Magic Vol. 1 Review

 

Rating: 3/5

Synopsis: A purple-haired girl named Evelyne is sent to live with a convent of nuns and later apprentice by her parents who suspect she’s a witch.

 

My Thoughts: Plot and Pacing (3/5) – I can’t say I was in awe of it as it threaded the generic overambitious witch and snarky/conscious cat tropes I’ve seen in many of these types of narratives (i.e. Kiki & Jiji and Sabrina & Salem) with the only difference being that Evelyn is a little kid. However, I did like the idea of having a witch be raised by nuns of all people who were surprisingly caring and nurturing towards her despite her mischievous antics and magical abilities. The pacing was a tad uneven with the book starting with a fairly dark opening for a middle-grade graphic novel which hints at some darker overtones. Meanwhile, the remainder of the story is mostly cute, light-hearted fare centering around Evelyne's various bouts of adventures both within the nun convent and under the tutelage of queen hatmaker Neil Farfadet. Being a reader who enjoys sweet, wholesome material, that didn’t bother me in itself, but I wish there was more focus on the lore aspects. Hopefully, future volumes will expand upon the worldbuilding and darker themes presented here.

Characters (3.5/5) – The main character is a strong one with an overachieving yet playfully waggish demeanor that’s a delight to watch. In some respects, it felt like a crossover between Madeline and Hilda. Her cat served as a useful foil who, like most witch familiar’s, can be seen as a personified extension of their conscience. Furthermore, Neil was effectively established as a sharply dressed man with a dash of wit mildly reminiscent of Willy Wonka. Not much can be said about the rest of the cast since the book was too short to establish their characters beyond narrative props to advance the plot.

Art (5/5) – The color scheme leaned on the vivid, bright side with some textual softness which perfectly complemented the fantasy, Victorian-esque setting. There was also a kawaii and chibi aesthetic which fitted the mostly light tone well having me smile a few times throughout.

 

Final Thoughts: Magic isn’t magically outstanding, but it is a charming little hex I would recommend to middle-grade readers looking for a fun fantasy adventure.

Thanks to Europe Comics and NetGalley for providing me with my first advance ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.