The premise for this is RIDICULOUSLY cool – but the reading experience was just painful. It’s impossible for me to say how much of this is the fault of the translation, but the sentence structure, the way things were worded, just sounded off, the way a song does when you hear it in the wrong pitch. Clunky and weird and nothing like the way people actually speak, which, when a story’s written in first-person, is kind of a problem.

Both the worldbuilding and the info-dumping that conveyed it to us seemed really poorly done to me. If you’re writing an Adult novel about Magical Girls, then you either have to go sarcastic and scathing (which seems like a shame to me) or lean in and embrace the glitter and jewels and over-the-top-ness. A Magical Girl Retires read like it couldn’t decide which it wanted to be – maybe trying for both? There was definitely a strong flavour of apathetic cynicism running through it – see the MC’s ‘wand’ being a credit card – but then we also had different Magical Girl characters being very obliviously perky, and earnestly trying to explain how they needed our main character to save the world, and it was a very oil-and-water situation. Forget not mixing well, they don’t mix at all.

The prose itself, besides having a very jarring rhythm, is very dry, which, again, seems like an odd choice when half the fun of Magical Girls are the costumes and accessories and sparkly superpowers, all of which deserve to be lavishly described. But there was basically no description at all here. Maybe this could be explained away by our MC’s depression – the book opens with her about to commit suicide, and people in the grip of depression generally don’t care much about glitter. But even if that’s the case, it’s a) not clear, when I feel like it could have been explicitly stated that that was why the MC wasn’t vibing with it all, and b) still a very lame reading experience.

And I’m not even going to get into how rushed everything was. It’s not obvious on my ereader, but I think this is quite a short book? If so, it ought to have been longer, giving all the various facets of the story time to shine (and breathe!), giving the reader time to take everything in and process it and form attachments to the characters, etc. As it was, everything’s going at warp-speed, so I had no chance to come to care about anything before the next thing was happening.

I was desperate to get out long before the 25% mark (which was as far as I could make myself go). Sigh. This could have been so great!

I fell in love with the cover and the summary of this novella immediately, and the fact it was a translation sealed the deal on me wanting to read it because I not only try to aim to read translations as often as I can but I’ve also been loving the Korean translations I’ve read in the last year or so.

First, a caveat: I read the eARC for this on a Kindle Paperwhite, and this may have messed with the formatting somewhat. This title does have some illustrations and as Amazon has it classified as a manga in hardcover format I worry I might have missed some of the illustrations due to reading it on a Paperwhite. I can’t know for sure, so I’m putting this statement here just to let any readers of this review know I might not have had the full experience with this title that some others had.

I really did love the story and plot as it was first put to us in this book: When do we stop being “girls”? When do we actually “grow up”? Is there a point in time when a Magical Girl stops being magical? Is it ever too late for someone to become magical, or can we bypass that issue by giving some magic to every girl so she can navigate the world with a little more power under her belt?

It’s impossible to read this novella and not think of South Korea’s 4B movement, which has only been growing in strength and numbers since 2015-2016 (that I know of). The women of South Korea are rejecting Korean culture due to its inherently patriarchal and misogynistic nature and often outright boycotting the presence of any males in their lives–sometimes even to the point of having no male friendships. The central conflict in this book hinges on how to handle feminine rage as the result of mistreatment by the patriarchy.

Sadly, this story is split in half for me. While the first half is entertaining and read smoothly for me, the second half is rather chaotic and doesn’t read as smoothly, resulting in a great deal of confusion on my part as a reader. The narrative and story felt a little choppy in places, and the ending didn’t quite make as much sense to me as I would’ve liked. While I absolutely loved how you could tie this story into the 4B movement, it really felt like an incomplete metaphor.

In the end it was fine, but I would’ve liked a little more to chew on.

I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. This review is rated three stars or lower, so it will not be posted to my social media. Thank you.

File Under: Fantasy/LGBTQ Fantasy/Novella/Urban Fantasy

This book is okay. It reads like a light novel or a graphic novel. The story progression is quite linear with no real deviations. There's one small plot twist that I found pretty anticlimactic. The resolution was not my favorite, I'm afraid.

I really like the concept, but I didn't love the execution.

This story is really short, so I’ll not give plot information out on this review.

I really enjoyed A Magical Girl Retires. It’s a quick, easy read. The story is funny and entertaining. In the short amount of pages, it manages a decent, setup, conflict, and resolution. This is a pretty fun read, although there are mentions of a few serious issues.

I loved the way the “magical girl” system was set up. It felt a fun but more grounded than a Sailor Moon type of magical girl. It’s basically of magical girls were 30.

If it sounds interesting to you, it’s worth a read! I’m glad I gave it a shot!

I enjoyed this novella a lot! As someone who grew up loving magical girls, this felt like a love letter to my generation and all of our current anxieties and worries that drag us down. I hope to see more translated works in the future!

