Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries
Ratings399
Average rating4.1
I'm probably a biased reviewer but this hit the spot for me on so many levels. 4.5/5.
I went into it completely blind but having heard generally good things about the book. Immediately, I was immediately caught by the trope of “female academic in a (sometimes fantasy) field in an AU of historical Europe”, which is something I've generally enjoyed in the past starting with Elizabeth Peters's Amelia Peabody series (studying Egyptology), Deanna Raybourn's Veronica Speedwell series (studying butterflies), and also Marie Brennan's The Memoirs of Lady Trent series (studying dragons). All of these female academics, as well as Emily Wilde, are generally curmudgeonly and a little prickly, with a bit of the modern 21st century “strong independent woman” vibe, but tampered with a hilariously sardonic voice that often makes their perspectives very enjoyable to read. Plus, most of these female academics are generally too busy ruminating about their field of choice in the book that there isn't too much time to keep dwelling on female independence and hitting the reader over the head with it - I prefer messages like this to be a normalized background theme rather than being too on the nose. The male love interests in these books always develop a healthy respect for the female protagonist (primarily because there would be no realistic way she could fall in love with a person who didn't), and having to keep a respectful distance from them and letting the love line develop on both people's terms.
So all that was done and great. It was only half way through that it suddenly struck me for the first time that this book was... basically a retelling of Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones, which also happens to be one of my favourite books of all time (and was before the film even came out). I later learnt that this was confirmed by the author in an interview, but I was really happy that the parallels were subtle enough that it took me half a book to figure it out, but obvious enough that I could feel the strong influence for sure even before I read any interview with the author. I've read so many HMC retellings at this point and feel that the best ones are the ones that don't market themselves as such, so I was delighted that this came through so subtly and so creatively too. As the plot develops, the book's parallels with HMC became more and more obvious, but I wasn't mad, and frankly I enjoyed the book even more after that.
The narrative of this book is generally quite slice of life, as it should be given that it is a journal of an academic in the field. There is a lot of information about the faeries in her world, but I thought it wasn't too info-dumpy and gave a lot of substance to the world-building. In particular, I enjoyed the kinds of faeries that inhabited this world too. Faeries are a pretty popular fantasy race to include in books these days, but they're often just another variation of the uber-hot elf trope. But in this one, faeries are much closer to the ones you might come across in actual fairy tales from the centuries ago. They're at best tricky to deal with, but can be downright dangerous, horrifying, cruel (and not in a oMg-sO-hOt way), and sadistic. Some of them are even described as looking like nightmare fuel. I love that, not everything and everyone has to be hot humans in a fantasy romance book.
And then, of course, there's the romance. I liked a lot about how understated it was, there wasn't any particularly huge dramatic moments, and we don't have the female protagonist conveniently but unrealistically not guessing a lot of things about the male love interest. She's intelligent and she's a scholar, so of course realistically she's going to have suspicions about certain things, not least his feelings for her long before he declares it, rather than be caught by surprise. It sacrifices the drama of the moment a bit, but I much prefer this.
So overall I really enjoyed this one. I am a little worried about the sequel though - often times a book that uses a tried-and-true formula from another book tends to flounder when it has to carry on from there onto a sequel because then they're on a bit on untested ground, but nevertheless I'll definitely be reading it when it comes out next year.
you can not convince me that a man named Wendell Bambleby is hot
dnf i don???t ever want to look at this book again
3.5★
hmm i have quite a lot of thoughts about this book, the first 15% was so hard to get through, it throws you completely onto this world and you don't understand most of what is happening. even though you get tiny bits of information, it's hard to keep going without feeling a bit frustrated over the lack of understanding of this world.
eventually though, it gets better and it becomes easier to read! it's also important to note that this is in a journal form, which means you're stuck with a very specific type of exposition and a very personal way of talking/writing
all that said, for a little over half of the book (from 25% to 85%) it's really good and enjoyable, but the ending leaves you a bit underwhelmed. i understand there's more plot to come on the next books, but the resolution seemed too quick and too easy. i'm not sure i liked how the ice king story was "finished"
Rife with bad tropes and cliché characters made a promising premise my first dnf of 2025.
It is playful, odd, clever and enchanting. Reminded me of Gulliver’s Travels and other 18th century travel writing, only the foreign lands and scientific inquiry are mostly of fairies. Too much fun.
This was an adorable, lighthearted read that was amusing at times. I relate well to characters who are not very socially inclined but seem to have been taken under the wing of an extrovert.
There was a bit of adventure in the second half, but overall a delightfully easy read! I’m looking forward to the next books to see what other journeys Emily finds herself on!
I was (more so) a fan of A Natural History of Dragons so I mostly enjoyed this, though it's not worth the hype it's getting. Love the whimsical, eerie nature of the faeries, Emily's occasionally a vibe and Bambley made me picture a friendlier Astarion.
