I really loved A Magical Girl Retires! It’s a short, fast read that packs a heavy punch, especially when considering the abysmal state of women’s rights in Korea.

Before I talk more about the novella itself, I want to make a disclaimer of sorts. This story does touch on dark, serious topics (the first chapter opens with the main character about to attempt suicide), but A Magical Girl Retires is not all one of those “dark” magical girl stories that wants to tear down the genre. At its core, A Magical Girl Retires is very much true to the magical girl genre. It’s about hope, justice, and solidarity between women. To quote the translator, “magical girls exist because justice does not.”

A Magical Girl Retires’ themes are all about hope and justice. It’s about facing down a hopeless situation and deciding to keep going anyway. It’s about trying to make things a little better for the people around you, and for the future. I can’t talk too in-depth about the execution (the novella is quite short, and I don’t want to spoil anything) but I just loved the story.

The thing I love the most about A Magical Girl Retires (beyond the themes, of course) is the main character. Though she’s unnamed, she has a huge personality and a strong voice–she’s got more character to her than some protagonists from 300+ page novels. She’s so relatable and yet completely her own person, with her own wants and dreams (she wants to become a watchmaker!).

Her relationship with Ah Roa is so sweet (I definitely read a little queer subtext in there, but I’m not sure if that’s just because of my violet-colored glasses).

Each chapter begins with a single-page manhwa-style illustration. I loved the thin, clean lineart, and the attention to clothing (because what is a magical girl without fashion)? I would love to see this novella adapted fully to a manwha or even animated, because while as a novella it rules, the magical girl genre really shines in a visual medium. 

If you love the magical girl genre and want a short, hopeful novella to read, I suggest picking up A Magical Girl Retires!

If you’re interested, the book will be released on April 30th, 2024. For more information, see the publisher’s page here (https://www.harpercollins.com/products/a-magical-girl-retires-seolyeon-park?variant=41099497078818)! If possible, I always suggest you support indie bookshops by purchasing the novel from your local brick and mortar or from Bookshop.org!

Thank you again to HarperVia for providing a digital ARC via Netgalley.