This the novel that helped get cosy fantasy on the map as a genre, and I love it. I have always been a big fan of fantasy fiction, but I have never read anything quite like this. I looked forward to a new chapter at the end of each day, where I enjoyed it as just as much as the characters in the novel might enjoy one of the “Thimblets” sold in the titular café (which I could practically taste).
That’s what the whole story is about. The main character is an orc woman named Viv who decides that she’s tired of being a hardened adventurer and wants to try a new line of work – so she opens a café. Viv is an interesting character who’s quite unlike anything I’ve ever really seen before (and not just in the sense of being a female orc). At first, she might come across as just the typical strong and powerful character who doesn’t have a lot to say, but you start to realise that that’s just how she ended up as an adventurer, and you get to see she’s got a big heart with room for lots of friends. She’s very endearing.
The book’s blurb describes it as low-stakes, and that’s quite true (for the most part). Most of the story sees Viv growing her business, making new friends, and finding new ways to expand her business. It might sound pretty bland, but it’s actually really satisfying to see the café grow, improve, and attract more customers. The fact that it’s in a fantasy setting seems to add to the overall feeling of cosiness, and as it goes on, a little community of characters grows around Viv.
My favourite, aside from Viv herself, was Tandri, a succubus who Viv hires to work for her. She has a similar character arc to Viv, but the difference is that rather than just being a quiet person who keeps to herself, she’s more of a snarky, standoffish sort of person, who learns to become friendlier and more emotionally vulnerable. The relationship that grows between her and Viv was one that I was very invested in.
Towards the end, it became much more intense than I was expecting for a self-proclaimed low stakes book, but I don’t think it was at odds with its overall wholesome feel. It probably feels even more intense specifically because the earlier bits are a little more rooted in everyday things (or, everyday things in a fantasy world) which all just helps make the book more impactful.
For me, fantasy is at its best when there’s at least a decent amount of whimsy involved, and that’s certainly the case in Legends & Lattes. If you’re somebody who reads before bed to de-stress, this book will serve that purpose wonderfully – and considering that fantasy in general seems to be going down an edgier path full of sex and violence, this novel is pleasantly refreshing.
Rating: 8.8/10
