Scan barcode
A review by aksmith92
Witch Hat Atelier, Volume 1 by Kamome Shirahama
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The setup: Coco is dying to be one of the chosen ones to conduct magic. Ever since she was given a book of magical spells and a wand when she was younger, she's wanted to be able to be a witch. Soon enough, a witch stumbles upon her town, and one thing leads to the next, where she watches him conduct magic. Her whole view changes! She has to try it out. Once she does, things go awry, and she must set out on a quest to fix her wrongs.
We follow Coco's journey as she begins her apprenticeship with Qifrey, the enigmatic witch she met in her hometown, and forms bonds with other girls on a similar path. Together, they navigate the intricacies of a unique magical system, learn to cast spells, and encounteran old friend a formidable witch who could disrupt their peaceful days. This book is a delightful blend of lighthearted adventure and high-stakes drama, set in a captivating world.
What I liked: What a unique storyline and plot! While we have most certainly read about witches before and possibly even about this type of magic, this was interesting and provided an original take on how people conduct magic through different means than a wand or mind. I immensely enjoyed the premise, and the author did excellent work building this unique system and world. Additionally, this book felt like a cozy fantasy. It was lighthearted and fun. While it may have some more high-stakes ideas, you still somewhat knew that things would work out. Lastly, Coco was a great protagonist. Albeit very young, Coco was driven, focused, and kind-hearted, which made for a lovely character.
What was missing: This was my first manga, so bear with me. However, this read was incredibly middle-grade. While a good and exciting idea for a story, I couldn't quite get over the hurdle of very simple and childish catchphrases ("Oh gosh!") or other very child-like thought processes ("I can do this! Think positive!"). I know some people love that language in middle-grade novels, comics, or manga, but it is not for me. Therefore, it took me out of the story a little bit, and I didn't necessarily love it. The faces the illustrator drew for distress or shouting were also hilariously funny to me, and not necessarily in the best way because it didn't seem real (again, it's manga; I took that with a grain of salt). A very minor qualm that I pushed through because it clearly wasn't going there, but I did find it weird that this older guy Qifrey decided to take in four young girls for an apprenticeship.
Overall, though, this was a good book done well. Additionally, for the most part, I enjoyed the intricate illustrations and the overall plot. Lastly, it did an excellent job of character building and pushing through adversity in Coco's character when she had to do something she didn't think she could do. That was a great take. Either way, I will continue with the next book to see if it gets more mature!
We follow Coco's journey as she begins her apprenticeship with Qifrey, the enigmatic witch she met in her hometown, and forms bonds with other girls on a similar path. Together, they navigate the intricacies of a unique magical system, learn to cast spells, and encounter
What I liked: What a unique storyline and plot! While we have most certainly read about witches before and possibly even about this type of magic, this was interesting and provided an original take on how people conduct magic through different means than a wand or mind. I immensely enjoyed the premise, and the author did excellent work building this unique system and world. Additionally, this book felt like a cozy fantasy. It was lighthearted and fun. While it may have some more high-stakes ideas, you still somewhat knew that things would work out. Lastly, Coco was a great protagonist. Albeit very young, Coco was driven, focused, and kind-hearted, which made for a lovely character.
What was missing: This was my first manga, so bear with me. However, this read was incredibly middle-grade. While a good and exciting idea for a story, I couldn't quite get over the hurdle of very simple and childish catchphrases ("Oh gosh!") or other very child-like thought processes ("I can do this! Think positive!"). I know some people love that language in middle-grade novels, comics, or manga, but it is not for me. Therefore, it took me out of the story a little bit, and I didn't necessarily love it. The faces the illustrator drew for distress or shouting were also hilariously funny to me, and not necessarily in the best way because it didn't seem real (again, it's manga; I took that with a grain of salt). A very minor qualm that I pushed through because it clearly wasn't going there, but I did find it weird that this older guy Qifrey decided to take in four young girls for an apprenticeship.
Overall, though, this was a good book done well. Additionally, for the most part, I enjoyed the intricate illustrations and the overall plot. Lastly, it did an excellent job of character building and pushing through adversity in Coco's character when she had to do something she didn't think she could do. That was a great take. Either way, I will continue with the next book to see if it gets more mature!