Magical Realism

The author employs magical realism in several of the stories in the collection, using it add urgency and importance to the actions of the characters. The first example happens in “The Summer People.” The story reads as though a young girl is left to care for a summer house while her father is away.

As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that the Summer People have magical powers and demand loyalty from the person who cares for them, in this instance Fran. Fran feels trapped and takes advantage of the night Ophelia spends in the summer house to escape. By the conclusion of the story, Fran has been gone for a few years. She thinks she will return, but it seems doubtful.

Other examples of magical realism in the collection are the way the monkey egg comes to life and the pocket universes that open...