EMILY WILDE’S ENCYCLOPEDIA OF FAERIE
Author: Heather Fawcett
Date released: 2023
Category: Historical Fantasy
Synopsis: Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things: She is the foremost expert on the study of faeries. She is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world's first encyclopedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at people. She could never make small talk at a party--or even get invited to one. And she prefers the company of her books, her dog, Shadow, and the Fair Folk to other people.
So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Nor does she care to spend time with another new arrival: her dashing and insufferably handsome academic rival Wendell Bambleby, who manages to charm the townsfolk, get in the middle of Emily's research, and utterly confound and frustrate her.
But as Emily gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones--the most elusive of all faeries--lurking in the shadowy forest outside the town, she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: Who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? To find the answer, she'll have to unlock the greatest mystery of all--her own heart.
The UnReel Take:
Story: 9.0
Writing: 8.0
Characters: 9.0
Setting: 10
UnReel AR: 9.0
Bottom Line: Well, this was a joy to read, and I highly recommend it. Oh, you need more? Okay.
Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia… is an epistolatory novel, told in journal entries and field notes that actually read like a journal or notebook. (Some novels with this format have journal entries/letters/etc. read like standard prose, which misses the point.) 90% of the narrative is from Emily's POV, but there are a few entries from Wendell as well. Footnotes are added here and there, which was a fun way to flesh out the world and made sense since Emily is literally writing an encyclopedia. A true marriage of form and function – we love to see it. The writing was very fairy tale, enhanced by the random acts of savagery sprinkled throughout. (Have you ever noticed that fairy tales are lovely and whimsical and then really effing brutal out of nowhere?)
Both our main characters are eminently likable, and their relationship is great fun, with witty but realistic banter. The Fae were more in line with actual folklore than a lot of the "sexy Fae" stories popular right now (no knock to those, but we like variety), and the secondary characters are vivid and engaging.
Now for some downsides. The writing is repetitive, though this could be a nod to the format - people's diaries and notes are often repetitive. The plot was predictable but who cares? I don't think mind-bending twists were the point. (Emily is also very smart, so she figures things out quickly. Since you're reading from her POV, you figure things out quickly too.) I mentioned that I like the journal structure of the story but the interjection of notes throughout the narrative does odd things to the pacing and some sections of the text feel disjointed as a result. The action is fairly anti-climactic, since clearly whoever wrote the journal entry survived. These are all pretty nit-picky issues though and didn't hamper my enjoyment overall.
Honestly, "fun" might be the primary adjective I associate with this book. The characters are fun, the plot is fun, and I will definitely read Book Two and expect it to be fun also.
Ideal Reading Location: Outside, on the grass, somewhere remote. Bonus points if a mountain is involved.
Drink Pairing: I wanted to say tea, since this book is so charming and comforting and all the “tea” adjectives, but the spirit of Emily Wilde insisted I be practical and say “water.” That’s a strong character, right there.
Maybe your experience will be different!