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Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries
NATIONAL BESTSELLER - A curmudgeonly professor journeys to a small town in the far north in this "incredibly fun journey through fae lands and dark magic" (NPR), the start of a heartwarming and enchanting new fantasy series.
"A darkly gorgeous fantasy that sparkles with snow and magic."--Sangu Mandanna, author of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches
LOCUS AWARD FINALIST - A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New York Times Book Review, NPR, PopSugar, Polygon, The Globe and Mail, She Reads Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things: She is the foremost expert on the study of faeries. She is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world's first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at people. She could never make small talk at a party--or even get invited to one. And she prefers the company of her books, her dog, Shadow, and the Fair Folk to other people. So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Nor does she care to spend time with another new arrival: her dashing and insufferably handsome academic rival Wendell Bambleby, who manages to charm the townsfolk, muddle Emily's research, and utterly confound and frustrate her. But as Emily gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones--the most elusive of all faeries--lurking in the shadowy forest outside the town, she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: Who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? To find the answer, she'll have to unlock the greatest mystery of all--her own heart. Book One of the Emily Wilde Series Don't miss any of Heather Fawcett's charming Emily Wilde series:
EMILY WILDE'S ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF FAERIES - EMILY WILDE'S MAP OF THE OTHERLANDS - EMILY WILDE'S COMPENDIUM OF LOST TALES
"A darkly gorgeous fantasy that sparkles with snow and magic."--Sangu Mandanna, author of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches
LOCUS AWARD FINALIST - A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New York Times Book Review, NPR, PopSugar, Polygon, The Globe and Mail, She Reads Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things: She is the foremost expert on the study of faeries. She is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world's first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at people. She could never make small talk at a party--or even get invited to one. And she prefers the company of her books, her dog, Shadow, and the Fair Folk to other people. So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Nor does she care to spend time with another new arrival: her dashing and insufferably handsome academic rival Wendell Bambleby, who manages to charm the townsfolk, muddle Emily's research, and utterly confound and frustrate her. But as Emily gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones--the most elusive of all faeries--lurking in the shadowy forest outside the town, she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: Who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? To find the answer, she'll have to unlock the greatest mystery of all--her own heart. Book One of the Emily Wilde Series Don't miss any of Heather Fawcett's charming Emily Wilde series:
EMILY WILDE'S ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF FAERIES - EMILY WILDE'S MAP OF THE OTHERLANDS - EMILY WILDE'S COMPENDIUM OF LOST TALES
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Community Reviews
I ate this book UP. Emily Wilde is a completely lovely scientist just trying to put her mark on the world. The setting is fantastic, the fae the right level of beauty and freaky. The story is excellent. Love love love easily one of my favorite reads in a while.
5/5
Emily Wilde is a brilliant academic, one of the main authorities in the field of faerie studies. She's driven, curious, and practical, which leads her to this new project of creating an encyclopaedia of faeries. Nearing the end of its completion she embarks on a trip to a remote Norwegian town where she hopes to discover faeries never before seen. There's just one tiny issue, she has zero people skills and manages to insult the whole town at the beginning of her visit. Now nobody will talk to her or help, making the job harder and miserable. Things get more complicated when her academic rival (and perhaps only friend) Wendell Bambleby shows up, bringing an interesting proposition and the social skills to (perhaps!) change the town's perception of Emily. And we cannot forget the fae and their treacherous tricks and schemes always lurking in the background.
I LOVED THIS. All you bitches were right, this book SLAPS. I had so much fun reading it, there wasn't a moment were I wasn't giggling or sighing. The plot manages to be both high and low stakes at the same time. Yes, the situations are serious a lot of the time but you never feel they won't make it out. The format of a journal makes this, it was the best way to convey every pressing matter and urgent situation while keeping the casual cozy feeling. At first the plot threads were a bit disjointed but the author managed to weave them together masterfully by the end of the book. I felt like all my questions were answered and if that wasn't actually the case then at least I was satisfied enough to let it go. I also enjoyed the escalation of the action with every situation they went though, it came across as the natural path for the plot.
Of course this tale wouldn't have been nearly as successful without the characters. Emily was wonderful. A curious dedicated academic who was never scared to get her hands dirty. Her positive traits balaced quite nicely with her negative ones, the latters often being just a continuation of the formers. Curiosity leading her to discovery and progress, but also to dangers unknown and captivity, contrasting with her cleverness that got her out of danger yet made her ruthless. Her growth was beautiful to witness, I was rooting for her to realize how loved she had become and her evolution touched me deeply. She found her place by being herself, reaching out and letting others care. Then there's Wendell who was such a delight. At first glance Emily's complete opposite, flashy, charming, with a devil may care attitude. He brought a nice levity to the book and was a bridge between Emily and the townspeople that helped her growth. And there's his "secret" identity. I got a kick out of it, specially when the author didn't drag it out and revealed it almost immediately. His little quirks were hilarious, like what do you mean this powerful faerie lord cleans and mends clothes when stressed lmao.
All the side characters where lovely and grew on me. From Shadow the dog, the perfect animal companion, to the villagers they all had distinctive personalities and characteristics. I grew to like them just as Emily did, every single one of their actions bringing me closer to them. We can't forget the faeries of course. Their culture and ways of behaving came across easily, I found myself thinking that with Emily's tips and tricks I could easily outsmart them too. My favorite was Poe and his loaves of bread, I hope we get to see him again next book.
I'm not sure I can talk about the romance without bursting into loud screams and long sighs. It was everything I ever wanted. The two of them knew each other in such a profound careful way that came across in the interactions and actions. Emily perfectly picking gifts for Wendell, their shared sense of adventure and discovery, the way they managed to say so much with so little. I could go on and on and still not be able to capture what made this relationship so special to me. It just works.
