Queer Magical Realism

For queer people, our existence is its own form of magic. Living as our most authentic selves in a world that encourages us not to – through stripping us of community and autonomy – is a way to rebel against such conformity. Throughout the month of June, we raise flags and dance in parades to celebrate our queer freedom, but we also turn to literature and art to seek representation of this kind of magic. This Pride Month, consider this list of books about queerness and magic to celebrate Pride year-round.

The Hands of the Emperor by Victoria Goddard

In Victoria Goddard’s The Hands of the Emperor, magic, ritual, and politics are tightly interwoven. For queer protagonist Cliopher Mdang, this trinity rules his life as a loyal servant to the near-divine Emperor of Astandalas. Conforming to the rules of the kingdom’s hierarchy is his way of survival – but when Cliopher decides to stop ignoring his feelings and ask the Emperor to visit his homeland, he knows risking this conformity is how he will begin to truly live. Navigating political consequences and queer freedom through a character-driven lens, this first book in the Lays of the Hearth-Fire series is the perfect cozy LGBTQ+ read to celebrate Pride this summer.

In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan

When the sharp-tongued Elliot discovers a hidden wall and gains entry to the magical Borderlands, everything he thought he understood about himself and the world of human expectations fades away. In the Borderlands, humans are replaced with mermaids and elves; ordinary high school classes are replaced with a military-style training school. As Elliot unlearns the rules of his human life and tries to survive combat drills, he befriends an elven warrior and another human named Luke. Elliot and Luke’s bond allows Elliot to question what romance and heroism mean beyond all walls and borders. Blending fantasy with delightful humor and queer characters, In Other Lands is a magical tale queer readers won’t want to miss.

To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose 

For the people of the remote island Masquapaug, dragons and magic went extinct long ago. That is, until fifteen-year-old Anequs discovers a dragon’s egg and bonds with its hatchling. This unexpected friendship earned Anequs the title of Nampeshiweisit – a person who has a special connection to dragons. Anequs’ new role leads to a new era of coexistence between humans and dragons – and a whole new group of enemies set on reclaiming power from long ago. Read for yourself why this coming-of-age sapphic fantasy novel was a winner of the Astounding, Nebula, and Lodestar Awards.

Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst 

The first book in Audrey Coulthurt’s Of Fire and Stars series follows star-crossed lovers Princess Denna and Princess Mare. When Princess Denna travels to her fiancée’s land, she struggles to repress her fire abilities away from the prying eyes of the kingdom that outlawed them long before she was born. Another thing she struggles to repress: her feelings for her fiancée’s sister Princess Mare, who may just be the partner-in-solving-crime she’s always needed when they conspire to stop an assassination to save their kingdom – and each other.

With Blood Upon His Teeth by Adam McOmber

Does AMC’s adaptation of The Interview with the Vampire have you craving fanged and feral tales? Adam McOmber’s With Blood Upon His Teeth is the perfect book on contemporary queer desire for you. After a scandal with his fellow classmate, Jim Holloway is sent by his powerful father to the rotting estate of Harrow’s Cross. Here, Jim learns the dark history within the estate’s changing corridors and dark shadows – and falls in love with Kit, the Harrows’ young American cousin. Haunted houses, repressed love, strange stories in strange lands: McOmber’s modern take on the gothic genre is the magical and mysterious queer read we’ve been looking for. 

The Deep by Rivers Solomon

For Rivers Solomon’s protagonist Yetu in The Deep, memory is both a gift and a curse. As her community’s only historian, Yetu holds the memories of her people so nobody else has to remember the trauma of enslavement. As a waterdweller, she must stay in the ocean and carry this pain and power to protect the minds of those around her – but what if she leaves? Who would she become if she left the pain of the deep waters behind her? The Deep dares to answer this question with a beautiful blend of Afrofuturism and magical realism for you to enjoy this summer.

Dead Collections by Isaac Fellman

If you can’t get enough of vampirism and magical hedonism this Pride month, Dead Collections by Isaac Fellman needs to be at the top of your TBR. When archivist Sol meets the widow Elsie, there’s no denying their chemistry. But Sol has a secret: he suffers from the vampirism illness, causing him to spend his days away from the sun in his basement office. Sol fears being judged and losing everything he’s built for himself in his secret life if Elsie discovers his illness. As they grow closer and Sol learns to embrace the unknown, he realizes finding love within his own flesh is easier with someone by his dark side.

Alexandra Rae is a feminist writer, editor, and revisionist from Ohio. She is a submissions reader for Narratively and editorial assistant for Brink Books. Find her on Instagram @theresonationofalexandra.