Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries
Books | Fiction / Fantasy / General
4.1
(248)
Heather Fawcett
THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'A darkly gorgeous fantasy that sparkles with snow and magic, this book wholly enchanted me' Sangu Mandanna, author of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches Enter the world of the hidden folk - and discover the most whimsical, enchanting and heart-warming tale you'll read this year, featuring the intrepid Emily Wilde. . . 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 encylopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at 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 But as Emily gets closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones - the most elusive of all faeries - 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. 'Forget dark academia: give me instead this kind of winter-sunshined, sharp-tongued and footnoted academia, full of field trips and grumpy romance' Freya Marske, author of A Marvellous Light 'A thoroughly charming academic fairy tale, complete with footnotes and a low-key grumpy romance' Guardian 'Enchanting in every sense of the word. . . This book is real magic' H. G. Parry, author of The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep 'A book so vividly, endlessly enchanting, so crisply assured, so rich and complete and wise and far-reaching in its worldbuilding that you'll walk away half ensorcelled, sure Fawcett found Emily Wilde's journal in some sea-stained trunk' Melissa Albert 'The ideal book to curl up with on a chilly winter's evening. . . this book is an absolute delight.' Megan Bannen, author of The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy 'A charmingly whimsical delight. . . Five dazzling, gladdening stars' India Holton, author of The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels 'I enjoyed every word of this gorgeously written fairy tale featuring a grumpy heroine and an utterly charming love interest' Isabel Ibañez, author of Woven In Moonlight
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More Details:
Author
Heather Fawcett
Pages
336
Publisher
Little, Brown Book Group Limited
Published Date
2023-01-19
ISBN
0356519120 9780356519128
Community ReviewsSee all
"This is such an amazing book! It's a little bit slow paced, but it's very enchanting and atmospheric! The characters are well written, the plot is captivating, and I love the writing style! 100/10 would recommend!"
Madison C
"I liked it but it was really slow at first. It had a good ending. "
Meagan Khatthaname
"My favorite thing about this book was Emily. She appealed to me because we are both socially awkward. Heather Fawcett did an amazing job creating a character who would rather be alone with a book than in a crowd or any situation requiring small talk.
The story takes Emily to a remote Norweigan village to study a so far unstudied species of the Folk. This research will be the last chapter of the encyclopedia she's been working on for a decade.
Emily has studied all the stories about the face. She is able to use this library of memories to negotiate and understand dealings with the Folk in an instinctive way.
The story is funny and heartwarming. It has adventure and a little romance.
I recommend it for anyone who enjoys tales of faeries and anyone who will identify with a socially awkward academic MC.
I will definitely be reading the next book in the series. "
Brandi Always Reading
"What an absolute *delight*!! I can honestly say I enjoyed every moment of this funny, sweet, cozy novel. Yes, this is a book about fairies, but it’s *really* a book about humans and all the silly quirks that make us loveable. The only con I can think of is that I wish I’d read this in the dead of winter. If you are seeing this review and it’s winter, please just take my word for it and move this to the top of your “want to read” pile. Cozy up under a blanket, get some tea, light a candle, and fall into this delightful world. (Or you can do what I did—read this in August with the AC blasting and an “ambient snowstorm” video playing on YouTube.) "
Genevieve Nierman
"I can't even remember when a fantasy book brought me so much joy as this one. I haven't felt so happy since Naomi Novik's books, I think. THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE STORY. Everything, everything, I tell you, is perfect. The plot, the folklore parts, the characters, the world, the pacing... It delights me the way the author includes fae stories and their habits in her book because it's absolutely fascinating. The heroine, Emily, is certainly not your typical badass fantasy girl, but she's SO much better. She has a brilliant mind; she has a lot of courage, and, despite being a little awkward with people, she's the perfect adult fantasy heroine I could ever dream of. Wendell... Wendell is a dream, but you know that if you read this book. THANK YOU, DEAR AUTHOR!"
Margarita D
"I adored this! A really fun and magical book. A truly unique fae/faerie story. Cozy fantasy at its finest. "
L
Leah
"What a fun start to a series but I will warn you the background romance will leave you wanting more. I will say though I haven't had that dangerous-fae-folktale-feeling since A Court of Thorns and Roses and The Bear and the Nightingale. I didn't realize how much I missed it.
This story takes place in a snowy landscape which gives it a warm and cozy atmosphere. The two main characters were such a breath of fresh air. Both are unique, complex, and nothing like I was expecting.
Emily had great intuition and was fascinating to watch. Maybe even neurodivergent in her single-mindedness determination. She is a literal walking encyclopedia.
In original folklore, the fae are tricky and seemingly cold-blooded but the one we do meet is lazy, whiny, vain, and of course handsome. I also love him haha. And there is real folklore here not just some handsome dark stranger with shadow magic.
Plenty of things happen throughout the book but the author keeps you at just the right distance that you want to pull your hair out while trying to read faster. It's annoyingly brilliant. And the story is written like a journal by Emily of course. There are even footnotes. I found it so very real and intriguing.
Reading this was just unexpectedly fun. Frosty, enchanting, and quirky. I found it enduring. I cannot wait for the next installment."
Ashley
"It was good! Not great but still entertaining and kept me wanting to read more"
Grace G
"2.75 ⭐️"
Lucy
"• cozy fantasy excellence
• found family goodness
• refreshingly distinctive, developed characters
• delightful romantic subplot
• engaging world building and lore"
catherine!!
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