Netgalley review, possible plot points mentioned below.

For a book with such big ideas, 100 pages and less is not going to execute the idea well. We're thrown into the story that constantly feels like a lot of information is missing entirely and nothing is really explained. With the small amount of pages it literally goes:

Damn I'm not a magical girl - oh that girl is killing the world while I'm at work (there's that weird part where she's like :( we shouldn't go after the girl trying to kill the world that's mean she's just a girl 🙄) - oh I'm at a magical girl meeting - I have powers and that other girl is defeated so suddenly

Then what was the point of the book summary if it never really followed through?

"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" genuinely didn't see at all??

"It’s global climate change. Because magical girls need to think about sustainability, too." Again where??

This book could have had such an impact, making a fun silly book while also battling topics of climate change of debt and the pandemic but instead we got almost none of what was mentioned, maybe it should have been a graphic novel instead.

I was really looking forward to this arc but in reality I'm super bummed over it.

I thank the authors and netgalley for giving me the chance to read and review this book.

This is an adorable story! While far from my favourite take on modern day Magical Girls and what it would be, Park fantastically captures the anxiety that we’re all facing these days, and what it would mean for magical girls to exist in our world. I really enjoyed the story, and it’s ability to invoke feeling in the reader is unmatched. The illustrations also really added to the story. Last, but far from least, ahhhh! Sapphic Koreans! So rarely as a sapphic Korean do I get to read stories with sapphic Koreans, and it’s delight every single time. I wasn’t expecting it, so imagine my surprise when the story went there? Flawless! I’m in love.

I'm a huge fan of the translator Anton Hur and his tendency for translating weird and interesting little books. I trust his taste. From the first moment I heard the title, I knew "A Magical Girl Retires" would be one of those.

This is a rather whimsical little tale, as much a love letter to magical girl animation as a subtle commentary on women's powerlessness in society. The prose is straightforward, and despite some rather dark themes, it is carried by it's lighthearted humor. I wouldn't call this book laugh-out-loud funny, but it is aware of it's own absurdity. The addition of gorgeous manga-style illustrations is a treat, and I spent a long time looking for the illustrator before realizing I already follow them on Twitter (@sanhomaydraw in case you were wondering!). Personally, I would have liked to explore some of the characters a little more so I could truly fall in love with them, but the novella's short length didn't really allow for it.

"A Magical Girl Retires" is a fun and quick little read. Anton Hur mentioned being a fan of the author's other works, so I hope more will be brought to English audiences in the future; and as always, I am looking forward to any of his future translation projects, as well as his authorial debut later this year!

Gorgeous cover art and translated by the incredible Anton Hur? I knew immediately I had to read this novella.

In brief, this is set in a society with magical girls (think Sailor Moon or Madoka Magica but less dark). Our main character is depressed, drowning in credit card debt, and at the end of her rope. She attempts to commit suicide one night but instead meets a magical girl who tells her that she too is destined to be a magical girl. But she quickly realizes that magical girl work isn’t all sparkles and rainbows, and that she still needs to manage her real-life problems. Add that onto a magical conflict and the impending doom of global climate change, and you have an entertaining little novella.

I quite enjoyed reading this story and adored the chapter art. It is fast paced and witty, while still addressing some deeper themes such as depression and hopelessness in early adulthood, self-worth and community, and justice. I especially liked the contrast between the lighthearted tone of the story and the apocalyptic backdrop. The sapphic romance was also extremely endearing.

I feel like this story has more to say about women in society than it's letting on, and I'd have liked more exploration into that theme. However, I do acknowledge that the story works well as is, and sometimes less is more.

Overall this was a fun read and I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves the ridiculous sparkle of the magical girl subgenre and doesn’t want to take themselves too seriously. And as always, I’m so happy to see the ever-growing appreciation and love for translated works, and am grateful to be able to read international works in English.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to HarperVia and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

First of all, what a gorgeous cover! It reminds me of all of the magical girl animes I used to watch. Magical Girl Retires by Park Seolyeon is a brand-new parody / homage to the magical girl genre. The story revolves around a 29 year-old millenial woman who feels like she is at the end of her rope. When all hope seems lost, a guardian angel appears and tells her that she has been chosen to become the most powerful magical girl of all time. She accepts, but being a magical girl in the real world isn't all that it's cracked up to be. Can she learn to control her powers and defeat real-world evils like climate change?

