Emily Wildes’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

Five Word Summary

Whimsical, cozy, enchanting, quirky, scholarly.

For

A curmudgeonly professor journeys to a small town in the far north to study faerie folklore and discovers dark fae magic, friendship, and love in the start of a heartwarming and enchanting new fantasy series.

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, get in the middle of 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.

The myth of King Midas reimagined. This compelling adult fantasy series is as addictive as it is unexpected. With romance, intrigue, and danger, the gilded world of Orea will grip you from the very first page.

Please Note: This book contains explicit content and darker elements, including mature language, violence, and rape. It is not intended for anyone under 18 years of age. This is book one in a series.

My Thoughts

What a delightful and enchanting book!

We have a socially inept professor, a charming high fae who is posing as a human, several, somewhat grumpy, but kind villagers, and – I am thrilled to say – a gorgeous dog named Shadow. Or is Shadow really a dog? You’ll have to read to find out.

The story is told via a diary type format with lots of scholarly references to faerie lore and fairy tales, which I loved. The diary format allows us to feel like we are close to Emily. It feels like we are being let in on the secrets of her research methods and we get to see what her drive costs her.

I worried initially that the story was going to be dry, but it was not. The author manages to thread delight into the footnotes and the faerie research throughout. It was also supported by a cast of character that one cannot help but fall in love with. We get grumpy, reluctant romance, a hint of ‘the one’ trope, and a hint that a battle for a throne is on the horizon.

The book is set in the Scandinavia country of Ljosland and boy, does the author give us vivid description which puts you right there, feeling the cold and sensing the rawness.

There was one part of the book that dragged a little, but I can’t say where because that would give too much away. The section is over soon enough though, so it didn’t impact on my enjoyment of the book. The whole story was a bit of a slow burn but by the time I reached the end I was super keen for Book 2, which sadly, is a whole year away!

In summary, Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Fairies is a one-of-a-kind story with some laugh out loud moments. It truly transports you to the story world, which is exactly what you want from fiction!

Cover

Absolute perfection! The cover is so pretty, it could be displayed as art.