
Chitra Bannerjee Divakaruni, Mistress of Spices
Keith Donohue, The Stolen Child
Marcia Douglas, Madame Fate
Louise Erdrich, The Antelope Wife
(winner of the World Fantasy Award)
Laura Esquivel, Like Water for Chocolate
Sia Fiegel, They Who Do Not Grieve
Heinz Insu Fenkl, Memories of My Ghost Brother
Karen Joy Fowler, Sarah Canary
Jeffery Ford, The Girl in the Glass
Neil Gaiman, Anansi Boys
Alan Garner, Strandloper
Molly Gloss, Wild Life (winner of the Tiptree Award)
Lisa Goldstein, Tourists
Hiromi Goto, The Kappa Child (winner of the Tiptree Award)
Richard Grant, Tex and Molly in the Afterlife
Brian Hall, The Saskiad
Elizabeth Hand, Mortal Love
Joanne Harris, Chocolat
Peter Hoeg, The History of Danish Dreams
Alice Hoffman, The Ice Queen
Nina Kiriki Hoffman, A Fistful of Sky
Linda Hogan, Power
Robert Holdstock, Mythago Wood
Nalo Hopkinson, The Salt Roads
Janette Turner Hospital, Last Magician
Keri Hulme, The Bone People (winner of the Booker Prize)
Graham Joyce, The Facts of Life (winner of the World Fantasy Award)
Thomas King, Green Grass, Running Water
Elizabeth Knox, The Vintner's Luck
Larissa Lai, When Fox is a Thousand
Megan Lindholm, Cloven Hooves
Rob Levandoski, Fresh Eggs
Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Love in the Time of Cholera
Regina McBride, The Nature of Water and Air
Patricia A. McKillip, Stepping From the Shadows
Nega Mezleki, The God Who Begat a Jackal
Ib Michael, Prince
Steven Millhauser, Martin Dressler
N. Scott Momaday, The Ancient Child
Christopher Moore, Coyote Blue
Pat Mora, House of Houses
Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore
Lilian Nattel, The River Midnight
Ben Okri, The Famished Road (winner of the Booker Prize)
Louis Owens, Bone Game
Gisèle Pineau, The Drifting of Spirits
Susan Power, The Grass Dancer
Tim Powers, Last Call
Eden Robinson, Monkey Beach
Matt Ruff, Fool on the Hill
Salman Rushdie, The Satanic Verses (winner of the Booker Prize)
Geoff Ryman, Was
Rafik Schami, Damascus Nights
Han Shaogong, Dictionary of Maqiao
Steven Sherrill, The Minotaur Takes a Cigarette Break
Will Shetterly, Dogland
Leslie Marmon Silko, Almanac of the Dead
Carol Ann Sima, The Mermaid Who Came Between Them
Johanna Sinsalo, Troll, A Love Story (winner of the Tiptree Award)
Nancy Springer, The Blind God is Watching
Sean Stewart, Mockingbird
Amy Tan, The Hundred Secret Senses
Amos Tutuola, The Palmwine Drinkard and My Life in the Bush of Ghosts
Jane Urqhart, Away
Luis Alberto Urrea, The Hummingbird's Daughter
Catherynne M. Valenta, Yume No Hon: The Book of Dreams
Alfredo Vea Jr., La Marravilla
Jeanette Winterson, Sexing the Cherry
Gao Xinghian, Soul Mountain
Mia Yun, House of the Winds

Art: "Merlin Beguiled" by Sir Edward Burne-Jones, 1874.

The "adult fairy tale" is a literary form popularized by the Italian writers Straparola and Basile in the 16th century, by the French salon writers of the 17th/18th centuries, the German Romantics in the 19th century, and the Celtic Twilight writers of the British Isles at the dawn of the 20th century. At the end of the 20th century, a revival of this form began among three overlapping groups of writers: contemporary "mainstream" authors (such as Angela Carter and Robert Coover); contemporary fantasy authors (such as Tanith Lee and Robin McKinley); and feminist poets (such as Anne Sexton and Carol Ann Duffy). In addition, writers of Young Adult fiction (such as Jane Yolen and Donna Jo Napoli) created sophisticated fairy tale novels that could be read on several levels by readers young and old.

As a new century begins, we're pleased to see that the modern revival of fairy tale literature seems to be growing stronger than ever. Below, you'll find a list of recommended novels, stories, and poetry collections which make deft use of fairy tales, folktales, and folk ballads, re-envisioned for modern readers. We've also included a short list of books about the history of fairy tales, for readers who would like to explore the subject further. For more information on each book, the title link will take you to its page on Amazon.

Adult Fairy Tales

Manlio Argueta, Little Red Riding Hood in the Red Light District

Margaret Atwood, The Robber Bride

Margaret Atwood, Bluebeard's Egg (stories)

Kate Bernheimer, The Complete Tales of Ketzia Gold

Kevin Brockmeier, The Truth About Celia

A.S. Byatt, Possession (winner of the Booker Prize)

A.S. Byatt, Elementals: Stories of Fire and Ice (stories)

A.S. Byatt, The Djinn in the Nightingale's Eye (stories)

Orson Scott Card, Enchantments

Jonathan Carroll, Sleeping in Flame

Hayden Carruth, The Sleeping Beauty (poems)