Here is a magical excerpt from the opening chapter:

"I understood this woman, who was named Ah Roa, had known exactly where I would be and came to find me at just the right time.
But back then, when I didn’t know anything, the only thought that came to mind was that this was a miracle, and I burst into tears.
“You . . . you know about my destiny?” I asked.
“Of course.”
Her voice was so trustworthy, so pleasant. Ah Roa came up to me and took my hand, her touch as gentle as someone handling something fragile.
“Your destiny is to become a magical girl.”"

Overall, A Magical Girl Retires is a satire that will appeal to fans of Amazon Prime's The Boys or the Platinum End anime by the creators of Death Note. One highlight of this book is the amazing premise. I've been waiting so long for a magical girl novel to appear in mainstream fiction. This book, which is translated by the world-renowned translator, Anton Hur, from Korean, is the closest that the magical girl genre has had to breaking out outside of Japan in the past 20 years. Another highlight of this book is how this book is a work of literature from Korea in translation. As a reader of Asian descent, I am a huge proponent and supporter of Asian fiction in translation.

I am so happy to be able to review and support this novella. There aren't enough books and short stories being translated from other languages, and I am so happy that this book is being given a chance to reach readers outside of Korea. I did take off 1 star because the beginning of the story is a bit bleak and depressing. Plus, there is a lack of humor throughout the book that I would have expected from a parody. Make sure that you read the content warnings. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of magical girls in general, I recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in April!

I really enjoyed this tale. The worldbuilding was just enough to get the reader intrigued about how Magical Girls work throughout the world but also left it a bit vague in terms of the impact and what other events they have impacted throughout the world. Maybe the author is leaving it a bit open for future novels? The book itself was just the right amount of magic, wit, and self revelation. I would love to see these characters and this world again. This was my last read of 2023 and it was a 5-star read for sure.

Free eARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher for reviewing purposes

This was a lovely little novella! It has really pretty illustrations, a strong story, and a deeper resonance than I expected when I picked it up. I would recommend it to grown up fans of magical girls- it's definitely appropriate for us Millennials who grew up watching and wanting to be Sailor Moon. Beyond that, the author touches on important themes of climate change, violence against women, and cultural expectations. It was lovely.

Wow what a fun and fast-paced read that packs a modern, philosophical punch. I loved every page of this short novel. It has a super fun story about magical girls and saving-the-day while also addressing many relevant issues such as justice, climate change, and the post-pandemic world we are exposed to everyday. Every fan of Sailor Moon should read this novel and every fan of this novel should watch Sailor Moon, I know I plan to! I couldn’t have started my year off with a more perfect story.

This was a lovely little novella about a girl finding purpose in her ordinary life through extraordinary means. I always enjoy character-centric stories and this one held my interest and made me feel seen and heard and hopeful.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperVia for the ARC of this stor

Admittedly, the main reasons I picked this up were the gorgeous cover and the fact Anton translated it, but I couldn’t put it down.

It’s such a fun novella with gorgeous chapter illustrations. There were also some very cute sapphic interactions which was so satisfying because I immediately shipped the characters in question and didn’t see it going that way at all. I’m low-key obsessed with the magical girl of clairvoyance Ah Roa.

I wasn’t hugely into the magical girl genre growing up, though I’ve always loved manga and anime but you don’t need to be that familiar with the tropes to enjoy this story fully. I loved how dark many of the themes and plot points were despite the very cute and magical nature of the book — it felt very real and gritty despite the overall light-heartedness.

It’s a wonderful play on the magical girl genre that will keep you guessing and fully invested until the end. I highly recommend it for a quick and very enjoyable read!

