Everyday Magic: 8 Unexpected Literary Superheroes

It's National Superhero Day and that's got us thinking about our favorite literary superheroes. There are the obvious Marvel-type superheroes and fantasy characters who exist in worlds where magic is an expected part of life. But there's something especially exciting about magic appearing in a realistic setting; think Matilda, Mary Poppins, or Harry Potter (before Hogwarts). That's why we've decided to highlight eight literary superheroes who emerge in stories where you might not expect it.

Dana from Kindred by Octavia Butler

A young Black woman living in 1970s Los Angeles is snatched abruptly through time to a pre-Civil War Maryland plantation where she rescues a white boy from drowning. After saving his life, she is returned to her own time, only to repeat the perplexing and dangerous experience again and again.

Noa from Sharks in the Time of Saviors by Kawai Strong Washburn

After falling off a cruise ship into the shark-infested Pacific Ocean, seven-year-old Noa is gingerly delivered to his mother in the jaws of one of the predators. This miracle is seen as a sign of favor from ancient Hawaiian gods—a belief validated when the boy begins exhibiting puzzling new abilities.

Rin from The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang

When the orphan peasant girl aced the Keju—the Empire-wide test to find the most talented youth to learn at the Academies—it was a shock to everyone. Targeted by rival classmates for her color, poverty, and gender, Rin begins to come into her unearthly, shamanistic power. (YA)

Mr. Norrell from Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke

Having dedicated himself to reclaiming England's magical past, the aristocratic recluse lends his methodical powers to the government in the war against Napoleon Bonaparte. All is going well until a charming, brazen rival magician appears and chaos ensues.

Evie from The Diviners by Libba Bray

When a spunky teen is sent to live with her uncle in 1920s New York City, she falls in love with the glamor of the Jazz Age. When her occult-obsessed uncle is called to a crime scene to help decipher strange symbols the murderer left, Evie realizes her hidden psychic powers might come in handy. (YA)

Olivia from The Overstory by Richard Powers

Part of a sprawling ensemble cast of characters in this complex novel about trees, Olivia gains the ability to communicate with the spirits of the giant California redwoods when an accidental electrocution stops her heart for ninety seconds. After that, she dedicates her life to protecting the forest.

Jordan Baker from The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo

Immigrant. Socialite. Magician. This inventive retelling of The Great Gatsby features a queer Asian protagonist with surprising powers. An adoptee from Vietnam, she has grown up in the most rarefied circles of 1920s American society, navigating a world of magic, mystery, and glittering excess.

Hiram from The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates

When his mother was sold, Hiram was robbed of all memory of her—but was gifted with a mysterious power. Years later, when he almost drowns in a river, that power saves his life. This brush with death births an urgency in Hiram and a daring scheme: to escape from the only home he's ever known.

When characters in realistic stories possess special powers, it plays on our fantasies about the possibilities of magic in our own world. Let us know if you have any unconventional superheroes to add to this list.

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Read more by Ashly Moore Sheldon