Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries

I like this book, a bit slow in the beginning, but it picks up and I didn’t want to put it down. My emotions went up and down with story. Can’t wait until book 2.

Almost immediate DNF. I may come back to this at some point but I’m incredibly bored.

This is such a cute story, I loved how witty the characters were and the story line was super unique!

This books was SO GOOD! It’s giving cozy fantasy vibes with awesome humor and characters you can’t help but love!

I wanted to love Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries. A book about a meticulous scholar researching faerie lore in a remote village? That premise had so much potential. But instead of an enchanting adventure, I counted down the pages like I was serving a sentence rather than enjoying a story. Emily Wilde is, at best, a dedicated academic. At worst, she’s a lifeless narrator whose rigid focus on her work makes for a dry, textbook-like experience. The book is written as her journal, though I didn’t even realize that until halfway through—her voice never felt personal or immersive enough to make that format feel natural. And despite her supposed social ineptitude and desire for solitude, she somehow manages to befriend an entire village and catch the attention of two faerie kings. Then there’s Wendell Bambleby. He’s the most entertaining character in the book—charming, funny, and full of mischief—but his romantic dynamic with Emily is nonexistent. There’s no chemistry or meaningful tension, yet somehow, he proposes to her. Multiple times. In typical Emily fashion, she never answers, presumably because the author wanted to dangle a cliffhanger for book two. The real frustration lies in how the story treats Emily’s supposed brilliance. She is obsessed with her encyclopedia, gathering artifacts and research for a career-defining work. Yet when it finally comes time for her to present her findings, we get two measly pages. Two. After dragging us through her detailed, annotation-filled journal, we never get the payoff of seeing her work recognized. Instead, Wendell—who has been gently babysitting her the whole time—secures her a conference panel as his guest. Why does a woman who has dedicated her life to faerie scholarship need a man to swoop in and grant her a seat at the table? The plot itself is riddled with predictable, unexciting “reveals.” Emily’s vast faerie knowledge should make for fascinating discoveries, but instead, it feels like she’s just remembering old fairy tales at convenient moments. A battle scene? Good thing she suddenly recalls that saying specific words will unlock Wendell’s powers. A desperate moment? Perfect timing for her tears to create a magical sword. It all feels so convenient and underwhelming. The book also promises an emotional transformation—Emily “unlocking her heart.” That never happens. There’s no romance, deep personal growth, or real connection between her and her suitors. The most interesting characters are the townspeople, who have far more charm and warmth than the protagonist we’re supposed to care about. By the end, I just felt let down. Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries had all the ingredients: a fascinating premise, a remote setting, faerie intrigue, and a potentially fun academic rivalry. But instead of a magical, immersive read, I got a slow, dry, and unsatisfying journey through a protagonist’s research notes. 2/5 stars—one for the intriguing world, and one for Wendell’s humor.