Why “cozy fantasy” isn’t cozy

Do you define yourself as a cozy fantasy reader—or perhaps you think cozy sounds boring? Some of you are women’s fiction or historical readers and maybe haven’t thought about it at all. I’ve taken a deep dive into the genre, and what I’ve found in the books themselves is not what I expected. 

In this newsletter:

• What surprised me about “Cozy Fantasy”
• Two free books for you: love letters and dogs
• What I’m working on
• Bibliography

Cozy Fantasy: What surprised me

I have scoured blog posts, Reddit threads, and social media trends, and then read through all the top recommendations for cozy fantasy. The same few books are recommended over and over, so this is a pretty comprehensive evaluation of the books that are primarily cited.

One important note: What is in the books is different from what people say when they’re talking about the books. As a former literature and history scholar, I know…always trust the primary sources!

I confess—I was expecting cute fairies and slice-of-life plots.

But my conclusion is that the new genre designation of “cozy fantasy” is more about the emotional journey. It’s what I was looking for at the library search terminals (you remember, there were databases you couldn’t access at home!) and type in “character-driven fantasy.” 

Yes, the “coziness” has some thematic elements, like found family. But fantasy has always featured found family; in the tropes like a magical school, the quest, and the underdog enemies joining forces against a larger evil. I have been reading fantasy for decades, and the genre has always included the personal journey.

But the thing is, crafting a book is just as much about what you leave out as what you put in. In order to have an epic quest with tons of trials and monsters, the character- and relationship-building has to be implied.

Therefore, “cozy fantasy” is not so much because the plot is mellow, but because the authors include more character depth. To me, this means that the stakes feel even higher—I was racing through the last quarter of these books!

Three levels of stakes

When I started to consider whether to market my books as “cozy fantasy,” I was worried that my stakes are too high and some scenes are too dark. After exploring the titles themselves, I think the Castle in Kilkenny books are coming in right where readers expect—plenty of adventure and lives at risk.

Some reviewers describe Cozy Fantasy as super-mellow, slice of life books. This is where the writing about cozy fantasy diverts dramatically from what is in the books. Google AI currently scoops the definition: “prioritizes a comforting, low-stakes, and often heartwarming experience for the reader.”

But other librarians put cozy fantasy in three levels of stakes: low, medium, and high. (Just like most other genres!)  (Confession: I usually DNF “slice of life” or “inner angst” books—I want outside stakes and adventure!)

After reading over a dozen of the most-recommended cozy fantasy books, my conclusion is that most of them are medium or high stakes. There is arson, kidnapping, avalanches, gory monsters, and even a full-on battle against an army who destroys everything in its wake. Most of the main characters have deep inner wounds, and backstories forged in war, discrimination, and poverty. 

So what makes them cozy?

Well, first of all, let me confess that I don’t like that descriptor at all. I think—like “women’s fiction”—it implies something that is not found in the text, and makes it easy for people who actually would like the books to dismiss the genre. So we’re taking “cozy” as a genre term and not a dictionary definition.

A happy ending

 When you read these books, you have the feeling that everything is going to work out in the end. I’m racing through the last section of the book because I want to see how the characters resolve the problem, not because I’m worried the narrator is actually going to be trapped or murdered.

Strong character & relationship development

To me, this is key. This is fantasy where we really know the characters deeply, and resolving their internal wounds is just as important as escaping the endless winter. 

Characters beyond the tropes

Many of the characters in these books are not the ones we have been reading about for the last fifty years: bold, heroic, big tall men falling in love with voluptuous women. These characters are gay, older than the typical heroine, and socially awkward. I would go as far as saying that every single book on this list has reversed gender stereotypes and a character coded as not neurotypical. 

Focused location with emphasis on building a home

These books didn’t need a world map in order to keep track of what was happening, but they often begin with a dramatic move to a unique location. So the stakes can be high (the marauders are coming! the children are being stolen!) while the main characters are trying to protect their own home, community, and loved ones. 

Sensory depth

Rather than sounding like a food blog, these books used sensory experiences to deepen the character and heighten the impact of the stakes. The characters frequently had skills with baking, reading, sewing, and concocting. The descriptions were just as plot-important as forging a sword is to epic fantasy.

What I didn’t find at all

There was really no evidence of cute fairies, baby dragons, or adorable pixies. Basically, if you could find it at a third-grader’s birthday party, it was not in these books. 

Conclusions

Basically, I find the new term of “cozy fantasy” to be a logical descendent of what many of us have been reading for years: uplifting, character-driven fantasy. The name doesn’t make sense to me, but I support having terms that help readers find the books they want. 

As for myself, I will be seeking out more medium/high stakes cozy fantasy with complex, diverse characters!