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.
Park Seolyeon reimagines classic fantasy tropes in a novel that explores real-world challenges that are both deeply personal and universal: the search for meaning and the desire to do good in a world that feels like it’s ending. A fun, fast-paced, and enchanting narrative that sparkles thanks to award-nominated translator Anton Hur, A Magical Girl Retires reminds us that we are all magical girls—that fighting evil by moonlight and winning love by daylight can be anyone's game.
Translated from the Korean by Anton Hur.
This title will be released on April 30, 2024.
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Rating: 5 Stars
My Review: At first glance, this is a silly story with a main character (MC) starting at her lowest point. Upon reflection, it's more about the world's issues. More specifically to do with women and the helpless feeling we often feel. The Magical Girls gain powers when they most need it. When they feel the most helpless. They gain these powers and use them to help and fix. The Magical Girl Union expected the Magical Girl of Time to also have the same want. She had the most natural reaction to her gaining powers, especially given her situation. Why would she want to fix and help? Is it a woman's duty to make everything better? Our MC being sympathetic for her reaction helped point this out. MC's power being “paying” for everything also illustrates this thought to me. She came to the rescue and payment came from all the other magical girls. I could also see this as sacrifice now being an investment in the future since the magic they lost was dispersed to many others. This relates to the climate change issue that was mentioned and many others! The more I think about this book, the more I discover. It's blowing my mind. This book was really cool. I didn't expect to have so many thoughts on a less than 200 page book!
Review
“Through vivid storytelling and relatable characters, Platt and Wigginton Greene have crafted a deeply moving and relevant novel addressing the intricate intersections of race, parenting, and friendship. It is a must-read for anyone seeking a better understanding of the world around them… and themselves.” — Glory Edim, Well-Read Black Girl
--This text refers to the hardcover edition.About the Author
Park Seolyeon was born in Cheorwon, South Korea and lives in Seoul. She made her debut in the journal Silcheon Munhak, and received the 2018 Hankyoreh Literary Award for her novel The Girl in the Air. Her works include the novels Martha’s Work and The Shirley Club, as well as the short-story collection My Hormones Made Me Do It. She runs the literature platform Dungeon.
Anton Hur was born in Stockholm, Sweden, and was subsequently raised in six different countries on four different continents, including British Hong Kong, Ethiopia, the United States, and Thailand, but spent most of his time in Korea. He has worked as an interpreter and translator for more than two decades, and in 2022, was double-longlisted and shortlisted for the International Booker Prize, the first translator of color to do so. In 2023, his translation of Bora Chung’s Cursed Bunny was shortlisted for the National Book Awards. He divides his time between Seoul and the science fiction-y island of Songdo with his husband.
--This text refers to the hardcover edition.
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