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howlinglibraries's review against another edition
I'm not giving this a star rating because I simply can't. I could not tell you once, during this entire book, if Rowland was trying to be legitimately informative, or simply piecing together social commentary and jokes with a little splash of beliefs from cultures around the world. It doesn't help that discussing fae from so many cultures would require far more pages than this book allows for, and half of the book is compiled of illustrations and graphic design art.
It's a difficult book for me to review because I understand that I'm coming at this book from a different angle than many people are (which is the other reason I won't give it a star rating). Most readers I know are going to pick this up looking for fun stories and illustrations; those of us looking for something deeper, like many practicing witches, are probably going to be left feeling about as let down as I was.
On a positive note, I really appreciated how much attention Rowland gave not only to the impact that climate change and humanity's abuse of the planet has had on fae populations, but also to the impact that colonialism has had on society's general perception of spiritual beliefs that don't align with the more widely accepted religions (such as the author's complaint regarding US scholars' dismissal of Native beliefs as "superstitions" and "myths").
The bottom line is this: if you're someone who thinks of fae as pure fantastical fiction and you want to learn more about the history there, this would probably be a great, fun fit for you. If you're someone who is actually invested in the idea of recognizing fae in our modern reality, I'm not so sure. I'd love to hear the thoughts of other readers, though, especially ones who are coming at it from the same angle I am!
Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this review copy in exchange for an honest review!
It's a difficult book for me to review because I understand that I'm coming at this book from a different angle than many people are (which is the other reason I won't give it a star rating). Most readers I know are going to pick this up looking for fun stories and illustrations; those of us looking for something deeper, like many practicing witches, are probably going to be left feeling about as let down as I was.
On a positive note, I really appreciated how much attention Rowland gave not only to the impact that climate change and humanity's abuse of the planet has had on fae populations, but also to the impact that colonialism has had on society's general perception of spiritual beliefs that don't align with the more widely accepted religions (such as the author's complaint regarding US scholars' dismissal of Native beliefs as "superstitions" and "myths").
The bottom line is this: if you're someone who thinks of fae as pure fantastical fiction and you want to learn more about the history there, this would probably be a great, fun fit for you. If you're someone who is actually invested in the idea of recognizing fae in our modern reality, I'm not so sure. I'd love to hear the thoughts of other readers, though, especially ones who are coming at it from the same angle I am!
Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this review copy in exchange for an honest review!
naughty_librarian's review against another edition
3.0
Tonally, this book is odd. It is written as if parlaying academic research on fae—it brushes to the edge of tongue in cheek—then pulls back and takes a serious and spiritual angle. The drawings are interesting, although some of them don’t exactly match the descriptions given in the accompanying passage. I wish this book would have picked one direction or another—the academic tone and then actually talk about actual sightings, locations, etc. with references, or be completely fantastical. Then you mix in the fact that some people really do believe in fairies or djinns or other creatures mentioned here as kind of demigods, and to poke fun or to treat this as whimsy is a bit mean. I did enjoy the art and learning about cryptids and legends from other cultures.
kristick's review against another edition
4.0
Cute bestiary that reminded me of [b:Gnomes|926908|Gnomes|Wil Huygen|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1463189122l/926908._SX50_.jpg|2653871]
swflsweetie's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this book and found it to be both I formative and entertaining. The illustrations are lovely and the book has found a prominent spot amongst my children’s fantastical beings collection. We frequently use this book as a starting point for further investigation into mythology and folklore.
noras_tales's review
3.0
I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This in no way influences my opinion of the book.
As someone who has a particular interest for folklore and mythology, this sounded so interesting to me. The author has written a gorgeously illustrated mini encyclopedia of facts on the fae, theorizing the ways in which the fae have adapted to modern day, especially in the face of climate change and colonization.
The first thing I have to say is that I found the author's tone confusing - it left me wondering if I was meant to take the material seriously or not. It made the reading experience somewhat jarring. Despite this, whether these beings are something you believe in or not, I found that it opened my mind to the possibilities of things I cannot see. Or at least, it made me feel more interested in what others believe to exist, and perhaps it could do the same for you! When perceiving the material in this way, I found it quite fun and light-hearted, as though I were reading a textbook for a class at a magical school. Overall, this was an enjoyable experience!
As someone who has a particular interest for folklore and mythology, this sounded so interesting to me. The author has written a gorgeously illustrated mini encyclopedia of facts on the fae, theorizing the ways in which the fae have adapted to modern day, especially in the face of climate change and colonization.
The first thing I have to say is that I found the author's tone confusing - it left me wondering if I was meant to take the material seriously or not. It made the reading experience somewhat jarring. Despite this, whether these beings are something you believe in or not, I found that it opened my mind to the possibilities of things I cannot see. Or at least, it made me feel more interested in what others believe to exist, and perhaps it could do the same for you! When perceiving the material in this way, I found it quite fun and light-hearted, as though I were reading a textbook for a class at a magical school. Overall, this was an enjoyable experience!
wisecraic's review against another edition
4.0
**I was provided an electronic ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for honest review.**
Alexandra Rowland's newest publication, Finding Faeries, is a pseudo-encyclopedia of fae and how modernity has affected the various species.
Having an ARC, I'm not sure that I was able to see all the illustrations that will be included in the final edition, but I will say the illustrations I did see were amazing (well done to Miles Aijala!). Also, some encyclopedia entries did appear to be in a somewhat illogical order, but I assume final ordering of them is something that will be corrected later on.
I found this book to be so much fun, and very cleverly written. I loved seeing how Rowland explained the modifications to fae behaviors to coincide with the additional challenges the species might experience in the modern age.
Overall, just a pleasant, easy, smile-inducing read. I look forward to being able to flip through a physical copy.
Alexandra Rowland's newest publication, Finding Faeries, is a pseudo-encyclopedia of fae and how modernity has affected the various species.
Having an ARC, I'm not sure that I was able to see all the illustrations that will be included in the final edition, but I will say the illustrations I did see were amazing (well done to Miles Aijala!). Also, some encyclopedia entries did appear to be in a somewhat illogical order, but I assume final ordering of them is something that will be corrected later on.
I found this book to be so much fun, and very cleverly written. I loved seeing how Rowland explained the modifications to fae behaviors to coincide with the additional challenges the species might experience in the modern age.
Overall, just a pleasant, easy, smile-inducing read. I look forward to being able to flip through a physical copy.
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