Of all pop culture’s attempts at capturing femininity, only the magical girl has stood the test of time. Definitions of the feminine shift as society does, and are as varied as each individual connecting to it. But, whereas most media attempts to constrain it, the magical girl embraces variety. Few can argue that Sailor Moon is comparable to Puella Magi Madoka Magica past basic genre-typical details, after all. Park Seolyeon’s A Magical Girl Retires pays homage to the magical girl genre while delivering a whimsical, darkly witty tale tackling problems of the modern era.
The story follows the familiar beats of the genre–regular girl meets a magical girl, discovers she is a magical girl, attempts to navigate her newfound identity, is met with a crisis, and so on. Where A Magical Girl Retires stands out is in its specifics. There are no aliens to fight, no dimensions to traverse to save the world. What the unnamed protagonist and the other magical girls face are the same universal problems we as readers face–adulthood, financial trouble, misogyny, capitalism, and climate change. Seolyeon’s writing conveys her protagonist’s frank and witty disposition through a first-person narrative, with Anton Hur’s translation carrying those characteristics across language. A Magical Girl Retires is a spark for anyone whose life has begun to weigh heavy. 3.75/5 stars🌟

A young woman is standing on the edge, literally and figuratively, after losing her job during the pandemic she has nothing left to live for, except her crushing debt. As she prepares to end her life by jumping off the Mabo Bridge a taxi passes her thinking nothing of it she moves closer to the edge. However, now she's sees the headlights from the same taxi coming back toward her and allowing curiosity to get the better of her she greets the young woman who emerges and with one sentence the young woman's life is saved and she is given the greatest gift on the planet; More Time.

This was cute, way too short but cute and relatable. There are far too many of us in the same situation the main character finds herself in, still trying to recover from the pandemic and getting absolutely no where and thinking that maybe it would be alright to just give up, until someone reminds us that the world needs us. What I think I really enjoyed about this is in the end maybe the main character isn't the most important Magical Girl in the world but she is the most important person to someone else.

I also loved the fact that Park has a villainous Magical Girl. As this is distinctly not meant to be an anime version of a magical girl story I found it far more realistic. Quite honestly I'd like to see this theme played out in more anime. Yes we've got a few of them that do this but personally I think we could stand for a few more.

My only complaint here is that it was way too short. I'd have liked to see at least a hundred extra pages and to have explored not just the main characters and Roa's relationship more but also simply more of the villain. Why she goes dark side is almost justifiable and I'd have love some chapters simply exploring her character.

Overall, this was a really cute short read that any fan of Magical Girl tropes would enjoy!

As always thanks to HarperVia and NetGalley for the eArc!

"A Magical Girl Retires" by Park Seolyeon offers a refreshing and imaginative twist on the classic magical girl genre. Our main character faces the harsh realities of modern life—depression, financial struggles, and a sense of hopelessness amid the chaos of the pandemic.What follows is a charming exploration of what it means to be a magical girl in the real world. There are none of the sparkly powers and easy victories; instead, our protagonist must navigate job fairs, trade unions, and classes.

Through the lens of magical girlhood, Seolyeon weaves together elements of fantasy and reality, creating a narrative that is both whimsical and thought-provoking. What sets "A Magical Girl Retires" apart is its ability to blend social commentary with witty storytelling. The author deftly addresses pressing issues like mental health, financial instability, and environmental degradation, all while maintaining a sense of whimsy and charm.

Overall, "A Magical Girl Retires" is a novel that reminds us that even in the darkest of times, anyone can be a magical girl.


Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a very quick read, and if you've ever been a fan of "magical girl" stories, this is an interesting look at what happens when you come into your powers as an adult, and maybe your powers aren't as cool you as you might hope. Can you still save the world? Do you want to? What happens after that?

This book had such an interesting premise, and for the most part, it was executed well! The protagonist was fairly likeable and easy to empathize with, especially knowing how brutal the work culture is in Korea. I enjoyed reading about the more realistic aspects of navigating mental health and real problems (like climate change) while also enjoying touches of magical girl lore. I almost wish there was just a bit more world-building on the latter—because having magical girls of all ages and backgrounds was intriguing.

Overall, a short and fun read for anyone who wants to feel just a bit of hope under our rather dreary circumstances.

4.5 rounded up!

The girlies who get it, will get it. The girlies who won't, won't. This is for the girls who have felt weak and wished that they had the power to change their lives. It's for the girlies with credit card debt who feel buried by the realities of our modern, soul-sucking world. It's for the girlies who don't feel like they belong anywhere. Honestly, it's just for the girlies! This novella is short and sweet so I recommend you read it and see for yourself.

Thanks to HarperVia and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

⭐⭐⭐

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was a huge fan and still am of the magical girl era, Sailor Moon and Cardcaptor Sakura are my jam, so I 100% requested this ARC because of that lol.

This story follows a 29-year-old who lost her job during COVID and is about to end her life due to piling up credit card debt. Her plans are halted when she discovers she is a Magical Girl and is asked to join the fight against a looming enemy, climate change.

