A Magical Girl Retires by Park Seolyeon (Translated) - A Review

Book reviews are being kicked up a gear for 2024! Be sure to comment on ALL the book reviews you see for YOUR chance at a special book prize every month!

Blurb About The Book (As Per Amazon)

A millennial turned magical girl must combat climate change and credit card debt in this delightful, witty, and wildly imaginative ode to magical girl manga.
Twenty-nine, depressed, and drowning in credit card debt after losing her job during the pandemic, a millennial woman decides to end her troubles by jumping off Seoul’s Mapo Bridge.
But her suicide attempt is interrupted by a girl dressed all in white—her guardian angel. Ah Roa is a clairvoyant magical girl on a mission to find the greatest magical girl of all time. And our protagonist just may be that special someone.
But the young woman’s initial excitement turns to frustration when she learns being a magical girl in real life is much different than how it’s portrayed in stories. It isn’t just destiny—it’s work. Magical girls go to job fairs, join trade unions, attend classes. And for this magical girl there are no special powers and no great perks, and despite being magical, she still battles with low self-esteem. Her magic wand . . . is a credit card—which she must use to defeat a terrifying threat that isn’t a monster or an intergalactic war. It’s global climate change. Because magical girls need to think about sustainability, too.

Click The Picture To See Details On Amazon.

Now For The Review

Standalone or series?
Complete standalone. 

How did I get this book?
Sent to me by the publisher.

Why did I choose to read this book:  
I am very much into all things Korean at the moment so the premise appealed to me.

Genre:
Fantasy Manga (Translated)

Who would enjoy this book:  
Anyone who likes Magic with a bit of a cultural shift. (PG rated with regard to language and sexual content). 

And Now To The Review!

First Impressions:
This is a translation from an original Korean manga and has some beautiful illustrations at the beginning of each chapter. It was easy for me to jump right into the story because it very much reminded me of some of the KDramas I am watching. I don't think you necessarily need any previous knowledge about Korea and the culture to read it, BUT, the general premises were so familiar to me that I think it definitely influenced my wanting to read it in the first place.
​
General Review
The Magical Girl theme might feel genre specific, and there are references made to that genre in its own right, but "Magical Girls" are actually very common throughout Western culture too. For example. Samantha from Bewitched would technically fall into the category. This translation explores issues that I am seeing repeatedly through the KDramas I am watching, but also addresses the global issue of climate change (in a non-preachy way).  Despite this being a translation, I didn't feel that any of the author's original voice was lost and I respected the way it moved from the more traditional "Magical Girl" that often comes into their power during teen years, to someone a little older, with issues that many people can relate too. 

Final Thoughts
Overall I really enjoyed this story and it was a very quick read. Whether I would have enjoyed it so much without my vested interest in all things Korean at the moment, I do think my review is probably more subjective than some of my other ones, but I like what I like!

Rating:
4 Stars! 

As always let me know what you think in the comments!


***Disclaimer - Any Links To Buy and/or  Subscribe to Amazon Programs On Amazon on this website are Amazon Affiliate Links
Melanie's Muses is part of the Amazon Associate  program and earns from qualifying purchases which in turns helps support all the Muser giveaways we do!***