moody_mushroom's review
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Adventure! Amazing faerie lore and descriptions! The author conveys the creepiness in such a way I kinda ended up scared. Loved that the motive of the main characters are more personal than anything, no "im such a good person" reason. Short but rich intrigal anventure!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder and Violence
Minor: Abandonment
dragonaion's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
At first I was not taken by the "matter of fact" and neutral approach of the story. I thought the first two chapters were dry and simple, but I can attest that is the author writing the world through the eyes of the main character and is very apropos. By chapter three, I was smitten and devoured every page.
As a lover of fae of all kinds, I was tickled and delighted by the smoothness and almost natural involvement of the fae in the story. None of it was out of place (which is saying something, given the nature of some of the scenes) and it all blended and came into place perfectly. With such expressions of high fantasy, it is hard to mistake some parts as being absurd and not belonging, like suddenly seeing a majestic and shining pegasus in a normal field. This magic, however, was laced in so naturally that it naturally belonged and was wonderful.
As a lover of fae of all kinds, I was tickled and delighted by the smoothness and almost natural involvement of the fae in the story. None of it was out of place (which is saying something, given the nature of some of the scenes) and it all blended and came into place perfectly. With such expressions of high fantasy, it is hard to mistake some parts
Spoiler
like an animal cloak that melts in the heat, but reluctantly gives the wearer what they need
Content Warnings
Moderate: Self harm, Violence, Classism, Blood, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal cruelty, Confinement, Body horror, Child abuse, Sexual content, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Alcohol, Animal death, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gore, and Murder
There are scenes that may constitute "child abuse", but the character is not technically a child but a magical creature in the shape of a child, and the "sexual content" includes barely a kiss.emilywemily6's review
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I really enjoyed this book! It was a cozy historical fantasy- which is the perfect recipe. The book felt slow and meandering with no real plot throughout, only numerous subplots that all resolved rather quickly. Whenever I was reading, I was intrigued and couldn’t put it down. When I wasn’t reading, however, I didn’t feel a particular pull to pick it up. The variety of fae was fascinating and I kept thinking it might just be real. I loved the information Emily was able to glean as well as the unanswered questions. I loved Wendell too and appreciated their relationship. A really delightful book!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Animal cruelty, Gore, Body horror, Alcohol, Grief, Murder, Death, and Blood
Minor: Emotional abuse, Cursing, and Sexual content
littleflowerfairy's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I'm going to be honest; in my personal opinion, most popular fae fantasy books don't depict fae accurately. They're hardly ever like how they're depicted in folklore. People tend to just use the term 'fae' to as either a catch-all for any type of mythical creature, or the term for only a very specific, beautiful, human-like species. This may not bother most people, and there's nothing inherently wrong with it, but as a fae enthusiast frequently doing research for my own fae book, it really bothers me when 'fae' is used very loosely.
Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries does none of that. Heather Fawcett weaves a beautiful story that combines the typical mystery and mischief of fae, with her own twists and addition that make sense and really feel like something you'd read about in an old book about faerie lore! The way she describes the fae and how they interact with our world is incredible and makes for such beautiful imagery! Though I read this in the height of summer, I almost felt like I could step right into the wintery landscape.
Honestly it took me a bit to get really into the book, the first half felt a little slow, but by the second half I was thoroughly hooked!! I loved the characters, the atmosphere, and the feeling like I was reading through an old journal nearly lost to time. It was seriously such a cozy read to curl up with at the end of the day! I can't wait for the 2nd book!!
Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries does none of that. Heather Fawcett weaves a beautiful story that combines the typical mystery and mischief of fae, with her own twists and addition that make sense and really feel like something you'd read about in an old book about faerie lore! The way she describes the fae and how they interact with our world is incredible and makes for such beautiful imagery! Though I read this in the height of summer, I almost felt like I could step right into the wintery landscape.
Honestly it took me a bit to get really into the book, the first half felt a little slow, but by the second half I was thoroughly hooked!! I loved the characters, the atmosphere, and the feeling like I was reading through an old journal nearly lost to time. It was seriously such a cozy read to curl up with at the end of the day! I can't wait for the 2nd book!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Confinement, Murder, Violence, Blood, Animal death, and Death
Moderate: Self harm, Child abuse, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Vomit and Cursing
jessiereads98's review
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. The autistic representation in the main character, Emily Wilde, is really well done. It does not feel clunky or heavy handed or like a caricature. The character is also more than just her autistic traits. I also thought the world building in this book was really well done. The fae and their magic system were compelling while feeling familiar. The exposition fit into the story naturally. Wendell Bambleby is more Emily’s academic nuisance than academic rival. There were things brought up like which seemed like a big deal, but weren’t really explored beyond being mentioned. Although, I suspect those things may be explored more in future books. Overall, this story weaves together romance, community, adventure, and folklore in a way that is fun and interesting.
