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A review by rachaelarsenault
Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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
Emily Wilde is a certified badass, but never in the ways you would expect. She isn't brawny, nor does she have any kind of martial skills, nor is she even particularly graceful or agile. But she's smart as a whip, cunning, has an incredible breadth of knowledge, and a ruthless streak. It's the nerdiest way to be a badass and I love it.
I also loved how this story was framed both as a diary of sorts and a collection of academic notes and observations. As someone who has written essays for fun... yeah, fake academic texts are my idea of a good time.
All the lore and worldbuilding regarding fae, their magic, and the ways mortals can cope with/counteract their enchantments was also really interesting and well explored. These truly felt like fae - inhuman, frivolous, and bound by rules and logics that don't make sense to mortals. I could entirely understand Emily's fascination with them, and everyone else's fear.
And, of course, Emily and Wendell's dynamic was delightful. They play off each other so well, the banter is great, and I loved how obvious it was to me as a reader that Wendell is smitten with Emily even as she remained largely oblivious (perhaps willfully so). Very excited to read future adventures between them.
I also loved how this story was framed both as a diary of sorts and a collection of academic notes and observations. As someone who has written essays for fun... yeah, fake academic texts are my idea of a good time.
All the lore and worldbuilding regarding fae, their magic, and the ways mortals can cope with/counteract their enchantments was also really interesting and well explored. These truly felt like fae - inhuman, frivolous, and bound by rules and logics that don't make sense to mortals. I could entirely understand Emily's fascination with them, and everyone else's fear.
And, of course, Emily and Wendell's dynamic was delightful. They play off each other so well, the banter is great, and I loved how obvious it was to me as a reader that Wendell is smitten with Emily even as she remained largely oblivious (perhaps willfully so). Very excited to read future adventures between them.