Something like Naomi Novik's Temeraire books, where the setting is 95% recognizable history, and the fantastical element (in the case of Temeraire, dragons; but I'm looking for magic) takes the alternate universe further and further away from the history we know. I believe Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell fits the bill, but I can't actually remember if the rebirth of English magic changes the course of history in the novel or only affects the fictional characters.
by -throck_morton-
2 Comments
You might enjoy **The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O.** by Neal Stephenson and Nicole Galland.
Babel, by R. F. Kuang…set in Oxford, deals with language and colonialism, and features magic based on the linguistic gaps in translation.