Manga Review – Witch Hat Altier Vol 1 by Kamome Shirahama (5/5 stars)
Reading Level: Middle Grade
Genre: Fantasy
Length: 208 pages
Publisher: Kodansha Comics;
Release Date: April 9, 2019
ISBN-13: 978-163236770
Stand Alone or Series: 1st volume in the Witch Hat Altier series
Source: Borrowed from Library
Rating: 5/5 stars
“In a world where everyone takes wonders like magic spells and dragons for granted, Coco is a girl with a simple dream: She wants to be a witch. But everybody knows magicians are born, not made, and Coco was not born with a gift for magic. Resigned to her un-magical life, Coco is about to give up on her dream to become a witch…until the day she meets Qifrey, a mysterious, traveling magician. After secretly seeing Qifrey perform magic in a way she’s never seen before, Coco soon learns what everybody “knows” might not be the truth, and discovers that her magical dream may not be as far away as it may seem…”
Series Info/Source: This is the first book in the Witch Hat Altier series, which has 6 volumes right now with a 7th volume expected later in 2020. I borrowed this book from the library.
Story (5/5): Coco desperately wants to learn magic and become a witch but she’s been told you can only be born a witch. Then Qifrey arrives and Coco finds out that everything she knew to be true might be a lie. I absolutely loved this story so far. It’s positive and upbeat with a lot of interesting magic. I enjoyed watching Coco and her adventures all in an effort see her dream come true.
Characters (5/5): I loved how upbeat Coco was, she absolutely drew me in and put a smile on my face with her infectious enthusiasm. Qifrey is a more mysterious, yet just as endearing of a character. All of the side characters are well done too.
Setting (4/5): I really enjoyed the magical traditional fantasy setting. It was well done and fun to explore.
Writing/Drawing Style (5/5): Aside from how infectiously fun the story and characters are, the real strength of this book is the amazingly beautiful illustration. The drawings are very detailed and sparkly with enthusiasm and fun. The story is very cohesive and easy to follow…did I mention how fun this was to read!
My Summary (5/5): Overall I absolutely loved this book and can’t wait to read more volumes in it. I am thinking about trying to get them digitally since my library is shut down for the time being. I would recommend this to all ages and readers who enjoy a light-hearted fantasy with amazing illustration and wonderful magic.
