thereadinghammock's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I was excited to finally dive into this buzziest of books from last year. And I found myself delightfully entrancedby the end, but I was also totally thrown off guard by the format of the book. I was not expecting the field journal style narration, but I did come to enjoy Emily's unique take on her time in Hrafnsvik.

I found the "romance" between Emily and Bambleby to be a bit shoe horned for my liking. She clearly enjoyed him as a foil to her own knowledge, but had almost no inkling toward him in a romantic way before he proposed, or nearly after for that matter. I almost would have rather he stayed a dear friend and not entered the arena as a possible lover. It all just felt very afterthought and, yes it gave him a reason to help save her, but it felt like the weakest plot thread, since we got so little of the story from Bambleby's POV.

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lizy's review against another edition

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adventurous 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? It's complicated

4.0


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emfass's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious 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

4.5

Just so freaking charming and delightful. Nerdy fairy academic, and a grumpy female lead? Who then inadvertently learns the power of community and helping others and then letting them help you?! SO DELIGHTFUL!

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kuronekostea's review against another edition

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adventurous funny informative mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Really loved this book and plan to read the second and the third coming soon.

As an avid fantasy lover, I adored the folklore added to this "Encyclopedia". Emily's character is such a great narrative and I enjoyed seeing this scholar shut in learn to open up a little and handle herself.

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crystalisreading's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny lighthearted
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

4.75


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dreadspawn's review against another edition

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adventurous lighthearted mysterious 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? No

4.5


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kayanoelle's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

This was such a good book! Very entertaining, I loved the characters so much! The world was very interesting, loved the academic-rivals-but-also-colleagues-and-besties-and-lovers(?)-trope.
Emily as a main character was SO relatable, she’s exactly like me, I fear:)

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anna_m_k's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted medium-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

5.0


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ittybittybookshelf's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious 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

4.0


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anenome's review against another edition

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adventurous dark informative fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I loved and hated this book. 

The amazing parts were about the faeries and their realms. Inventive transporting stories that gripped me. 
I adore the pet-like Poe and would devour a whole series told from his point of view.
The enveloping wintery atmosphere was beautiful.

The parts I hated concerned the humans -like some male authors can't write women, I think Heather Fawcett can't write humans, the people in this tale were drawn so broadly.

One event in this book confused me-
when Emily tortured a child faerie (who was abandoned by their parents in a strange world) for giving people bad visions. She STABBED him and then writes in her journal about how much he's screaming in pain like it's great? Portrayed as deserved, but it really wasn't, it was a horrible scene. Emily is an evil character now but we're supposed to root for her? follow her romance?😮‍💨 From here I was reading on hoping a faerie ate Emily's head


I do not understand at all how this book is considered 'cosy'; it's full of violent acts, vitriolic hatred, beheadings 🤔 -that's fine but it's not cosy🤷🏻‍♀️

I wish this book had been just an actual encyclopedia, it would have been pure magic.

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