It does have its issues though. The “slow burn” rivals to lovers romance is basically nonexistent so when the declaration of love happens it feels really jarring.
I'm conflicted with people claiming Emily is autistic-coded. As an ND person myself, I can def see that the author chose ND-ish traits and how people can relate to her... but I don't love the perpetuation that ND people are very unsympathetic to the plight of those around them. Tbh I read that more as a flaw in Emily's character because let's be real this book (and I assume the rest of the series) is light on the plot so they needed to give her SOMETHING of an arc.
What little action there is is summarized in a perfunctory way, draining any tension from the scenes.
The climax felt very, well anticlimactic unfortunately.
A fine read if you're looking for something simple and chill. You definitely have to be in the mood for it though, otherwise it'll feel slow and dry.
In the beginning, it sounded like Divine Rivals, but as we read along, it's fun to follow Emily around doing practical research. I love it. Although I do not understand why Wendell is written like this? It's giving over privileged fuck boy who can't even get up to get a glass of water.
The inner monologues aka the journal entries was an exciting play. Her knowledge of the folk and her personality would make faeries interested in her. Maybe that's why Wendell keeps tagging along. Ugh.
Why can't men just leave women alone?
In conclusion, he ruined the book for me. Nothing he'll do will make me think his character is redeemable. In the end, he still tried to make it about him in the biggest event of her life. C'mon.
A good book. Easy to read. The story is a very heart warming one too. Even though there are so many dangers involved, Em's adventures with Wendell were somehow delightful. The simple love of the villagers and the imagined life rules of the faeries were quite enchanting. I would definitely love to continue this series.
This book feelt like discovering a hidden gem in the fantasy genre—one that is quietly magical and richly detailed.I love how the charm and the academic research blends together so neatly.
The novel is set in 1909 and follows Emily Wilde, a socially awkward yet brilliant professor at Cambridge, who is working on what she hopes will be the definitive encyclopaedia of faeries. Emily's journey takes her to the remote village of Hrafnsvik in Scandinavia.
What drew me in was the way the story is presented as Emily's journal, I honestly loved this aspect so incredibly much. This narrative style makes it feel incredibly personal, as if you're peering into the thoughts of a woman who is much more comfortable with her books and faerie folklore than with people. Which to be fair is kinda exactly what the case is. Example, when she arrives in Hrafnsvik, Emily's interactions with the villagers are painfully awkward, leading to some amusing yet relatable moments. Her initial attempts to gather information from the villagers are met with suspicion and confusion, and her discomfort is palpable.
One of my favorite aspects of the book is the relationship between Emily and Wendell Bambleby, her charming and infuriating colleague. When Wendell unexpectedly shows up in Hrafnsvik, Emily is both annoyed and relieved. Wendell is everything Emily is not—effortlessly sociable, charismatic, and, as we later discover, deeply connected to the faerie world in ways that Emily hadn't anticipated. Their banter is delightful, and the slow development of their friendship (with a hint of romance) is one of the highlights of the story. Have to add that the romance not being too in my face is one of the things I also highly like about this book. Heather Fawcett's writing is beautifully descriptive, particularly when it comes to the faeries and the wintry landscape of Hrafnsvik. The village feels isolated and otherworldly, the perfect backdrop for a story steeped in folklore. The faeries themselves are portrayed as both enchanting and dangerous, with their own complex rules and hierarchies. Emily's meticulous notes on the different types of faeries add depth to the world-building, making it feel as though you're reading a real scholar's work on these mythical creatures.
However, the book's pace is quite measured, which might not appeal to readers looking for fast-paced action. The focus is more on the slow unraveling of mysteries, both in the faerie world and in Emily's personal growth. While this slower pace allows for a deep immersion in the world and characters, it could feel a bit dragging at times, especially in the middle of the book.
sigh
I...
I don't even know what to say and let me explain why. This was utterly boring.
It's so boring that the characters and everything else about this book are easily forgotten about.
I was so bored with this book that I forgot about it and cleaned. I managed to wash, fold and put up my clothes, children's clothes and husbands. I also did the dishes and vacuumed the floors. Then I made food for everyone in the house.
It wasn't until the middle of the day that I realized I still had one earbud in listening to this book and that was all because the earbud beeped that it needed to be charged.
So... yeah.
The narrator has a wonderful voice but the overall story. I can't figure out why it is so popular.
This is a bit difficult to rate. I love the idea, the settings, and the vibes, but good lord I couldn't stand Emily Wilde as a main character. She's refreshing, they say. Has fun banters with her love interest, they say. What they didn't say is that the main characters come off as rude and ignorant, the plot moves at a snail's pace, there's a lot of telling and not showing, and also this book feels very dull and overwritten.