In another moment in time this might have been a solid 4 or a 4.5, but right now I'm invaded by the optimism of a new year and maybe entering my cozy fantasy era so this gets a 5. I've been charmed, I'm under a faerie spell and I'm loving it.
This journal serves two purposes: to aid my recollection when it comes time to formally compile my field notes, and to provide a record for those scholars who come after me should I be captured by the Folk. Verba volant, scripta manent.
Emily Wilde is a brilliant academic, one of the main authorities in the field of faerie studies. She's driven, curious, and practical, which leads her to this new project of creating an encyclopaedia of faeries. Nearing the end of its completion she embarks on a trip to a remote Norwegian town where she hopes to discover faeries never before seen. There's just one tiny issue, she has zero people skills and manages to insult the whole town at the beginning of her visit. Now nobody will talk to her or help, making the job harder and miserable. Things get more complicated when her academic rival (and perhaps only friend) Wendell Bambleby shows up, bringing an interesting proposition and the social skills to (perhaps!) change the town's perception of Emily. And we cannot forget the fae and their treacherous tricks and schemes always lurking in the background.
I LOVED THIS. All you bitches were right, this book SLAPS. I had so much fun reading it, there wasn't a moment were I wasn't giggling or sighing. The plot manages to be both high and low stakes at the same time. Yes, the situations are serious a lot of the time but you never feel they won't make it out. The format of a journal makes this, it was the best way to convey every pressing matter and urgent situation while keeping the casual cozy feeling. At first the plot threads were a bit disjointed but the author managed to weave them together masterfully by the end of the book. I felt like all my questions were answered and if that wasn't actually the case then at least I was satisfied enough to let it go. I also enjoyed the escalation of the action with every situation they went though, it came across as the natural path for the plot.
Of course this tale wouldn't have been nearly as successful without the characters. Emily was wonderful. A curious dedicated academic who was never scared to get her hands dirty. Her positive traits balaced quite nicely with her negative ones, the latters often being just a continuation of the formers. Curiosity leading her to discovery and progress, but also to dangers unknown and captivity, contrasting with her cleverness that got her out of danger yet made her ruthless. Her growth was beautiful to witness, I was rooting for her to realize how loved she had become and her evolution touched me deeply. She found her place by being herself, reaching out and letting others care. Then there's Wendell who was such a delight. At first glance Emily's complete opposite, flashy, charming, with a devil may care attitude. He brought a nice levity to the book and was a bridge between Emily and the townspeople that helped her growth. And there's his "secret" identity. I got a kick out of it, specially when the author didn't drag it out and revealed it almost immediately. His little quirks were hilarious, like what do you mean this powerful faerie lord cleans and mends clothes when stressed lmao.
All the side characters where lovely and grew on me. From Shadow the dog, the perfect animal companion, to the villagers they all had distinctive personalities and characteristics. I grew to like them just as Emily did, every single one of their actions bringing me closer to them. We can't forget the faeries of course. Their culture and ways of behaving came across easily, I found myself thinking that with Emily's tips and tricks I could easily outsmart them too. My favorite was Poe and his loaves of bread, I hope we get to see him again next book.
I'm not sure I can talk about the romance without bursting into loud screams and long sighs. It was everything I ever wanted. The two of them knew each other in such a profound careful way that came across in the interactions and actions. Emily perfectly picking gifts for Wendell, their shared sense of adventure and discovery, the way they managed to say so much with so little. I could go on and on and still not be able to capture what made this relationship so special to me. It just works.
In another moment in time this might have been a solid 4 or a 4.5, but right now I'm invaded by the optimism of a new year and maybe entering my cozy fantasy era so this gets a 5. I've been charmed, I'm under a faerie spell and I'm loving it.
This book was everything I wanted it to be. The writing was charming and imaginative, the characters were interesting and amusing, and I loved getting the story through the lens of Emily's journal and footnotes. Watching Emily struggle to in human interaction while excelling at faerie interaction (and her bond with her dog) was a well handled and surprisingly relatable character journey, and it feels all the more wholesome when she does begin to make connections with the human residents of the village. If you are look for a romance focused book, that's not this. The romance plot shares time with a lot of other things going on, it's not as prominent as the book summary suggests, but I liked the way the story was balanced.
It's a slow start but honestly, the book is really good! The formula of compelling writing with properly thought-out world-building is proving itself once more to be a flawless writing technique. The amount of work we see put into this book is proof of that.
(I wish some writers would take a page out of Heather's book and finally churn out a decent world
(I wish some writers would take a page out of Heather's book and finally churn out a decent world
“I wish to know the unknowable. To see what no mortal has seen. To peel back the carpeting of the world and tumble into the stars.”
Presented in the form of Emily Wilde's academic journal, this is the story of a Cambridge professor's research for her soon-to-be published work documenting fae magic from around the world. She takes a trip to a small Norwegian village where a fae species known as The Hidden Ones are believed to exist. Her solitary and independent disposition is not received by the village folk and she quickly finds herself having to rely on her nemesis, Wendel Bambleby, another Cambridge academic (and self-important boob in Emily's opinion), to help her win them over. The two find themselves ensnared in an unexpected adventure involving an enchanted tree in the village's nearby forest.
The world is masterfully and vividly crafted. The characters are rich and fun. There is an adventure, but it's not too intimidating. There's romance, there's humour, there's faerie lore.
Grab a warm cup of {insert hot beverage here}, pull on some fuzzy socks and cozy up on the couch under a blankie with this charming and enchanting book.
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