Spoiler
his fraudulent research
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Confinement, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Minor: Medical content, Gore, Alcohol, Body horror, Murder, and Child abuse
cozyscones's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Kidnapping, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Body horror
chezler24's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Premise-wise, this book piqued my interest. In this version of our world, magic and faeries are not just merely reserved for folklore or a time long gone. They are currently active and involved in the lives of the mortals where they reside and distinct physical remnants can be found showing their existence. (We even get glimpses of the Fay realms! Though I won't spoil too much.) Pushed by her drive to further her academic career in dryadology, Emily Wilde goes off on a field study to the remote village of Hrafnsvik to better understand Ljosland fae for her Encyclopaedia of Faeries that she is compiling. I really enjoyed the aspect of academia and faerie discovery further shown through the book being stylized as a daily log entry for her field study. I also really appreciated the diction used by the author and picked up a couple of new words, which is always exciting. With that being said, the book took a while to hook me in when I first started. The pacing was kind of slow and almost too dull. Things did perk up after Wendell crashed Emily's solo study experience since he was able to draw more of the townsfolk's personalities out, and we, as the reader, were able to get a more in-depth understanding of them, their pasts, and their folklore. I can take or leave some of the slow-burn romance aspects of this book, but I started to warm up to the idea towards the end of the book. (Note: I was reading an advance uncorrected proof of this book, so I'm not sure what all changed between this and the final published version.)
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal death, Blood, Violence, Murder, and Kidnapping
alilbitofeveryth1ng's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Murder
raimeyreads's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Death, and Child abuse
Minor: Animal death, Gore, and Animal cruelty
beautifulpaxielreads's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries (hence Emily) was pretty much a delight from start to finish.
Set in the early years of the twentieth century, it follows the titular Emily, one of the foremost scholars in the study of faeries, rivalled only by her colleague, the infuriatingly handsome and charming Wendell Bambleby, who for all of his charisma Emily finds just the slightest bit uncanny.
Emily has just arrived in the tiny village of Hrafnsvik on the island of Ljosland (a fictional place which from the descriptions of the landscape and character names seems to be based on Iceland) from her native England, where she intends to research the lives of the island's faerie-folk for the world-first faerie encyclopedia, which is very near to completion.
She is also not a people person, preferring to spend her time either buried in paperwork or trampling through the countryside, making a study of the beings that look set to be her life's work. The village folk of Hrafnsvik do not know what to make of her and her - to them - odd behaviour.
Emily thinks her trip to Hrafnsvik will be like all the other field trips she has made - uneventful and productive. But she is soon to be proved wrong in the most spectacular, infuriating and heartwarming of ways.
Is it obvious how much I enjoyed this? Freya Marske, the author of A Marvellous Light, describes Emily thus:
Set in the early years of the twentieth century, it follows the titular Emily, one of the foremost scholars in the study of faeries, rivalled only by her colleague, the infuriatingly handsome and charming Wendell Bambleby, who for all of his charisma Emily finds just the slightest bit uncanny.
Emily has just arrived in the tiny village of Hrafnsvik on the island of Ljosland (a fictional place which from the descriptions of the landscape and character names seems to be based on Iceland) from her native England, where she intends to research the lives of the island's faerie-folk for the world-first faerie encyclopedia, which is very near to completion.
She is also not a people person, preferring to spend her time either buried in paperwork or trampling through the countryside, making a study of the beings that look set to be her life's work. The village folk of Hrafnsvik do not know what to make of her and her - to them - odd behaviour.
Emily thinks her trip to Hrafnsvik will be like all the other field trips she has made - uneventful and productive. But she is soon to be proved wrong in the most spectacular, infuriating and heartwarming of ways.
Is it obvious how much I enjoyed this? Freya Marske, the author of A Marvellous Light, describes Emily thus:
...winter-sunshined, sharp-tongued and footnoted academia, full of field trips and grumpy romance.
I wholeheartedly agree with Marske that Emily is all of these things - and so much more. It's a grumpy romance between two opposite-minded but somehow compatible individuals (no, I won't tell you who, that would spoil), it's a well-thought-out fantasy of what faerie scholarship would look like if faeries actually existed and were studied, and most of all, it's the story of a young woman learning to accept love and friendship into her life. Although it's never stated explicitly in the book - it would be an anachronism given the time period in which the novel is set - I, like others, believe Emily's behaviour and characteristics to be neurodivergent, though specifics are unclear.
What is clear is that reading about Emily's adventures was a great deal of fun for me, and I can't wait to see what she and Bambleby get up to in the sequel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Ableism, Alcohol, Body horror, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, and Violence
Minor: War and Cursing
Some of the faerie folk act in ways that are cruel. Humans can be abducted/possessed/left as empty vessels, or a combination of the three.