I thought I was already done with magical realism until I’ve read A Million Junes. It’s truly beautifully written without being too flowery which I usually fear from magical realism books. Sometimes, they’re written too lavishly that I couldn’t understand most of it but this book is different. In fact, it reads more like a contemporary. It’s emotional, funny and engrossing and not hard to read at all.
The characters seem really real, and well-developed. The plot is also very interesting. Basically about these two young characters whose families have a history of unresolvable feud but who inevitably fall for each other. It’s also about how these two characters come to terms with their own grief having both lost a beloved family member.
The magic isn’t overwhelming either. It actually feels like a natural part of the story and the narrative is vibrantly descriptive that I could practically imagine “Five Fingers” being a “thin place” where this world and the “other world” seem to collide.
The message about grieving and choosing to move on and live for those you love who are still alive is creatively portrayed in the story and I virtually gobbled up the novel because it’s that good.
