PARIS, Sept 7 — TikTok has become a literary trendsetter ,largely through the #BookTok hashtag.

The many members of this literary community like to share their current favourites, ranging from thrillers to romance. Recently, many readers have taken a liking to “cozy” novels, a micro-genre of feel-good literature.

Heather Fawcett, Travis Baldree, Megan Bannen, Kimberly Lemming...these are just a few of the authors whose “cozy” literary creations have won over the influential readers of the BookTok community.

The secret to their success? Simple, straight-forward plots, driven by characterisations that are fairly clear-cut, whose sole ambition is to entertain us and, above all, make us feel good.

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna (Berkley 2022) is one of the flagship novels of this “cozy” fantasy literature. Its heroine, Mika Moon, a shy witch, is offered a job as a tutor in a mysterious mansion, better known as Nowhere House.

There she meets three young apprentice witches and Jamie, an Irish librarian whose bad temper is matched only by his good looks. This new family will push Mika Moon to break down the walls she erected years ago — if magic doesn’t get in the way, of course.

Like The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, most of the “cozy” novels storming BookTok belong to the best-selling fantasy genre.

They are populated by magicians, druids, elves, orcs and other magical beings who inhabit the imaginations of the great masters of fantasy, such as JRR Tolkien, George RR Martin and Robert E. Howard.

But in the writings of the contemporary authors known for their cozy works, these magical creatures are far more peaceful than in the traditional fantasy canon and the plots are lighter.

In Travis Baldree’s Legends & Lattés (Tor Trade, 2023), for example, the main character, Viv, leaves behind her bloody mercenary past to open the first café in the town of Thune. It’s a far cry from the bloody battles that made fantasy famous the world over.

Comfort in the form of a book

Surprising as it may seem, this feel-good tale has struck a chord with the general public.

According to Publishers Weekly, Legends & Lattes sold over 40,000 copies within two months of its release in February 2022. It has since appeared on the New York Times bestseller list, and has been translated into a dozen languages.

Several works of “cozy fantasy” fiction are enjoying similar success in bookshops, including the first volume of Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Fairies by Heather Fawcett (Del Rey, 2023), Witchful Thinking by Celestine Martin (Forever, 2022) and “Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea” by Rebecca Thorne (Rebecca Thorne, 2022).

Much of this success is thanks to BookTok. The many members of this giant book club share their latest discoveries in cozy fantasy literature in short videos, viewed by thousands, if not millions, of internet users.

The hashtag #cozyfantasy has 54.5 million views on the platform. This has prompted specialist publishers such as Orbit and Tor Books to acquire the rights to bestsellers in the genre.

While these novels’ blockbuster sales owe much to word-of-mouth on social networks, the genre also strikes a chord with young people, who often express a collective need for comfort.

These generations are often deeply affected by the current onslaught of anxiety-inducing headlines regarding the climate crisis, economic situation and war — and turn to cozy literature to find an escape.

What’s more, this literary micro-genre also gives pride of place to LGBTQ+ characters, which undoubtedly contributes to its success with a certain segment of youth, who are increasingly rejecting gender-related constraints.

Cozy mysteries and cozy romances are now also literary genres, with both fantasy and thriller versions. “Cozy mysteries” — generally light-hearted and entertaining thrillers — have also invaded the shelves of retail outlets, following their success on TikTok.

Proof, if proof were needed, of the influence of the Chinese social network on the book market. — ETX Studio