Once upon a time, in a faraway kingdom, there was a magical storybook. This storybook was not like any ordinary book; it had the power to bring stories to life. It was said that whoever possessed this book could have their wildest dreams and fantasies come true. The storybook was made of exquisite leather with intricate engravings on its cover. It was said to have been created by a powerful sorcerer a long time ago. The sorcerer wanted to share his imagination and creativity with the world, so he created this enchanted book.
It mixes magic and reality in such a brilliant way that the magic feels very real. It is about two sets of children, each from divorced families. The father from one and the mother from another have got together and this new blended family is struggling to get along.
There s much fun to be had in watching the islanders diplomatic handling of the missionaries, who are fine as far as education and healthcare and food parcels go, but no use at all when it comes to spiritual ills. What You Pawn I Will Redeem by Sherman Alexie The narrator attempts to reclaim a source of power that has been stolen, while we enjoy a running gag about mental arithmetic.
The sorcerer wanted to share his imagination and creativity with the world, so he created this enchanted book. Many people from all over the kingdom had heard of this magical storybook and desired to possess it. However, only those with pure hearts and noble intentions could open its pages.
Top 10 magical short stories
A ccording to the blurb writer on my Penguin Classics copy, Hans Christian Andersen was the “first writer to create timeless universal fairytales from his own imagination”. (Islamic golden age: “Are you sure?”)
It’s actually harder to find magical stories beyond the 19th century, outside children’s literature and fantasy, or the deliberately circumscribed forms of fable, parable and fairytale.
English Magic by Uschi Gatward review – exquisitely eerie withholding Read moreI think they still exist, in stories that don’t announce themselves as fantasy or even as magical realism, but they have become better at camouflaging themselves amid ordinary life, especially when the magic is the legacy of an older culture that has been suppressed but not quite extinguished.
So The Little Match Girl (the heartwarming story of an abused child-labourer hallucinating as she dies of hypothermia – Merry Christmas one and all!) might become, down the generations, Frances Hodgson Burnett’s A Little Princess.
Witches, healers and sorcerers feature in the stories I’ve chosen, but in a few of my Top 10 the enchantment comes from elsewhere – as it often does in my own stories – ineffable and mysterious. Magic is a resort of the dispossessed as much as of the powerful, a rival to the established orthodoxy, and some of these stories also show that precept in action.
1. Arrival of the Snake-Woman by Olive Senior
“She was enchanted when I took an Atlas I had borrowed from Parson and showed her first the world where our tiny island and India were located so far apart and then a map of India itself, like our island colored red.”
This story is full of delicate irony and of all kinds of surprising magic. There’s much fun to be had in watching the islanders’ diplomatic handling of the missionaries, who are fine as far as education and healthcare and food parcels go, but “no use at all” when it comes to spiritual ills. And the help these incomers offer is very much conditional.
2. The Fisherman and His Soul by Oscar Wilde
More pricing-up of the soul, albeit for different motives. This strange and metaphysical story, inspired by Andersen’s The Little Mermaid and The Shadow, was my favourite as a child (I owned the beautiful edition illustrated by Harold Jones). I couldn’t have understood it fully but I loved it for its language and imagery and for its genuine spookiness. The cutting-off of the immortal part – by moonlight, with a green-handled knife on wet sand – is particularly arresting, as is the shivery final paragraph. And then we have sentences such as this: “The other kept munching scented pastilles, which he took with an affected gesture out of an oval box of lilac enamel.” Delicious.
3. What You Pawn I Will Redeem by Sherman Alexie
The narrator attempts to reclaim a source of power that has been stolen, while we enjoy a running gag about mental arithmetic. Probably my favourite contemporary short story. I love everything about it, from the affirmation of the title to the final image. Colonialism 101.
4. Five Leaves and a Stranger byJacob Ross
Ross is such a subtle writer, and I love the mordancy found in his work. With echoes of Senior, this story follows a stranger who arrives in the narrator’s close-knit community during a time of sickness, sets up house with one of the women and has a child with her. There ensues a quest in the wilderness, redemption and a cure.
5. The Standard of Living by Dorothy Parker
Another shop-based redemption narrative featuring two modern-day Match Girls. Clever, simple, funny and charming. I love the magic trick it pulls off.
