Magical realism is one of the hallmarks of Latin American literature. This sub-genre blends elements of fantasy and reality seamlessly, so the fantastical or magical is taken as a normal and accepted part of the story, thus enriching conventional notions of reality. Gabriel Garcia Marquez is perhaps the best known magical realist writer, above all for his seminal novel "One Hundred Years of Solitude." Isabel Allende of Chile ("The House of Spirits" and other works) and Juan Donoso ("The Obscene Bird of Night") also exemplified magical realism in their exploration of existential themes.
Latin American writers have developed their own unique brand of short fiction. In fact, some of the most renowned Latin writers are most known for their short stories. Juan Rulfo from Mexico published "The Burning Plain and Other Stories," which includes the chilling, supernatural tale of "Luvina." Juan Luis Borges of Argentina was one of the pioneers of Latin American short fiction. His stories were noted for their surreal, mind-bending qualities.
The Latin American diaspora has also produced a literary sub-genre with its own distinct qualities. Diaspora is the term for the mass migration of immigrants from their homeland to the United States and other non-Latin countries. These Latin writers, some born abroad, others first- or second-generation Americans, inflect their work with the unique perspective of bridging two cultures and two languages. Contemporary writers such as Junot Diaz ("The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao") and Cristina Garcia ("Dreaming in Cuban") wrote bilingual books based on the experiences of immigrants from the Dominican Republic and Cuba, respectively.
Given its unique cultural and geographic position relative to the rest of Latin America, the Spanish-speaking Caribbean nations of the Dominican Republic, Cuba and, though it is technically a territory, Puerto Rico have carved out another type of Latin literature. Spanish Caribbean writers, including Nicolas Guillen, Zoe Valdes and Reinaldo Arenas, deal with themes such as the isolation of island life, living in the shadow of the U.S., Afro-Caribbean cultural influence, and other topics.