Saturday, October 31, 2015

The Stone and the Flute and Magical Realism

This week I revisited one of the novels that shaped my early introduction to works of fantasy. It might have even been the first fantasy novel I ever read. It is certainly the first I can recall. It's message left a lasting impression on the young boy I was and I never forgot the story. After reading it again, I find that it's like the words of a song you barely remember, or haven't heard in ages, coming back to you when you hear it again.


One of the things that made this novel stand out to me as a youth was the sense that the world the character, Listener, lived in - was real. There are certainly fantastic elements throughout the book but Hans Bemmann writes it in a way that makes it believable and almost mundane; as though things like this happen all the time. It's a great way to escape the reality of this world and substitute it for another. 

As the main character and protagonist, Listener is flawed. He makes poor choices that, at the time, seem like they are being made for the right reasons. At times, he makes selfish decisions which of course turn out poorly for him. His journey is often about trying to atone for the mistakes he's made as he does usually learn his lesson. The book is full of adventure and at each turn of the page you can't wait to see what happens next. The story covers his entire life and even his eventual death. To me, it encapsulates what magical realism is about by not sugar coating or glossing over the realities of life and by showing us that life is a journey; one that sees us change by running its course - hopefully for the better.

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