If there is a book that could make me adore the sly, cunning, tricky, wily, weirdly cute(in a scary way) and devious type of faeries, It is Emily Wilde’s encyclopaedia of Faeries!!!!
Heather Fawcett has done an amazing job with the characters. I even liked the dog (Shadow) when the only emotion I feel when I look at a dog in real life is dislike (more like terror). I have come to the realization that I like fictional dogs (not only Shadow but also Fleetfoot (if you know you know)).
The author has really made an effort into researching about faerie lore and it clearly shows in the form of many short stories that have been woven seamlessly into the plot and also the footnotes. The book also introduced me to quite a few new words which was a very pleasant surprise. I would like to add that the book is written in the form of journal entries.
Our main character here is Emily Wilde, a professor (a smart and hard-working one at that) at Cambridge. Lets just say that even though Emily is well versed when it comes to faerie folklore, things don’t really pan out when people aka humans are involved(what I am trying to say is that she is socially awkward). SOOO brace yourself for a lot of second hand embarrassment (YAY!!).
But her fascination and ardour regarding faeries is soo pleasingly written that at times its contagious. And her character is really stable throughout the book as in you DON’T get a whiplash everytime there is a hard decision to be made. I personally cracked up a lot because of her internal humor, but it’s ok if don’t connect (you probably still would enjoy the book).
‘I would sooner interview a dozen bloody changlings than navigate my way through this thicket of social conventions’. – Emily Wilde
Emily is fastidiously researching her latest project, the first ever encyclopedia of fairy lore. She has traveled all over the world studying various culture’s magical beings and the legends and lore surrounding them. She has one destination left, a remote village Hrafnsvik in the Scandinavian country of Ljosland, where the entire story unfolds.
Wendell Bambleby is the self-appointed friend of our MC (her only friend; her words not mine). He is a handsome blond (obviously) and has a very good taste in fashion (again obviously). I am fond of Bambleby’s character because of his clear adoration and admiration for Emily. Their personalities complement each other and the BANTER is great!!
” I missed you, Em,” he said. “It was strange not having you across the hall, scowling at me.”
” I wonder at your ability to detect my scowls through the wall. Are your senses heightened in other ways?”
“ You alone have the talent of scowling loudly. I’ve often wondered how you manage it.”
He is her exact opposite in every way that counts. While she prefers to stay in the cottage pouring over her journal, he would rather visit the village tavern. When she unknowingly offends people, he can charm them into giving him things for free( BUT obviously our FMC is immune to his ‘charms’). If Emily prefers to do all the research and field work herself, our ‘dear’ Bambleby brings his two students to ‘assist’ him (basically do everything he asks of them).
The romance in this book felt real and grounded, and the development of the romantic aspect of the plot moved in realistic ways (outside of things moving just a bit too quickly!).
This paragraph about our next character is definitely going to be biased(sorry!!). Its just that this Faerie is just soo adorable (not in the physical sense but like his actions). After Emily’s first encounter with him, she names him Poe in her head obviously (because you DO NOT mess with Faeries). Poe really helped move the plot along and didn’t make it seem as if his character was unnecessary.
‘A faerie crouched beside me. It was very small, its frame skeletal with a face full of teeth and two sharp black stones for eyes tucked beneath a ravenskin that it seemed to wear as a sort of cloak’. – Emily Wilde
Now if I write about the residents of Hrafnsvik (a village in Ljosland) as a whole, they followed the words of their headwoman (Goði ) Aud Hallasdottir (another good character if you ask me), as a result there was a small period when Emily was not well received by the people because she had unintentionally offended Aud. But after the arrival of Bambleby, things took a turn for the better! And Aud and a few others played very important roles near the end of the book.
I would like to warn you that even though the book cover is giving cozy spring vibes, the settings of the book are anything but (constant snowing is what I mean).
Overall I would say that this book has won me over and I would recommend it to anyone with even a slight interest in faeries without a second thought.
Thank you!
P.S – If you are thinking about reading a fantasy heist, here’s my review of ‘A Tempest of Tea‘ . Hope you find it useful!
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