Very odd indeed … Robert Aickman. Photograph: Louisiana State University
6. Bind Your Hair by Robert Aickman
Poor old Clarinda has found herself engaged to Dudley, who has never missed a train in his life. She goes to spend a weekend with his family “in one of the remote parts of a county where the remote parts are surprisingly many and extensive”, and where a rather eccentric soiree guest seizes on her as a kindred spirit. And then – surely the most horrifying thing about going to stay with people: “Every Sunday evening, Clarinda understood, Mr Carstairs read aloud from about half past six until they had supper at eight.” Understandably, Clarinda has to escape. And then it all gets very odd indeed.
“In a way,” the shopman said. “Though we pay in the end. But not so heavily – as people suppose …”
Something anarchic and alarming – possibly evil – erupts into the delightfully ordered and middle-class world of this story, in which every street is known and money is ready for the granting of wishes, and birthdays are counted down to exactly and well in advance. Or does it? It’s so difficult to tell.
8. The Red Shoes by Hans Christian Andersen
As with so many of Andersen’s tales, there’s almost nothing to this – a few pages, and even the telling is simple. How is it so powerful? It’s partly the psychological acuity – Karen’s obsession with red shoes is of manifold origin and convincingly drawn – and partly imagery: the shoe shop, the various shoes themselves, the coffins, the graveyard, the spiteful and perhaps jealous old soldier (spiteful and jealous old world, even). The inability to stop – the whirling faster and faster – is genuinely the stuff of nightmares and taps directly into our sympathies.
Even without its famous adaptation, the story has an especial glamour lent by the beauty, the repeated visual accent of red (which stands out in life more than any other colour, and I think in literature too), the dancing, the riches and expensive objects, and even by the possession/obsession – everything is thrilling for Karen (and us).
It would not reveal its powers to anyone who had ill intentions. The kingdom's Princess, Amelia, heard of this extraordinary book and became determined to find it. She yearned to experience a world filled with adventure and magic. With the help of her loyal and brave knight, Sir Matthew, Princess Amelia set out on a quest to locate the magical storybook. Their journey took them through treacherous forests, mighty mountains, and enchanting valleys. Along the way, they encountered mythical creatures, solved riddles, and faced numerous challenges. Each obstacle tested their courage, wisdom, and compassion. They finally reached the Cave of Wonders, where the magical storybook was rumored to be hidden. Inside the cave, they discovered an old and wise hermit who guarded the book. The hermit explained to them the true power of the storybook and warned them of its dangers. Princess Amelia and Sir Matthew assured the hermit of their pure intentions and unwavering belief in the magic of stories. They convinced him that they would use the book's power wisely and for the benefit of the kingdom. Impressed by their determination and purity of heart, the hermit decided to give them the book. As soon as they opened the magical storybook, the pages burst into life, and the characters leaped off the pages. They found themselves in a world they had only dreamt of - a world filled with mythical creatures, fairies, and talking animals. Princess Amelia and Sir Matthew embarked on countless adventures, fought evil forces, and helped those in need. They used the power of storytelling to inspire and bring joy to the people of their kingdom. The magical storybook became a symbol of hope and imagination, reminding everyone to believe in the power of dreams. Years passed, and Princess Amelia and Sir Matthew passed down the magical storybook to future generations, ensuring that the magic and wonder it contained lived on forever. And so, the enchanting tales continued to captivate the hearts of many, reminding them of the power that lies within the pages of a book..
Reviews for "Reading between the lines: the hidden meanings in the magic storybook"
1. Samantha - 1/5
I was really disappointed with the "Magicak story book". The storyline was very predictable and unoriginal. There was no depth to the characters and I found it hard to connect with any of them. The writing style was also quite repetitive and lacked creativity. Overall, I found this book to be a boring read and would not recommend it to anyone looking for a captivating and engaging story.
2. Michael - 2/5
I had high hopes for the "Magicak story book" but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. The plot was scattered and confusing, making it difficult to follow along. The book also seemed rushed, with poorly developed characters and unresolved storylines. The writing style was average at best, lacking the descriptive and engaging language that I look for in a good book. Overall, I was left feeling unsatisfied and wouldn't recommend this book to others.
3. Emma - 2/5
I found "Magicak story book" to be quite underwhelming. The story lacked substance and depth, making it hard for me to become invested in the characters or their journey. The pacing was also off, with slow parts that dragged on and rushed moments that left me wanting more. The writing style was average, with cliché dialogue and a lack of originality. While the concept had potential, the execution fell flat and left me disappointed.
4. Benjamin - 1/5
I regret spending my time reading the "Magicak story book". The plot was weak and predictable, leaving little room for surprises or excitement. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked any real development. The writing style was dull and uninspiring, making it a chore to get through each page. Overall, I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for a captivating and engaging story. There are much better options out there.