The Spring 2023 Light Novel Guide

The Apothecary Witch Turned Divorce Agent

What's It About? 

Carla is a down-on-her-luck witch whose skills aren't up to snuff when it comes to both magic and her work. Although her main business is running an apothecary that's been in decline ever since her master passed away, she also runs a divorce agency on the side (even though all of her clients seem to reconcile, for some reason).

One day, Carla receives a request she can't refuse. The queen herself sends Thane, a knight who makes no effort to hide his distaste for witches, to pass along her message. Carla isn't a fan of knights herself, leading the pair to fight like cats and dogs...but maybe first impressions aren't everything!

The Apothecary Witch Turned Divorce Agent has a story by Kosuzu Kobato, and art by Yasuyuki Syuri. Translated by Satoko Kakihara. J-Novel Club, $7.99 digital. Available now.

Is It Worth Reading?

Rebecca Silverman

Rating:

Carla needs a change of attitude – she sees herself as a terrible divorce agent when, in reality, she's an amazing marriage counselor. She also seems to think she's not a very good witch, but the events of the story contradict that; she's not particularly gifted in one specific area of magic many witch-apothecaries have skill in (dispensing magic, which deals with the creation of ingestible medicines), but her abilities in at least two other magical categories are second to none. However, it's Carla's lack of self-awareness that drives this story, which is not entirely a bad thing. Despite her perceived inadequacies, Carla's not one to suffer from low self-esteem, even when things don't go as she hoped – i.e. couples reconcile rather than going through with the divorce she facilitates. She just keeps trying, believing that next time, everything will work out. (Or not, as the case may be.)

That attitude gives the book a nice breezy quality. The central character relationship between Carla and the knight, Thane, isn't all sunshine and rainbows, which keeps it from feeling too perfect. Carla's patented lack of self-awareness means she's completely unaware of Thane's budding feelings for her. The romance has an enemies-to-lovers flavor, but not in a grating way, and brief moments of Thane's third-person perspective help to keep the plot balanced. The translation is smooth as well, although it's clear that the lack of both formal and informal second-person pronouns in English makes it difficult to translate a particular running gag. Carla not liking being called “you” rather than her name doesn't quite work in the same way it likely does in Japanese. But this is still a nice easy read that plays with one trope of isekai (the villainess denouncement) without leaning too hard into it or being isekai. It's a good dose of comfy escapism.