Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries - Heather Fawcett - ★★★★.¼

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AUTHOR: Heather Fawcett

SERIES: Emily Wilde, #1
GENRE: Fantasy.
RATING: 4.25 stars.

In a Nutshell: An entertaining and quirky read that will work well for fantasy readers. Well-carved characters, interesting writing. Gets a bit dark at times.

Story Synopsis:
1909. Thirty-year-old Cambridge Professor Dr. Emily Wilde lives life with a single-minded purpose – she wishes to complete her encyclopaedia of Faerie Folk and does all she can to complete this goal, even if it means suffering the company of other people, the most irritating of whom is her colleague and rival Wendell Bambleby.
When she arrives in the remote village of Hrafnsvik, she has no desire to mingle with its denizens. However, soon she realises that Hrafnsvik is full of Fae mysteries and to unlock them, she needs the support of its residents. When the ever-charming Bambleby also turns up at the village, Emily knows she has to make some tough choices.
The story comes to use through Emily’s (first person) entries in the journal she maintains as a part of her research.


Where the book worked for me:
😍 The story has appealing characters who are detailed out really well. Emily might be tough for some to like, but her introverted nature and her passion for organising and planning her work list made me feel rather close to her. Wendell is beyond description – he starts off as a self-obsessed snoot but his character starts peeling off its layers quite interestingly as the story progresses. Many of the village folk, while in small roles, have equally interesting character arcs. Can’t forget Emily’s pet canine Shadow – he’s adorable!

😍 Emily is a stubborn and demanding social recluse while Wendell is her exact opposite. Yet the two of them have a connection that is tough to resist. I loved their repartee and their easy camaraderie despite resistance from Emily’s side. I hope the next book in the series takes their arc ahead well without becoming clichéd.

😍 There are also plenty of lore characters in the story, not all of whom are commonly seen in this genre. They add a fabulous touch of magic to the proceedings. Mind you, things do get dark at times but not so much as would creep you out.

😍 I appreciate Emily’s journals being used as a narrative device. While this approach leads to some foreshadowing of what happened that day, it also ensures a focussed narration due to Emily’s very nature. There is not much focus on descriptions, but there is enough of it to make the little village come alive in our minds.

😍 As the first of a series, the book ends really well. The important arcs are closed, and yet we have an inclination of where the story might go next. No cliffhangers.

😍 Some plot developments caught me unawares but the author handled the unexpected nicely. It feels nice to be surprised when you aren’t expecting any deviations from the norm.

😍 The book is somewhat slow-paced, but the plot was such that I didn’t even feel like speed-reading. Every scene contributes to the story in some way or another.


Where the book could have worked better for me:
😑 There are a couple of folktales in between and at the end. These took away from the tempo of the main plot. (I did love the stories; I just wish they weren’t bang in the middle of the story we were invested in.)

😑 This is a complaint you will hardly ever hear me make. I wanted more of the romance! (Okay, okay, I know this isn’t marketed as a romance, but c’mon! It was like being offered a scrumptious cake but getting only one lick of it. I am hungry for more!)


All in all, despite the somewhat roundabout pacing, I loved the story for its characters and its writing approach. I’m definitely on board for the next in the series. Can’t wait to see where the author leads Emily and Wendell!

My thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley for the DRC of “Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Update on January 2024: To know where the author takes the story next, check out my review for Book Two: Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands.

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