Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries Review (Emily Wilde, #1)

Hello, all!

I kicked off my year by reading one of my most anticipated books, Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett, and let me tell you, it was the best. 

Pub Date: 1-10-23
Adult - Historical Fantasy

Emily Wilde is a professor at Cambridge and the foremost expert on the studies of faeries. She's brilliant at what she does and has spent the better part of a decade compiling all of her faerie research into an encyclopedia. But what Emily isn't good at is dealing with people. She would much rather spend her nights with her nose in a book than mingling at social gatherings. So the last thing on Emily's mind when she set off to study the fae in the small village of Hrafnsvik was befriending the locals.

When Emily arrives in Hrafnsvik, her aloof behavior offends the head woman of the town, making the rest of the villagers steer clear. That wouldn't bother Emily if she didn't require their assistance with her research. To make matters worse, Wendell Bambleby, Emily's frustratingly handsome academic rival, has decided to show up to help. Wendell wastes no time charming the locals and interfering with Emily's studies. But as Emily closes in on the secrets of the town's Hidden Ones--the most elusive of fae--, she finds herself amid another mystery: who is Wendell Bambleby, and what is he hiding?

I loved the academic, cottage-core vibe of this. Fawcett's writing was so easy to fall into; it was whimsical and fun while still having a dark edge. I thought having this told in journal entries was also super effective. Aside from the writing, my favorite part was the characters. Emily and Wendell were everything. Emily was a bit standoff-ish, and Wendell was like a puppy trying to get someone to play with them. I loved their teasing banter, and I can't wait to see how their relationship progresses. Even though I would consider this a cozy fantasy, it isn't all lighthearted, and there are some intense moments. If you like a combination of historical fiction, mystery, and fantasy then I highly recommend picking this up.

Rating: 4/5

Comments

  1. Can't even describe how excited I've been to read this book- and now especially after reading your review! I got the FairyLoot edition in December and it's just lovely!

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