About the Book
-
Author:
- Julie Leong
- Voices:
- Asian (Non-Specified)
- Cis Girl
Cover Story: A Warm Glow
BFF Charm: Yay
Talky Talk: Cozy Escapism
Bonus Factors: Found Family, Cozy World-building
Anti-Bonus Factor: Prejudice
Relationship Status: Kindly Strangers
Cover Story: A Warm Glow
The warmth of yellow and orange lights against the blue darkness is what initially drew me to this book, and, after reading, I think the cover designer was pretty spot-on in finding a design that looks the way the book made me feel.
The Deal:
A few years ago, Tao quietly escaped her old, restricting life and disappeared into the countryside. She spends her time traveling with her wagon and her donkey, making just enough to live off of by telling small fortunes: benign, tiny details about a person’s future that give them just enough excitement to spare a coin or to trade for a night’s meal. Life takes a turn, however, when an seemingly innocent prediction about a father giving his daughter a kitten turns Tao’s solitary sojourn into a search for a missing child. And while looking for this missing girl, Tao may also find the pieces of herself she thought were long gone.
BFF Charm: Let Me Love You
Tao is a gentle soul hiding a lot of unresolved hurt from her past, and that’s made her quite reserved at the start of the novel. She initially chafes against so much human contact, but eventually she realizes having people genuinely care about you isn’t so bad. I adored Tao and wanted to give her a big hug.
Swoonworthy Scale: 0
There’s a side romance for a few of Tao’s companions, but her journey is about healing past familial hurts and making connections with people in general. There’s time for romance later, and this story doesn’t need it.
Talky Talk: Cozy Escapism
Real talk: I read this book the week of the election. (Fun (?) fact: I did have the ARC already, but it looks it actually released ON November 5th. It’s like the universe knew it was needed!) I craved some escapism, and I needed something hopeful. Cozy fantasy has been on a meteoric rise the last few years—gee, wonder why?—but I’m picky and a lot of it just doesn’t hit for me. I need good writing alongside the fluffy subject matter, but, luckily for me, Leong’s story had both. This book made me smile and made me cry (happy tears), and even when I could see where it was trying to tug at my heartstrings, it never felt manipulative. I just really, really needed its positivity and that happy ending, and it came about at a perfect time. Leong’s authors note said she wrote this for herself when she was deep in her father’s cancer battle during COVID (!!), and she’d run out of already published cozy fantasies to distract her from real life.
Bonus Factor: Found Family
Tao meets a pair of men, Mash and Silt, on the road who help her out of a tough situation, and agrees to help them on their search for a missing girl. Later on they acquire a baker, Kina, and a cat, Fidelitus, and soon it’s a full travel party. How the characters interacted and formed bonds were my favorite parts of the story, and reminded me of some of my favorite “the journey is the destination” fantasy books growing up.
Bonus Factor: Cozy World-building
Leong created a familiar enough fantasy world that takes its inspirations from our world, but tweaks them a bit. Her places and people are obviously stand-ins for real cultures, and while it did take a bit of adjustment on my end at times, with an occasional raised eyebrow here or there, ultimately the charm and coziness won out. It was easy enough to “just go with” her world-building and let the characters shine.
Anti-Bonus Factor: Prejudice
Tao is a Shinn (China-coded) living in Eshtera (White European-coded), where there are few people like her, so she’s a bit of an “oddity” wherever she goes. Aside from having to reconcile her own complicated issues with her gift, parents, and step-father, she occasionally has to deal with prejudiced behaviors of strangers. While this may be at odds with the idea of this being a cozy fantasy, goodness perseveres most often…which can sometimes feel like a fantasy in and of itself.
Relationship Status: Kindly Strangers
Book, you were there for me when I was feeling QUITE down in the dumps, and while nothing in the real world had changed after I emerged from my warm cocoon of friendship and gentle travels, at least my mental health had improved incrementally.
FTC Full Disclosure: I received my free review copy from Ace. I received neither money nor peanut butter cups in exchange for this review. The Teller of Small Fortunes is available now.
