Fabricating a shallow Utopia: A critique of Cozy Fiction

The genre's therapeutic potential is demonstrated by its resurgence after COVID-19. Readers were drawn to books that offered emotional comfort during the pandemic, which was characterized by loneliness and uncertainty. According to Molly Templeton, cozy fiction has evolved into a lifeline for readers grappling with the overwhelming nature of global crises. The genre's emphasis on interpersonal relationships and community reflected readers' desire for security and camaraderie in unpredictable times.

The popularity of cozy literature has increased because of websites like BookTok and Goodreads. Titles like Travis Baldree's Legends and Lattes (2022) became well-known as a result of the communities these digital places created where readers suggested books that offered solace. With its premise centered around a retired adventurer founding a coffee shop, the novel, subtitled A Novel of High Fantasy and Low Stakes, perfectly captures the appeal of the genre by substituting touching moments of community building for spectacular battles.

Cozy fiction's popularity is comparable to cultural trends that emphasise well-being and simplicity, such as slow living and mindfulness. These ideas encourage people to enjoy small pleasures, which is a theme found in cozy stories, and reject the unrelenting pursuit of productivity. For example, Jenny Colgan's 2016 novel The Bookshop on the Corner, in which a city dweller discovers meaning in rural Scotland, honours the transformational potential of modest, intentional adjustments. Jennifer J. Chow, a cozy mystery writer of colour, states that she “wants her readers to experience hope, while real life is messy, cozy mysteries provide tidy endings wrapped in ribbons and bows. The sense of order and rightness provides the readers with optimism.” Any discussion about hope raises a larger question: can the realm of hope be expanded to include coping with the lived dystopia of modernity that we already find ourselves in in the multifaceted apocalyptic world of today, where we are at different stages of various apocalypses depending on our positionality and identity?

Critics contend that by portraying an idealized version of life, cozy fiction runs the risk of trivializing problems in the real world. According to Laura Miller, who writes for Slate, the genre's emphasis on harmony and resolution can seem out of step with modern life. Cozy fiction may unintentionally reinforce a kind of denial by avoiding systemic problems, which would restrict its capacity to address more profound societal issues. The Palestinian Genocide, for instance, is emblematic of ongoing global struggles against settler colonialism, military violence, and humanitarian violations. Cozy fiction, by largely ignoring such issues, may inadvertently contribute to what critics describe as a culture of "blissful ignorance," where readers are lulled into complacency instead of being spurred into awareness or action. The television adaptation of Aurora Teagarden, as analysed by Gildersleeve, illustrates this phenomenon. By erasing the racial tensions present in the original book series, the adaptation sanitizes the story, aligning it more closely with cozy fiction’s tendency to avoid discomfort.

'Cozy fiction' and its subgenres, such as 'hope punk' and ‘sweetweird', have been popular lately. Fascist art, in particular, has long been based on melodramatic depictions of humanity and a portrayal of 'wholesome' societies and 'wholesome' people as morally and racially hygienic. It was believed that good art was art that presented ideologically idealized images of a perfect society. The demand for "cozy" or "wholesome" art to either escape reality or move toward a more homogenized society is an example of this tradition in action today.

There is widespread agreement that art is political in the sense that all art has political content since it makes assumptions about people and the world and then displays a political position through its fiction. The majority of cozy literature, such as The Goblin Emperor, The House in the Cerulean Sea, and Legends & Lattes, is fundamentally utopian in its portrayal of people first and locations second. Its core political tenet is that both individuals and the world are essentially good and that this goodness is sufficient to establish a utopian environment, at least on a small scale.

In contemporary utopian fantasy, there is a recurring emphasis on liberal idealism over materialism, suggesting that societal improvement stems from individual morality rather than systemic or collective change. In The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison, the protagonist’s kindness and politeness are portrayed as the solution to societal inequities, while those most harmed by the system are depicted as irrational or deranged. Similarly, The House in the Cerulean Sea reimagines a found-family narrative within the framework of a state system steeped in historical oppression. The narrative utilizes a metaphor reminiscent of residential schools but resolves the conflict through the protagonist’s personal redemption rather than structural accountability. The protagonist, initially complicit in the system, adopts a child, transforming from an agent of state control to a savior figure. In both examples, the idea of systemic reform is supplanted by the utopian portrayal of individual acts of decency as the key to change. These narratives position such approaches as inherently laudable, eschewing critiques of naivety or shortsightedness, and celebrating individual morality as the driving force behind societal betterment.

As a means of escape from the stresses of contemporary life, cozy fiction flourishes. Its dependence on romanticized environments and low-stakes disputes, however, calls into question its capacity to tackle more significant societal problems. It foreshadows a society that rejects all material politics in favor of charming fairy tales about kings and small-business tyrants rather than autocratic leaders whose money and power come from the barrel end of a pistol. When thinking about fiction, it's crucial to take into account its existence, the type of worldview it portrays, its popularity, and its methods. Cozy fiction can grow beyond its escapist origins and become a genre that educates as well as comforts as it develops.

Fatima Zohra is a student pursuing an M.A. in Gender Studies from Jamia Millia Islamia.

Edited by- Sana Faiz

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of The Jamia Review or its members.