What are the features of magical realism?

The other day, we had a discussion with my friend Konstantin (who is also an excellent writer and musician) on how to describe the style of "magical realism". What's special about it? How is it different from other styles? What are its characteristics? We discussed the 'official' origins of the style – the Latin American writers, and the fact that before them the characteristics of this style were certainly found in the works of many authors. Some resources, for example, classify Gogol as one of them. We also discussed the fact that this style, although more richly represented in Latin America, certainly has no territorial limitations: Polish Tokarchuk, Chinese Mo Yan, British Gaiman... We compared it with symbolism and surrealism. And finally came to the idea that magical realism can be a little difficult to cram into the framework of techniques and definitions - rather, it is a feeling that arises from the reading. A general atmosphere that, regardless of the specifics of the plot, can be seen in the works of different authors.

It would be interesting to know the readers' opinion in this regard. How would you describe the style of "magical realism"? What is it, that common, you can feel in the works of Cortázar, Márquez, Murakami? Feel free to write back with your ideas and opinions!

For a brief foreword, I would like to attach a short piece – a sketch I wrote a few days ago.

"Skin furrows-canyons. Washed with oil. Which revives. You look closer, imagining yourself wandering on yourself. A mini version of yourself. A time of transformations-shrinkings. You'll walk to your nails, slip there, as you're just out of the shower, and your nails are wet and slippery. But you'll manage to catch on a little burr. You'll jump up like an acrobat, and land: not too hard, not too soft - just about right. You'll try stomping on your skin to test the pressure when you're miniaturised. And then suddenly you'll remember all your birthmarks - sacred places on your body map. And will go on a pilgrimage: first to one, then to a second, to a third. To all of them. And, on the way, you'll hear the gurgling and bubbling - the internal eruptions of your own body."