This was an interesting novella and I’ll be honest I didn’t know which way it would go. It did take me a bit to get into and I did think about DNF-ing at almost every chapter, but then a twist would appear so I kept going. It could’ve also been the way this was originally written and some of the nuances were lost in translation. I can imagine this would make a funny K-miniseries but as a book was a little flat. This book tackles some topics including the obligation of Magical Girls to use their powers for good. In the end, it was entertaining and the chapters began with a fun illustration that also helped set the tone.

A Magical Girl Retires by Park Seolyeon was definitely a very original and unique story. I had so much fun reading this. A Magical Girl Retires is very much a book for those who grew up watching Sailor Moon. It's a very short book but I loved that it did what it did in that amount of pages. It was fun, it was entertaining and I loved the illustrations that it came with. It was also a fantastic translation, it felt like it flowed and it didn't feel stilted. I cannot wait for everyone to read this wonderfully unique story.

*4.5 rounded down for Goodreads scoring*
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperVia for my arc in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

Park Seolyeon's "A Magical Girl Retires" is for all of us girlies who grew up reading, watching, and loving "Sailor Moon," "Cardcaptor Sakura," "Revolutionary Girl: Utena," and other mahou shoujo stories. We follow jobless, depressed, and in-debt twenty-nine year old millenial and we see her become a magical girl.

First, I loved the illustrations in this. They suited the narrative so well and there were some that I saw that were just so pretty. And for being a translation (from Korean), I thought that the translator did such a brilliant job with keeping the feeling of the original language. It might have helped that the translator seemed to be a huge fan of Park as well. The overall story delves into domestic violence, environmentalism, mental health, I mean Park did such a great job of tackling these real life issues, especially in South Korea. Aside from the ending which felt a little bit underwhelming, even though it made sense, I loved every second of reading this.

I would absolutely pick this up once it's released on the 30th.

I'm a lifelong fan of magical school girls and this was the perfect homage! For a book that's less than 200 pages, Seolyeon manages to capture the essence of everything I love about the genre while also adding some super relatable aspects of Adulting and the struggles of Life. Sometimes translated books can feel stiff in tone, but Anton Hur did a great job here and I think captured the vibes really well, even if I obviously haven't read the original. The artwork in each chapter also added to my enjoyment here and the whole journey just felt very nostalgic. It would have bene nice to be a tad bit longer, but I still liked this. Definitely would love to read more from the author! The notes from the translator and illustrator were nice as well.

A 29-year old struggling with money issues and depression. Magical Girls exist. Chosen One trope, and its a sapphic romance? Sign me up.

I really recommend this book to those that find themselves struggling in their mid-twenties and had a Magical Girl phase as a kid. I first heard about this book from post about upcoming releases back in January.

I have always loved Magical Girl animes and this book hit home with the main character. She's struggling with money and finding her place in this world. The book starts off very heavy with speaking about suicidal thoughts and ideation. For me this book hit home with myself and really enjoyed myself throughout the whole experience. A Magical Girl Retires plays on the Chosen One trope by spinning it on its head.

I just wish it was longer!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

A quick read, but also a really fun one that feels like an episode of a magical girl anime. Friendships and enemies are made and though the true villain (climate change) isn't defeated in the end, there is still a sense of hope and growth for the main character. At only 144 pages, the story doesn't overstay its welcome, but I still found myself wanting more. More battles, more development between the characters, more time in this world that I wanted to be immersed in.

This is a quick read about a 29 year old girl who discovers she’s a magical girl after a traumatic event. i loved the build up of the story and the nostalgic feeling of watching an episode of Sailor Moon as a kid. However, there was some disconnect with the main character and the climax of the story happened way too fast. An enjoyable novella, it just had me wishing for a little bit *more*

Thank you Net Galley and publishers for letting me read an arc of this book in return for an honest review.

This was a very quick and fun book. I felt like it was too quick though, like I wanted more details. It hopped from one thing to the next without fully explaining the current plot. It felt rushed in my opinion, but still an enjoyable story. A 29 year old girl is thinking about ending her life during covid over credit card debt, when another girl shows up to tell her she's destined for greater things. She's gonna be a magical girl that saves the world. Another girl also comes to her powers shortly after and wants to speed up the end of the world. Global warming is the big monster here so she wants to reset and start over without humanity. The 29 yr old ends up saving the world, but retires just to return to her normal ordinary life. Cute, entertaining, and short.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this story.
SPOILERS TO FOLLOW

This was a very cute and very short story. I enjoyed how it was all about Magical Girls and the tropes associated with them. I also enjoyed how the the FMC (I don't know if we ever learn her name at any point. I can't remember her saying it or introducing herself) was 29 and had credit card debt. She was a very relatable MC and I enjoyed how she was self-deprecating but also very kind as well. She wanted to do good and help people and she managed to do that in the end despite not being the Magical Girl of Time. I also really enjoyed Ah Roa and how they met the FMC because they were destined to be together (I'm unsure if the author meant friendship or fall in love but either way it was very sweet). I also enjoyed her power in the end and that her talisman was a credit card! Her power was pretty unconventional but it made sense. I kind of hoped for a better ending for her (one free of credit card debt) but I like the ending that was presented to us as well.