I decided to chill out for once and try a cozy fantasy. Marketed as such, The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst dutifully delivered on its warm and cheerful vibes on a magical little island that overflowed with so much kindness that it made me want to start talking to my neighbors.
A rebellion against the knowledge-hoarding monarchy is in full swing, but Kiela refuses to leave her post at the Great Library of Alyssium until the flames are licking at her door. As her quiet sanctuary burns down to the ground, Kiela and her magical plant, Caz, escape in a sailboat with crates of magical spellbooks. They drift out to sea seeking safety and eventually head toward the small island that Kiela hails from. The pair arrives at Kiela’s abandoned childhood home and plans to hide away and survive. But it turns out the sheltered librarian doesn’t know the first thing about homesteading. While Kiela reluctantly relies on her handsome neighbor, Larran, and other islanders for help, Kiela decides she can solve many of their problems by accessing the forbidden spells in the books she saved, or stole, depending on who you ask.
The stakes in this cozy fantasy aren’t exactly low, per se. Kiela is performing magic illegally after all. However, there is a laissez-faire attitude toward her rogue decisions, and most of the drama is conjured by the characters’ anxiety spiral of what could happen. I don’t know if this is a trademark of all cozy fantasy, or just this one, but there was a lot of page space dedicated to the “what ifs” and anticipating worst-case scenarios. The Spellshop does challenge Kiela and doesn’t let her sail smoothly through the plot, but the story had more emphasis on the build-up to those moments, and when they occurred, they were resolved quickly so as not to upset the reader too much. I don’t say this to be critical, more so it’s an observation of how different this genre of fantasy approaches tension and difficult moments. This story allows it to build in Kiela and Caz’s anxious thoughts, and moves the reader through points of conflict quickly.
Outside of Larran, the supporting cast struggles to make their mark on this story. These additional characters blend together, and I often had a hard time remembering names and which backstory belonged to which character. I listened to The Spellshop on audiobook, and I still couldn’t confidently tell many of the villagers apart, and each one had a distinct voice. Ultimately, this doesn’t matter as much because the story is much more focused on Kiela and Caz, and their supporting cast isn’t meant to steal the show, but be the helpful neighbors whose actions add warmth to this cozy fantasy.
The Spellshop excels in underpinning the importance of community. Kiela’s plan to isolate herself on the island and find a way to survive is quickly proven to be impossible. Durst brings in the secondary cast to illuminate Kiela on the beauty of connection and how much stronger you can be with people in your corner. This particular part of the coziness was my favorite, and it was sweet to see Kiela slowly unfurl when confronted with kindness. The book also makes a statement about how knowledgeable power is and how it should belong to everyone, not the select few. This theme pops up throughout as Kiela continues to unlawfully use spells for the greater good and survival of the islanders.
The Spellshop can easily warm your summer days with its magical island and sweet-as-raspberry jam characters. There are no bad vibes here, just people reaching out and helping people, and a hilariously magical spider plant that will make you laugh. Pick this one up for a well-deserved break from any lofty SFF series.
Rating: The Spellshop – 7.0/10
-Brandee
