Literary Fantasy
What is Literary Fantasy?
Judging something to be Literary Fantasy is a bit like defining pornography: you know it when you see it. The “Literary” label seems snobbish to some, unnecessary to others (“it's a book, of course it's literary!”), but entirely appropriate when you consider that these are works that will stick with you long past the first time you read them.
A lot of that has to do with the characters, who are unique, interesting, convincing. They are complex, and this allows the plot to develop in a more complex, yet intuitive way. The themes of the books and their development are compelling, and could be called uplifting, seeming to carry meaning beyond the story itself. Good literature does that, and that's why we value it. One good test of whether something can be classified as Literary Fantasy is if a person who does not like “fantasy” in general enjoys the book, it's probably safe to say it's literary.
There are a number of examples of fantasy that fall into another category, but are also “literary”, but that's mostly because they have a heavier component of the magical or fantasy aspect. Good examples are “The Once and Future King” or “The Chronicles of Narnia”--nobody would dispute that these stories remain with us for a lifetime, yet they are considered Epic High/Quest category. Literary fantasy is more prone to mute the magical elements, treating them as a normal part of life.
These days, literary fantasy has incorporated the New Weird subgenre. This fiction is hard to pin down to a specific genre, but the normal rules of fantasy are usually broken with the settings, people, and landscapes often bizarre, the language flowery and poetic (or at least very stylistic). Others like China Mieville and Jeff Vandermeer are two of the more popular of such authors who write this new kind of literary fantasy.
Literary Fantasy Characteristics
Level of Magic
Depictions of magic are subtle and treated as not exceptional.
limited and subtle. When depicted, magic is often treated as part of normal reality.
Level of Characterization
Depictions of magic are subtle and treated as not exceptional but rather limited and subtle. When depicted, magic is often treated as part of normal reality.
Level of Plot Complexity
Ironically, a complex plot handled skillfully can seem less busy than in other types. Also, the fact that these stories take place in a more real “real world” means there is less strangeness to absorb and keep track of.
Level of Violence
Varies.
Related Types of Fantasy
Slipstream Fantasy (aka New Weird), just because it's non-traditional. Some Mythic Fantasy, due to the universal themes present, and also Political and Realistic Fantasy, since these stories do tend to downplay the fantastical element.
Literary Fantasy Isn’t For You If…
You don't like bizzair landscapes, strange peoples, complicated English, stories that are "more" than just stories (there is subtext to the text) or intelligent plotting. Or you're tired of literary fiction and want something completely different.
Best Literary Fantasy Books in the Genre
One Hundred Years of Solitude Gabriel Garcia-Marquez
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell Susanna Clarke
Book of the New Sun Gene Wolf
A Winter's Tale Mark Helprin
Bones of the Moon and others Jonathan Carroll
Chocolate Joanne Harris
Wicked series Gregory Maguire
Little,Big John Crowley
An Epitaph in Rust and others Tim Powers
The Master and Margarita Mikhail Bulgakov
Perfume Patrick Suskind
Invisible Cities and others Italo Calvino
Grendel John Gardner
Gormenghast trilogy Mervyn Peake
Perdido Street Station, *all works China Mieville
*all works Jeff Vandermeer
The Silmarillion J.R.R Tolkien
The Once and Future King (T.H. White)
The Etched City (K.J. Biship)
Be sure to check out our Best Literary Fantasy Novels list for recommendations that fit the literary fantasy subgenre mold.
Other Literary Fantasy Recommendations
Stranger Things Happen Kelly Link
The Stolen Child Keith Donohue
Eifelheim Michael Flynn
A Dark Red Love Knot and others Margo Lanagan
The Book of Lost Things John Connolly
The Knight Wizard Gene Wolf
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms N.K. Jesmisin
American Gods Neil Gaimen
The Long Price Quartet Daniel Abraham
The Chronicles of Narnia (C.S. Lewis)
The Fencer trilogy (KJ Bishop)
Elic of Melinbone (Michael Moorcock)
Do you have your own literary fantasy suggestions? Share them in the comment section below!