In The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong, Tao spends her days traveling from town to town telling fortunes, with her mule Laohu serving as her only friend. She’s a foreigner in this land, and regarded with some suspicion, despite having lived here for most of her life. Still, using her small magic to improve people’s lives in increments isn’t a bad existence, and while she’s a little lonely, things are fine. Then, she happens across a former mercenary and his friend, a (supposedly) reformed thief, on the road. When she tells a small fortune to one of them, she finds herself pulled into their current mission: to find the mercenary’s young daughter, who has been missing for months. Soon after, they meet an adventure-seeking baker who can lend their motley crew a little more respectability on the road. But Tao’s used to traveling alone, so this is quite an adjustment, though maybe it’s a welcome one, if she can learn how to lower her defenses and let people truly know her.

Cozy fantasy is the only thing worth anything in this world anymore, I’m fairly certain. The one spark of light in a dark, dark universe. But anyway, this book is really cute!

Firstly, this reminds me of A Psalm for the Wild-Built in the best way, as this is also a character-driven story about a lonely traveler in a wagon. But while Psalm is much more about contemplation, this has more plot to it, and a bit less of a melancholy tone. Still, the readership definitely will have a lot of overlap.

I was almost instantly endeared to Tao, who’s a slightly prickly loner who prefers chatting with her mule than opening up to fellow people. Yet underneath that, it’s clear from her perspective that she has a sweetness buried deep away. And the way that so many people distrust her, just because she’s clearly an immigrant, is both infuriating and heartbreaking—and makes it so easy to sympathize with her. In fact, I enjoyed the commentary on immigration and cultural exchange that this book explores, and the ways that different lives and cultures should be embraced and learned about, rather than hated outright. It’s a lesson many people still need to learn, so it’s nice that this book exists!

As for the other characters, I loved them. Silt, the thief who’s trying to turn over a new leaf, is a delightful fellow, a little goofy at times but with a good heart. He’s a fun contrast to Mash, the more serious ex-mercenary who still has a love for poetry and for his family. Their banter is excellent. And Kina, the apprentice baker with a dream of adventure, is so sweet and lovely, and brings a softness to the group that really rounds out their squad’s personalities. But she also is so brave, and honestly is one of the toughest of them all, which is fantastic to see.

The character development too is great. From Tao learning how to be vulnerable and talk about her past to Kina discovering her bravery, from Mash facing a difficult situation without losing sight of who he truly is to Silt discovering his worth beyond thieving and how to respect someone he’s interested in, the character arcs are all excellently paced and moving. And the political intrigue and the hierarchy of magical people was intriguing. It’s quite a grounded portrayal of bureaucracy in this fantasy setting, without being too dry or too intense. I think another book would have delved into all this much deeper, but this book presents it without letting it overpower the characters’ journeys. It’s a nice balance, slightly weighted heavier on one side, but not overly so.

In the end, The Teller of Small Fortunes is a lovely story. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Phyllis Ho, and had an awesome time. The characters are wonderful, with touching and realistic development. The setting is magical but simultaneously familiar, with realistic elements to complement the otherworldly elements. It’s a comforting tale about connection and compassion, and I really liked it (even if I didn’t intend that alliteration just now). If you enjoy Becky Chambers, Travis Baldree, or Sarah Beth Durst, you’ll enjoy this!

The Teller of Small Fortunes is available now!