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adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Violence, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexism, Kidnapping
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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:
No
If you have read and enjoyed half a soul I think you will enjoy this. Overall very cozy and a fun read.
Content Warnings
Minor: Self harm
There is a scene when the main character cuts off her own finger with an axe but it is brief.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Self harm, Blood
adventurous
dark
funny
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Self harm, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
adventurous
challenging
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Self harm, Xenophobia, Blood, Kidnapping, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm
Moderate: Violence
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Self harm, Alcohol
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
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!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
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 partslike 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.
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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexual content, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol
There are scenes that may constitute "child abuse", but the character is not technically a child but a magical creature in the shape of a child, and the "sexual content" includes barely a kiss.