Have you ever felt catfished by a book cover? My expectations for a book might not have lined up with reality, but I don’t think I felt deliberately misled by a cover until this book. For a couple of decades of reading, that’s pretty good, right? Anyway, J. Penner’s A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic is billed as what the title sounds like: a mashup of a Lord of the Rings-style world and the Great British Bake Off.
A human, a dwarf and an elf walk into a bake-off…
In the heart of Adenashire, where elvish enchantments and dwarven delights rule, human baker Arleta Starstone works twice as hard at perfecting her unique blend of baking with apothecary herbs. So, when her orc neighbor (and biggest fan) secretly enters her creations into the prestigious Langheim Baking Battle, Arleta faces a dilemma. Being magicless, her participation in the competition could draw more scowls than smiles. And if Arleta wants to prove her talent and establish her culinary reputation, she'll need more than just her pastry craft to sweeten the odds.
Though Arleta may not yet believe in herself, she makes her way to Langheim―with the help of a very attractive woodland elf―and competes. While on a journey of mouthwatering pastries, self-discovery, heartwarming friendships, and potential romance, Arleta will have to decide whether winning the Baking Battle is the true prize after all. But win or lose, her adventure is only beginning…
Take one human girl, living in a land full of “more special” others: elves, dwarves, orcs, and so on (but none of them are the dangerous sort of orcs, dwarves, etc.). Give her one – the least desirable – spot at the market to sell her baking wares. Add a huge helping of self-doubt. Mix with supportive neighbors (think surrogate parents) who believe you can do anything. Mix well, bake, and…oh! You got entered in the most prestigious baking competition in the land, AGAINST YOUR WILL AND KNOWLEDGE? And a gorgeous blond wood elf shows up to escort you to the competition that is a lot like a certain British baking competition we all know and love?! Oh no, woe is me! My life is falling apart!! Yep, that’s Arleta Starstone, our protagonist.
While the plot ostensibly hinges on winning and being declared best baker in Adenashire, the book is really about “the friends we made along the way.” That wouldn't be dissatisfying on its own, but Arleta is insufferable. I mean that from the depths of my cold, dead heart. She self-sabotages so much that it doesn’t feel intentional by the author – it’s like she couldn’t figure out the next plot point, so oh hey, let’s mess with the characterization in a way that makes no sense. Arleta isn’t a dynamic, round character, so spending time in her head is a total drag. And let’s not get into the slow-burn Legolas wish fulfillment arc – I've read much better fanfiction of that!
Beyond the characters, the setting, magic system and cultural dynamics are wasted in this narrative. They rely on nothing so much as understanding high school cliches. For instance, rename the popular crowd “elves” and voilà! You would think there would at least be moments of joy in descriptions of baking and food. However, these are so overwritten – think recipe blogs – or glossed over (whiplash!) that they become skippable.
This book wanted to be a cozy fantasy sensation, but instead it reads like bad fanfiction of other peoples’ more interesting fictional worlds. The publisher very clearly wants to cash in on the success of Legends and Lattes-style books, but this misses the mark, and needs intense editing. I’m unimpressed and deeply regret the time I spend trying to read it. Back to the library it goes!
Recommended for: those who enjoy saccharine fantasy romance and don’t bother much with the quality of the language, plot, or characters. Yes, I’m a hater!
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