"I don't bother you, why do you bother me?"
The sequel to the far-transcending-okay 'The Okay Witch' graphic novel does not disappoint. It does not underwhelm. It is just as brilliant as the first instalment, if not more so.
'The Okay Witch and the Hungry Shadow' is all about bullying at school, and all the feelings that come from such a hard and traumatising time in a kid's life. And it contains the genuine, understanding words of wisdom needed in order to help overcome it all; the pain, the suffering, the isolation, the aggravations, the frustrations. This is especially true for an outcast and "weird" kid (which applies to everyone, really, and this is normal and they should be proud of it!).To any child who is perceived as "different" - due to race, ethnicity, background, gender, disability, health issues, sexuality, weight, height, clothes, hair colour, literally anything because bullies are sad human beings - going to school every day is a nightmare and a minefield. Because they are "different" and therefore bad, they are made to feel lesser by their peers; to feel like there is something wrong with them; that they don't belong; that they don't matter; that they're not enough; that they can be made invisible, and be ignored, laughed at, harassed, ostracised, and abused, with no consequences for the privileged bully, and every baggage put on the victim.
This is the message that society at large sends to the youth, unintentional or not, unconscious or not: If you are a victim, an outsider, and a misfit, you should hate yourself for being who you are. You need to change, because there is oh-so-definitely a "better" version of yourself that you can be, if you just try hard enough to achieve it. Conform, put on that mask, and suppress the real you, because no one likes the real you.
In school - in life - being liked by everyone, pleasing everyone, setting yourself up by whoever's standards, is the most important thing.
Except that no. This is a lie. A scam. "Weirdos" can't achieve in being a "better" and therefore popular person, no matter what they do. Because the system is rigged. Because the people who actually need to change for the better often refuse to, and will not give any "lesser" and "inferior" person a chance to reach their level. Either way, the weirdo loses, doomed from the start, and they are never happy.
Bullies live to put others down in order to make themselves feel superior, and achieve a false sense of high self-esteem. The responsibility should not be placed on their victims - that is complicity in abuse, and can be dangerous and even deadly. The sooner the perpetrators are made accountable for their actions, that's when the real "better" begins.
Also, many, many kids in middle school and high school are monstrous spawns of evil. It's best that they learn early on that the horrible things they get up to are not, in fact, okay. Otherwise, well, you know what will happen once they grow up and get involved in politics.
Bullying is a subject in life that I am all too familiar with. And I think that 'The Okay Witch and the Hungry Shadow' pulls it off very well. Emma Steinkellner clearly knows a lot about this topic, as well.
Basically, the plot is as follows: Eighth grader and secret witch Moth Hush is starting a new school year. Already an outcast for being a POC in a mostly white school, and for being "plain" and "unfashionable", things escalate terribly when she is mocked and made into a humiliating meme on the first day. Her only friend in this hellhole is Charlie, and not many kids are sympathetic towards her. The popular girls in her year pity her at best, and remain silent as she is being bullied. To make matters worse, her mother Calendula starts dating one of her dorky teachers, who is a target of constant ridicule by the students.
Moth can't ignore the incessant harassment and pretend that it doesn't bother her, and she shouldn't have to. To add further realism, the teachers are woefully useless at dealing with bullies.
Convinced that she should change so that her life will be easier and she will be cool and confident like every other kid in school appears to be, out of hurt and desperation, Moth steals an ancient magical pendant from her grandmother's altar of history in the witch realm, Hecate. She activates the charm, and uses it to turn into her "best" self. No longer awkward and shy, she becomes bold, daring, self-assured, loud, proud, spontaneous, and popular in school, turning the tables on her bullies.
But of course this is a Monkey's Paw situation, and darkness and danger lurk in that pendant. Will Moth end up losing herself, forever?
Charlie's three-hundred-year-old ancestor from Hecate, Peter, who is in a teenager's body, also tags along on this adventure.
Moth's fat, gay, talking black cat Lazlo remains an awesome cutie.
There is as much hope in this story as there is in the first graphic novel. It is life-affirming to anyone who is being bullied, with seemingly no end to the suffering in sight.
Moth, the witch in training, the poor schoolgirl, is a sweetheart. Moving aside the magic in her life, she is a realistic thirteen-year-old girl. She is so relatable. It is impossible for anyone with a soul to not feel for her in every moment of the story, negative or positive, unfantastic or magical, mundane or dangerous. She is a flawed young human, still learning, still growing, and that's more than okay. Moth is more confident than she thinks she is; she is a natural, no personality-changing spell required. She certainly does not need to change herself, as she's wonderful as she is. And who wouldn't want to be a witch?!
It is never good to make someone who is obviously a victim feel like they should change. No, they are never to blame. They are never responsible for being bullied - the ones doing the bullying are responsible. Marginalised people should love and respect themselves, even if other people do not, especially if other people do not, since the worst people on the top of the privileged food chain of society count on the misery and self-loathing of their enemies. The ostracised should be made aware that there are people out there - their family and friends (it doesn't matter how many they have) - who love them for who they are, and who support them. It is society that needs to change, that needs to accept them.
Plus, for all that, the book is so charming and cute! The moral concerning bullying fits naturally into the story, and serves the characters and their development. It is a lovable joy for all ages.
I love, too, that there is no romance or love triangle happening with Moth. None whatsoever. She and Charlie (and Peter!) are platonic friends, and that's that. The story never feels cheap, clichéd, forced or contrived. It doesn't fall into any tropey traps, like a cliffhanger, or hints of foreshadowing contained in a cliffhanger, nor does it pull any predictable tricks and twists. It's too good for all that arbitrary rubbish.
The 'Bewitched' TV show parody that Lazlo watches is an extra nice, funny touch. He is freaking adorable and huggable.
Go read this important piece of witchy fiction now! 'The Okay Witch' is coming-of-age at its finest. It simply must be adapted into a cartoon series.
For more, click the link to my review of the first 'The Okay Witch' graphic novel here.
Final Score: 5/5
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