"The most iconic magic girl of all, Sailor Moon, specifically refers to herself as a champion of justice....Magical girls exist because justice does not." This is the thesis statement of this novella, as succinctly put in the translator's note by Anton Hur. I am certain at this point that I will read anything Anton chooses to translate because so far they've been included favorite works like Love in the Big City (about queer life in urban S. Korea) and Beyond the Story (aka the BTS book), among many other well-lauded contemporary translated works from South Korea. I couldn't be happier I was approved for this ARC by Netgalley because not only am I a big fan of Anton as a translator and human, but that COVER! That premise! Oh My! What a stunning satire about climate change, economic disparity, and injustice against women. The cover art and the illustrations at the top of each chapter is so evocative of some of the most wholesome imagery of those of us who secretly delighted in the gentle yet righteous sapphic legacy of Sailor Moon. But the writing itself does not hold back -- whether in the darkness that is the traumatic triggers of unlocking magic, or in the overt sapphic longing, or in calling out humanity's apathy about climate change as the real villain of the story. I kind of wish it was a wee bit longer, but even in the short length, all the characters are vivid and personable. I hope this gets another run through the editors though because some of the initial parts are a bit confusing and the sentences are awkwardly long while being infodumpy.

This was really fun to read. I love magical girl stories and all things magical girls. This was really interesting to read and I felt like I would love to see this as an anime. Sometimes I got a little lost with the plot but it was easy to follow other wise.

I had a good time reading this. It’s a short entertaining story. My only issue was with the writing style but I don’t know if this was due to the translation.

Can magic get you out of debt? I sure hope so!

A young girl, drowning in debt and depression, gets a second chance at life as a Magical Girl. The catch? It isn’t like the stories, it’s hard work. Despite this, she finds purpose in her life once again.

The chapter and cover art are beautifully drawn, and it was what initially drew me in. The story is short and sweet, and I enjoyed the friendship between the main character and her mentor, Ah Roa.

I consume a lot of Korean media, mainly dramas, so the Korean narrative is familiar to me. Life-threatening depression is a common theme, often discussed with a similar air of second chances. I’m glad to see such an important topic written in more books.

I notice that it’s difficult to translate from Korean to English. The essence and flow are hard to replicate. Common Korean phrases don’t hold the same charm when translated either. I won’t hold the translation against the book, but I do wish I could have experienced the narrative in Korean.

Overall, it’s a charming little book, and fans of Magical Girls would love this twist on the classic fantasy trope.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Via for this ARC.

I think this was a fun book! I wasn’t expecting the importance placed on the climate crisis, which was interesting. I absolutely loved the illustrations that came with each chapter title - I felt like I was speeding through the book just so I could see the chapter headings! My only real complaint is that I wish this novel were longer to flesh out the characters and the plot. There were a few typos towards the middle that I hope will be fixed by the time this book is printed, but they did not diminish my enjoyment of the book! I hope the MC is able to achieve her dreams and I absolutely loved the theme of justice.

(content warning for brief suicidal ideation at the start)

“Magical girls exists because justice does not” is brilliantly worded, and summarizes a core part of this story.

A Magical Girl Retires is a novella following a 29 year old woman, in debt and struggling between jobs, who discovers she’s a magical girl.

It was quick read! I loved the concept of a magical girl agency, magical girls with diverse powers, and the “magical girl” title not being limited to age.
Although it is kept rather brief because of the page limit, it could be more developed in character relationships. This novella does a really good job of tackling relevant subjects (from the average new adult credit card experience to discussing global warming). Overall, 3.5 stars!

The cover and chapter illustrations are beautiful, as well!

(Thank you Netgalley for sending a copy in exchange for an honest review.)

As someone who grew up watching magical girl anime and still loves them, this book caught my attention immediately. The translation was well done, and while the premise seems funny and whimsical, the story definitely explores darker themes in a short span of time. At times the main character was painfully relatable. I think this book was the perfect length for the message it wanted to get across.

