Reviews with content warning for Self harm - Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries got off to a bit of a slow start, but by the end, it is a 4.5 star read for me, one of my top favorites of 2023. The prose is technical and wordy, fitting with the female main character’s on-spectrum personality. There is a great deal of world building. Before reading, Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries, I was largely unfamiliar with Fae lore. I gained a new realization that so many old children’s stories of magical creatures were actually about fairies, such as Rumpelstiltskin and The Snow Queen.

I want to address critiques from other reviewers that the romance is a little sudden or not well supported. I disagree. There were definitely hints from Wendell throughout, if a reader was paying attention. I absolutely had warning where it was going for him. Because he is a flawed romantic interest, Emily was appropriately reluctant and slow to follow with romantic reciprocation. The romance is not the primary plot of this book, and I think that is why many readers were caught offguard by it. This is a story about Emily, who happens to also have a burgeoning romance happening in her life at the time this other, more interesting story takes place.

The second half of the book moves faster, and we find Emily in high peril. This is not a strictly cozy fantasy. I find it important to note a content warning that one character intentionally cuts off their own finger. That part of the plot is brief but certainly intense. Despite that, this book is fascinating, charming and delightful.

I own a hardcover version and listened to the audiobook on Libby before writing this review. The narration is superb. Ell Potter keeps me completely immersed in the story with all of her various voices. She especially captures Emily’s unique personality so well. I can’t imagine a more perfect choice of narrator. Michael Dodds also gives us a first person voice to Wendell in one absolutely delightful and fun chapter. I rarely re-listen to audiobooks, but I know I will be listening to both of the Emily Wilde’s books several times, because the narrations are somehow so cozy and soothing, despite the stories containing a good deal of peril.

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prettynerdy3's review against another edition

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adventurous informative 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

4.0

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axel_p's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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ineedsomecyanide's review against another edition

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3.0

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litematcha's review against another edition

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adventurous funny mysterious reflective 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

5.0

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sarasreading's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful 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

4.25

I'm glad I read this one. I really enjoyed it. The descriptions, atmosphere, stories within the story, all were captivating. It took me a while to get into it, but once I did I couldn't put it down. And it seems like there's going to be at least one more, which I'm 100% going to read!

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dragonaion's review against another edition

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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

like an animal cloak that melts in the heat, but reluctantly gives the wearer what they need

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.

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littleflowerfairy's review against another edition

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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!!

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