Thursday, January 30, 2025

Eight top historical novels that add a little magic

Susie Dumond is a queer writer originally from Little Rock, Arkansas. She is the author of Queerly Beloved, Looking for a Sign, and Bed and Breakup, and she also talks about books as a senior contributor at Book Riot and a bookseller at her local indie bookstore. Dumond lives in Washington, D.C., with her spouse, Mickey, and her cat, Maple. When she’s not writing or reading, you can find her baking cupcakes or belting karaoke at the nearest gay bar.

At Book Riot Dumond tagged "eight novels that combine historical fiction with magical realism and fabulism to create something truly special." One title on the list:
The Monstrous Misses Mai by Van Hoang

Cordelia dreams of becoming a famous fashion designer, but 1959 Los Angeles is less than kind to her as the child of Vietnamese immigrants. Desperate for an affordable place to live, Cordelia meets a mysterious stranger who leads her to an opening in an apartment with three roommates, all of whom share Cordelia’s middle name, Mai. It must be a sign that she’s found the right place. Then, the stranger offers Cordelia and her roommates a little spell to help them find jobs in exchange for a small sacrifice. It sounds reasonable, and it works! But as their wishes get bigger, so do their spells and their sacrifices, and getting what they want might lead them to lose everything.
Read about another entry on the list.

The Page 69 Test: The Monstrous Misses Mai.

--Marshal Zeringue