Overall this was a fun and cute read that hit hard with the nostalgia, and had some darker notes pinning down the story that kept it interesting. Our main character is entirely recognizable - who hasn't fretted over credit card debt, or felt trapped by their career? - and you can empathize with her struggles throughout the story. Ah Roa as the Clairvoyant Magical Girl brings a levity and humor to the story that keeps it reminiscent of classic Magical-Girl manhwa, and the nods to what an actual society with magical girls would be like were fascinating to think about. Honestly though, my biggest complaint with this book is that it's just too short to really sink its teeth into any of the aforementioned imaginations. I wanted more of the various magical girls, more of our villain, more of the emotional turmoil you'd expect from this sort of story. It's short enough that I still recommend it as a fun read for anyone who remembers reading/watching Sailor Moon, but without that nostalgia factor it's a hard one to be excited about.

Wonderful, magical and realistic at the same time. I loved reading this, the translation was pretty good. I wish it was longer and more developed, but other than that, great stuff.

"Magical girls exist because justice does not."

This book is fairly short, but it gave me so many thoughts, and I find that impressive!

This book is charming. The concept, at first glance, is silly and full of whimsy, in a very fun way. The idea of a young woman who is lost and listless in life finding out she’s the key to saving the world is a prime fantasy trope, blended with the heart-crushing realities of living and working to stay alive that are all too prevalent in the real world. The result is a comical and sympathetic commentary on justice, the difficulties of life, the soul-crushing aspects of the cost of living, and the dark realities that face young people and young women in particular.

The scene where the main character received her “magical credit card” cracked me up. Bits of comedy like that were so well interspersed that it was enjoyable without taking away from the gravity of the story. Young people in this day and age are well acquainted with using comedy to cope with difficult situations. Some parts of this story were so topical, and I feel it is going to be extremely relatable to a specific subset of individuals. Young and middle-aged people who may have lost their family and are now making their way in a difficult world by themselves; those who are struggling after the pandemic; those who are dealing with unemployment and rising costs; those who are burnt out and don’t know what they want to do with their life even if they felt motivated as a young person; those who exited school and were unable to attain everything they thought they would; those who are in debt, which is an alarmingly high amount of the population. And, of course, those who have approached taking their own life before. The first chapter of this book hit me so hard – it felt like the main character’s thoughts had come straight out of my head in dark years. It made the character so real that I immediately felt loyal to her and wanted to see how her story developed. The story handled this event in an excellent way. I could see the dark humor in the situation without feeling mocked, rather, it felt like the author was commiserating with others who’ve been pushed to that point. The characters in this story are those who have been hurt, lonely, or deprived of "justice". And it's very easy to relate to that, as well.

“Way to tell the whole world that a corner of my mind is forever colonized by the thought of my credit card debt.” Every thought the MC had continually caused me to just sit there, laugh, and self-reflect on my own life. It’s very relatable to read about someone who’s concerned with becoming a superhero to save the world yet *more* concerned with everyday struggles like their credit card bill, feeling rejected over a job, their apartment leaking, and eating instant noodles every day; it perfectly reflects the apocalyptic state of our lives nowadays where we can’t even muster the energy to be worried about the state of the world because we can’t afford to eat. Who cares about climate change when you can’t get to work or have mold growing in your walls? We are, unfortunately, forced to triage our own lives and what we have the mental space to care about. This book doesn’t offer a magical, grand solution to any of those problems, or the problem of climate change. But reading it does give you some relief, as you think “I guess I’m not alone in feeling this way after all. And maybe there is hope, in small ways.”

I enjoyed the MC’s character so much. In the end, she decides to look out for herself and have hope for the future. Her choices end up being so funny that I wish I had more material about her to read. The illustrations in the book were a fantastic touch, as well. They added a bit of flair and that fantastical whimsy that made the story compelling. Magical girl stories are so classic, of course you must include what the transformation looks like! And this one feels classic. It’s common for magical girl stories to include dark themes, but to have them presented in such relatable ways felt unique. The plot was short, but so tense that it kept me involved. The hint at a sapphic romance was a nice addition too. Again, this book is on the shorter side, but it ends in a hopeful way, leaving you to think that there is still so much the MC has to experience, including love. That "Justice" is something we can attain if we support each other. Overall, this may have been a short read, but there were so many nice little inclusions that it gave me a bit of everything. It’s an enjoyable story with beautiful art and I’ll definitely be buying a personal copy in the future for my collection.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperVia for the e-ARC!