A review by leahsbooks
Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
5.0
Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
CONTENT WARNING: blood, violence, murder, gore
I was originally drawn to this book since it was promoted as comparable to Naomi Novik’s writing. And while there were definitely some similarities to Spinning Silver, this book definitely stood on it’s own legs, and it was both fascinating and enchanting in equal measure.
It’s written entirely in journal entry format, beginning with Emily Wilde’s journey to the distant Northern village of Hrafnsvik to study the Hidden Ones and other Fair Folk of the region, in order to complete her encyclopedia. But things don’t exactly go her way from the start. She immediately manages to offend basically everyone in her path, and even worse, her frenemy and academic peer Wendell Bambleby arrives suddenly, throwing off all of her plans.
I found Emily to be a really likable character, even as she struggled to be a people person. It wasn’t that she didn’t have anything to say, because according to her journal entries, she had plenty to say. She’s observant, articulate, and brilliant, yet she’s socially awkward, and possibly even neurodivergent. I was fascinated with her interactions with Wendell, who appeared to understand her better than anyone else. Often, when he would ask her a question, she would snap at him quickly, or if he asked her a question that involved a serious answer, she required additional time to organize her thoughts and provide an answer. I loved how Wendell just patiently waited and allowed her the time to consider what she wanted to say, without pushing her to answer him. This is especially evident towards the end of the book. The two of them seem to be especially well-suited for each other—him basking in the attention that she dreads, and her lacking in social graces that he has loads of. And they just seem to get each other at such a deep level.
The story takes place in the early 1900s, and it has a great balance of academia, fantasy, and folklore, which then easily transitions into mystery and suspense with bits of action and romance, which made for an incredibly compelling read. It’s written in both an academic style, yet beautifully descriptive and never dry. I was able to picture all of the fantastical things that were written about, and loved all of it—the exposure to the faerie world, the gorgeous setting of both the human and fae world, and the interactions that all of the characters have.
For me, the strength of this story was watching Emily grow. Initially, she’s exceptionally closed off, focusing on her academic goals and Shadow, her dog. Her entire life is consumed by her work, and while she isn’t lonely, her life is solitary. But over time, and with the addition of Wendell’s presence, she learns how to open herself to others. It happens slowly over the course of the book; so slowly in fact, that she doesn’t even realize that it’s happening, until she’s surrounded by not only people, but actual friends who care about her and her well-being. I loved watching her learn her value not only in academia but also as a human being with emotions and more to offer than her knowledge of the Fair Folk. I’m delighted to see that this is the start of a series, and I can’t wait to find out more of Emily (and Wendell’s) future!
CONTENT WARNING: blood, violence, murder, gore
I was originally drawn to this book since it was promoted as comparable to Naomi Novik’s writing. And while there were definitely some similarities to Spinning Silver, this book definitely stood on it’s own legs, and it was both fascinating and enchanting in equal measure.
It’s written entirely in journal entry format, beginning with Emily Wilde’s journey to the distant Northern village of Hrafnsvik to study the Hidden Ones and other Fair Folk of the region, in order to complete her encyclopedia. But things don’t exactly go her way from the start. She immediately manages to offend basically everyone in her path, and even worse, her frenemy and academic peer Wendell Bambleby arrives suddenly, throwing off all of her plans.
I found Emily to be a really likable character, even as she struggled to be a people person. It wasn’t that she didn’t have anything to say, because according to her journal entries, she had plenty to say. She’s observant, articulate, and brilliant, yet she’s socially awkward, and possibly even neurodivergent. I was fascinated with her interactions with Wendell, who appeared to understand her better than anyone else. Often, when he would ask her a question, she would snap at him quickly, or if he asked her a question that involved a serious answer, she required additional time to organize her thoughts and provide an answer. I loved how Wendell just patiently waited and allowed her the time to consider what she wanted to say, without pushing her to answer him. This is especially evident towards the end of the book. The two of them seem to be especially well-suited for each other—him basking in the attention that she dreads, and her lacking in social graces that he has loads of. And they just seem to get each other at such a deep level.
The story takes place in the early 1900s, and it has a great balance of academia, fantasy, and folklore, which then easily transitions into mystery and suspense with bits of action and romance, which made for an incredibly compelling read. It’s written in both an academic style, yet beautifully descriptive and never dry. I was able to picture all of the fantastical things that were written about, and loved all of it—the exposure to the faerie world, the gorgeous setting of both the human and fae world, and the interactions that all of the characters have.
For me, the strength of this story was watching Emily grow. Initially, she’s exceptionally closed off, focusing on her academic goals and Shadow, her dog. Her entire life is consumed by her work, and while she isn’t lonely, her life is solitary. But over time, and with the addition of Wendell’s presence, she learns how to open herself to others. It happens slowly over the course of the book; so slowly in fact, that she doesn’t even realize that it’s happening, until she’s surrounded by not only people, but actual friends who care about her and her well-being. I loved watching her learn her value not only in academia but also as a human being with emotions and more to offer than her knowledge of the Fair Folk. I’m delighted to see that this is the start of a series, and I can’t wait to find out more of Emily (and Wendell’s) future!