Like what sort of person would have an extended stay in a foreign country and do ZERO research on the local customs because “no interest”? That's a part of her personality, yes. But for someone who's labelled as smart and capable for the entire freaking book, I would expect her to have some common sense. Or common courtesy.
It feels like reading a 500-page book.
It's only around 300 pages long.
For a good part of the book, the story drags on as Emily goes around to “research” and makes very little progress at a time. Then when it does pick up, the cozy vibes get thrown out the window completely and it becomes like... any other faerie book with its faerie politics and drama. As far as the romance goes, I feel like Emily and Wendell are better off as platonic friends and academic rivals than lovers. They do have chemistry. Just not romantically. It just didn't hit for me.
The two stars are for Shadow, who is a very good boy, but I can't bring myself to rate this any higher. If you love the book though, good for you! Wish I could do the same.
This one was fun. Academic goes to Norway to do that last bit of fieldwork for her book. She's a little too obsessed with work and his horrible at reading people. Cough So things go sideways with the local townsfolk until her dazzlingly charming coworker shows up to help out. I thought the characters were fun and I liked the story. Have book 2 queued up and ready to go.
Was hoping “The Hidden Ones” would turn out to be trolls. The book would have taken a turn into horror if that had been the case.
This was my May read for the Sword and Laser podcast (yes, slightly behind the ball with this one). The title sets you up correctly for the vibes of this book - set in Victorian times, in a world extremely similar to our own except that fairies are real. Our protagonist is an academic who studies fairies and has traveled to a foreign country (that seems extremely similar to Iceland) to do field work. The fairies here are not of the Disney-princess variety, but rather the more meddlesome/sometimes scary fae or Folk of say...the Dresden files? Or the Invisible Library series. Which is to say, her field work involves some risk/adventure.
I very much enjoyed this book and its cottage/cozy sensibility. Our heroine definitely reads as neurodivergent, and while I appreciate the representation some of the social awkwardness is a bit difficult to read. It also makes her relationship with her friend/fellow researcher a bit confusing at times. Outside of that minor nit-pick I really have no complaints. This was a delightful and fun read and I will try to read more!
I want nothing more than to bury myself in the world of this book, I'm so sad this particular adventure is over. I was a little nervous in the beginning, knowing that it was a very hyped up book said to be the perfect cozy fantasy (and also I didn't like Bambleby when he was first introduced), but I'm so relieved and ecstatic to be come out the other end knowing it was absolutely right.
The writing through journaling is so enticing to read, giving it a different voice than many books. I loved the touches of academia throughout it all, and the world of faeries intertwined with ours was so fun to experience. I'm so pleased by how it never felt like there was a lull in the pacing or adventure.
And the romance killed me, I don't know how it was spun so magically to the outcome that it was, but I was internally screaming and sobbing over it at every mention. I'm so excited to read the next book, and just to reread it.
(I do want to say that I was unable to find the UK edition with the pretty cover and I was very disappointed)
This is what you would call a cozy fantasy. It reminded me of Legends & Lattes, although the stakes are higher and personal, and there is an actual story. It is an entertaining read with lovable characters and charming folklore.
All the characters were written very well and their chemistry worked for me - a lot of them also had good character development arcs, which I had not expected. Shadow was, of course, adorable. The easy relationship (based on banter) between Emily and Wendell was also fun to read. All the folklore or “fae” lore added magic to the story and were quite enjoyable to read. The story was somewhat slow paced at times but did not feel boring at any point. A quote that I will remember always - "Perhaps it is always restful to be around someone who does not expect anything from you beyond what is in your nature."
It is narrated as Emily’s diary entries, and romance is not the main focus of the book, so people looking to find a fantasy romance may be disappointed.
To summarize - cute and wholesome fantasy novel with magical creatures.
I think I will try and grab the sequels :-)
De la magie, de la féerie, un soupçon de romance et une histoire des plus plaisantes, j'ai adoré ce livre qui est au niveau de sa couverture !
Well, it was short. For me, the narrator is the sort of really tiresome, "Oh I just can't relate to people because I love academia so much" trope that just rubs me the wrong way. The setting too is a sort of romanticized version of the turn of the century without any sexism or homophobia which, you know, that would've been nice but using just the aesthetic without any of its challenges just reads weirdly to me.
Essentially, it's a romance book with a loose fantasy dressing which is just never going to be my cuppa.
This was ... fine. The story kept me sufficiently involved to get to the end, but I don't feel the need to continue the series.
Finished this in a day. I didn't expect to like it so much since I rarely read about fae. This was so talked about a lot though as a non YA cozy read I decided to give it a try.
A warning: if your vocabulary isn't vast like mine, you will have to look up many words