My local bookshop requires a dedicated trip and a drive on the congested freeway that has been under construction since now until forever. Needless to say, it had been a while since I visited the shop, but my efforts proved to be fruitful because I picked up a little-known story by Park Seolyeon called A Magical Girl Retires.
Depressed and drowning in credit card debt, a young woman sits on a bridge with her dark thoughts. She doesn’t see a future for herself, but before she can make a decision, a magical girl named Ah Roa appears. Ah Roa brings our protagonist into the world of magical girls, where each one is unique and special and making their own mark on the world. From battling climate change to finding jobs to stopping terrorist attacks, magical girls are here to save the day or at least make it more interesting.
Despite magical girls actually existing in Park’s world, she reminds us that we can all be, and are, magical girls. There is a saying that only children can see change and good in the world because as we age, cynicism freezes us like a crust of frost. Park doesn’t believe that, she thinks there is the power for change and imagination in each of us no matter our age. We see this theme early on as our 29-year-old protagonist believes magical girls can’t be anyone beyond a middle-grade school girl. But Ah Roa assures her that magical girls aren’t just girls, they’re people of all expressions and ages. Park supports our dreams of being magical girls by making their world seem so…normal. Sure they have powers, but they’re also attending job fairs, taking taxis, and going to class—just like us.
Park encourages the magical girl in all of us even further by writing in first person and never naming the protagonist. This allows space for the reader to become the self-doubting, average protagonist who has to learn how to awaken their magic again. The extraordinary idea of being a magical girl feels so relatable in this story and inspires the reader to create their own power and magic. Our protagonist has a mundane life despite the path Ah Roa sets her on. They’re depressed and in debt and applying for jobs even though magic exists. I liked seeing the protagonist live her life and discover her own version of magic along the way.
With A Magical Girl being a short story, I don’t have much more to share without giving the adventure away. But I do highly recommend you pick up a print copy of this book because the cover is gorgeous and there are illustrations sprinkled throughout. It may not be an in-depth or exhaustive story, but I like that it can impart its message quickly and be on its way. I think this book would be a great gift, even for our friends who rarely pick up a book. It’s approachable thanks to its smaller page count and chapters, and unique enough to keep the more fantasy-savvy readers entertained.
A Magical Girl Retires is a short, sweet, and relatable story that celebrates people and their unique magic. It’s a story that can meet the reader wherever they’re at, and it honors all the characteristics, thoughts, and feelings that make us…us.
Rating: A Magical Girl Retires – 7.0/10
-Brandee
