Surprise! We bet you weren’t expecting this title today. Park Seolyeon’s new novel, A Magical Girl Retires, translated from Korean by Anton Hur, is almost out!
Centered around a 29-year-old protagonist who’s depressed and in debt, A Magical Girl Retires follows her as she becomes a magical girl who can save the world. She soon finds a purpose and a solution to all her problems.
Here are two signs you’ll enjoy reading A Magical Girl Retires by Park Seolyeon!
Book Overview
Content Warnings: attempted suicide, murder, mention of domestic violence, depression
Summary: 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.
You’re A Fan Of Sailor Moon
A Magical Girl Retires just screams Sailor Moon with its powerful girls who fight evil. It’s an ode to magical girl manga lovers everywhere. The protagonist learns how to call on her magic and even transform thanks to her talisman. And each new chapter has an artwork accompanying it, which we absolutely loved! It took us back to our nostalgic childhood and adolescence but with very adult problems.
You Love Books That Reflect Real-Life Issues
Climate change. Violence against women. Gender inequality. Ageism. Those are just some of the main topics addressed by A Magical Girl Retires. And we didn’t think that such a short book could make us reflect so much. Magical girls get their power when they hit rock bottom, unfortunate as it is. And the fight to combat climate change comes at a steep price.
A Magical Girl Retires by Park Seolyeon hooked us with its ode to magical girl manga, and we stayed for the portrayal of real-life social issues.
A Magical Girl Retires by Park Seolyeon, translated by Anton Hur is available April 30, and you can preorder a copy of it here!
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