The first chapter book adaptation of the first 'W.I.T.C.H.' comic is as fun, charming and cute as I remember. What a cosy little gem!
Though now I've noticed it isn't all innocent, and definitely not twee, and not just in its dark, supernatural elements. What surprised me is its honesty in its depiction of pubescent girls, especially coming from a Disney product. It is not shy about describing the Guardian girls' bodies, transformed or not. Irma is described as an 'early bloomer' three times in the first chapter, where she is introduced, and she is referred to as 'curvy' more than once. The other girls' 'flat chests' are brought up; as are their chests, curves, hips and long legs once they are magically matured as the Guardians of the Veil. This is done so in a way that insecure young teen girls would perceive themselves and other girls, in the superficial, misogynistic and toxic early 2000s, but with less jealousy and girl-hate, and more making statements of fact. It is not creepy or scandalous. It's simply realistic. I could tell that a woman wrote these book adaptations.
There is nothing wrong with telling children the truth, and representing puberty and growing pains, even in a cartoony fantasy series like 'W.I.T.C.H.'. All that's missing is the existence of menstruation.
Not every girl is boy crazy, either (
'W.I.T.C.H.' - and how the events, and the characters and their thoughts and emotions are described in the chapter books - is a coming-of-age story, all right. With adorable, relatable and endearing magical girls, who are ordinary yet extraordinary, through their own individual strengths, characteristics, and charms. There is slice-of-life drama as well as supernatural, otherworldly action drama.
'The Power of Five (W.I.T.C.H. Chapter Books, #1)' - as good as I remember as a pubescent schoolgirl myself. The series is a comfort zone to me. I am a fan still (...at least of how it used to be, before the comics continued on for too far long and went off the rails, jumped the shark over all the moons, and turned into complete crap - oh, I've read how it railroads and rots).
Final Score: 4/5
Original Review:
I read these books during my girl-power-loving schoolgirl days (as yet unchanged, only now I'm thinking about the portrayal of girl power in the media through a more modern feminist lens and perspective).
I deeply dislike the TV series, however I remember the 'W.I.T.C.H' books as being sweet, colourful, dramatic, magical, and above all, heartfelt. It's mainly about friendship than anything else, and each of the main characters - who could not be any more different from one another - are flawed, likeable and relatable in their own way. It's hard to pick a favourite.
'W.I.T.C.H' is a nice mixture of real life preteen girl anxieties and magical and mysterious worlds, with expressive artwork from the original comics. It explores how five girls - Will Vandom, Irma Lair, Taranee Cook, Cornelia Hale and Hay Lin (hence the acronym W.I.T.C.H.) - who are chosen to be the Guardians of the Veil, a Veil separating realms - struggle with fighting evil on top of dealing with boys, families and school. They also fight to keep their friendship alive. Their relationships felt real to me, and that's what I remember most fondly about this series.
And whenever they transform into Guardians - with powers of Heart, Water, Fire, Earth and Air - their bodies grow older; I don't remember the artwork making them look particularly sexualized, now that I look back. But nevertheless, I enjoyed all 26 books!
Final Score: 4/5
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