Read the Rainbow!
A list of fantasy where colour plays an important role. There is a colour based magic system or colour in some way that has a strong significance or ties in with the plot intricately.
ETA : Please also look at the comments here for some amazing recs from the community here
created by Elfundertheshelf
last updated August, 2026
Comments
Please leave in your suggestions and recommendations as well! If you have books that suits this list đ„șđ
I love your brain đ you had all the ones I could think of already, but Iâll keep an eye out đ«¶
Thank you ! I've always thought colour as a concept and or magic system fits so well with fantasy that it should have more exploration! But it is quite limited shockingly
I love this list! I wonder if One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig would fit here because the Providence Cards and their colors.
I have not read that actually I have heard it has a unique card based system of magic , but if you've read it and know what it's about then definitely yes !
Hmm thinking about it, the colors arenât really a part of the magic, just an identifier, so maybe itâs not enough.
No! I've heard good things about the magic system though I think I might read it myself though and find a way to include this book there đ„č
I know it's maybe a bit more dystopian but I feel like The Giver was made for this list lol đ€Ł
Just because it's dystopian and the world is burning does not mean it has to be grey we can all crash and burn colourfully đđââïž
Oh, love a nice color coding. You go, Elf! I don't have any books (yet) but I will come running when I find one.
Oh absolutely! Drop by as soon as you find more. We have got to be more colourful
Such a cool idea! And yet another list to make me read the color of magic. Maybe this will be the next Discworld book I read đ€
Thank you ! Hehehe this is my shameful confession that I too need to get to Discworld, I'm starting with Mort
Yeah Mort is so fun! For sure a good point to start!
All I need is the library to lend it to me now !
Omg love !!!!! Also completely forgot about Furthermore
Honestly same I vaguely remember the cover and had to drag up the name saying "girl on a cover with loads of colours " ;;_;; more because this used to be on my tbr and I never got around to it
Would you also accept The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum? It does feature the Yellow Brick Road as well as the iconic Emerald City.
Oh yes ! Sure ! Hehe I've put the list up for all of us on pagebound kind of like an easy hub for people looking for this. I know i have had moments like that, so if you think it fits my all means put it in here. It's our list now đ„čđ no question of accepting or not !
Ascendance of a Bookworm has a magic system that involves the rainbow! But itâs a pretty long series, so it might not be everyoneâs bag of tea.
Some people do appreciate a long series through for the whole year especially like say The wheel of time so there is definitely some audience!
