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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
adventurous
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:
No
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I honestly wish I could give Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries zero stars. This book was a major disappointment for me—one of those reads where I kept hoping it would finally pick up or surprise me, only to be met with more of the same: silence, blandness, and a complete lack of momentum.
From the premise, I expected something whimsical and immersive—a scholarly journey into the world of faeries, full of magic, intrigue, and folklore. Instead, I was dragged through an excruciatingly slow narrative that felt like it was constantly on the verge of beginning… but never actually did. It’s rare that a book makes me physically tired, but this one made me fall asleep multiple times. I’m not exaggerating when I say I had to force myself to keep reading, and I genuinely regret the time I spent on it.
The pacing is glacial. I kept wondering where the plot was—if there even was one. There’s little to no sense of urgency or direction, which left me confused and disengaged. It felt like a collection of journal entries that never quite built into a coherent story. I couldn’t figure out what the book was trying to accomplish beyond vague academic musings. For a story supposedly filled with magical creatures, it lacked any real spark or wonder.
The main character, Emily Wilde, is written in a way that should be quirky and endearing, but instead comes across as emotionally distant and dull. Her interactions with others feel forced, and the supposed “romantic” tension with Wendell Bambleby felt unearned and flat. There was no chemistry, no tension—just a series of awkward exchanges that didn’t bring anything to life.
Even the setting, which could have been atmospheric and rich, felt underutilized. Descriptions of the village and fae creatures were either too dry or too vague to create a strong visual or emotional impact.
In short: this book gave me nothing. No real plot, no memorable characters, no excitement. It felt like an academic paper pretending to be a fantasy novel, but without the depth or payoff of either. I went in hoping for a cozy, folkloric adventure and ended up deeply bored and unsatisfied. I rarely say this about books, but I truly regret reading it.
From the premise, I expected something whimsical and immersive—a scholarly journey into the world of faeries, full of magic, intrigue, and folklore. Instead, I was dragged through an excruciatingly slow narrative that felt like it was constantly on the verge of beginning… but never actually did. It’s rare that a book makes me physically tired, but this one made me fall asleep multiple times. I’m not exaggerating when I say I had to force myself to keep reading, and I genuinely regret the time I spent on it.
The pacing is glacial. I kept wondering where the plot was—if there even was one. There’s little to no sense of urgency or direction, which left me confused and disengaged. It felt like a collection of journal entries that never quite built into a coherent story. I couldn’t figure out what the book was trying to accomplish beyond vague academic musings. For a story supposedly filled with magical creatures, it lacked any real spark or wonder.
The main character, Emily Wilde, is written in a way that should be quirky and endearing, but instead comes across as emotionally distant and dull. Her interactions with others feel forced, and the supposed “romantic” tension with Wendell Bambleby felt unearned and flat. There was no chemistry, no tension—just a series of awkward exchanges that didn’t bring anything to life.
Even the setting, which could have been atmospheric and rich, felt underutilized. Descriptions of the village and fae creatures were either too dry or too vague to create a strong visual or emotional impact.
In short: this book gave me nothing. No real plot, no memorable characters, no excitement. It felt like an academic paper pretending to be a fantasy novel, but without the depth or payoff of either. I went in hoping for a cozy, folkloric adventure and ended up deeply bored and unsatisfied. I rarely say this about books, but I truly regret reading it.
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A cozy read. The characters were sweet but the unfolding of the plot wasn't very well executed. Being an avid Holly Black reader, the faerie books I'm used to reading usually have a bunch of set ups with satisfying pay offs. This book, however, doesn't pull this off with the same cleverness.
I enjoyed the academia of it all but maybe it needed to go even more into it to strengthen the world building? A friend likened Emily and Wendell's dynamic with that of Sophie and Howl which made me enjoy them more than I initially did!
Sadly this book didn't excite me too much at the end of the day and I will not be picking up the sequel anytime soon.
I enjoyed the academia of it all but maybe it needed to go even more into it to strengthen the world building? A friend likened Emily and Wendell's dynamic with that of Sophie and Howl which made me enjoy them more than I initially did!
Sadly this book didn't excite me too much at the end of the day and I will not be picking up the sequel anytime soon.
i really enjoyed this story!
I think what caught me was the worldbuilding - i used to be a big spiderwyck nerd and this book captures the wonder of so many hidden fairy creatures in the same way. I‘ve seen some reviews complaining about the slower pace but it wasn‘t a bother to me. The book takes it‘s time to explain to you the different creatures, which i am a sucker for. No useless pragraphs about the main girl daydreaming about the love interest tho… maybe that‘s why i didn‘t mind the slower pace.
And finally a grown up protagonist that stays true to their character and does not turn into a puddle as soon as the love interest arrives. She also really has my dream job. Studying fairys hello?
I listened to the (german) audio book version and i can really recommend this book for long drives!
Definitely an outstanding story in the „fairy (+romance)“ genre - i really don‘t wanna read about another basic teenage white girl becoming the queen of fae, despite their biggest character trait being stupid and stubborn.
So thank you Heather Fawcett for this beautifully written breath of fresh air.
I think what caught me was the worldbuilding - i used to be a big spiderwyck nerd and this book captures the wonder of so many hidden fairy creatures in the same way. I‘ve seen some reviews complaining about the slower pace but it wasn‘t a bother to me. The book takes it‘s time to explain to you the different creatures, which i am a sucker for. No useless pragraphs about the main girl daydreaming about the love interest tho… maybe that‘s why i didn‘t mind the slower pace.
And finally a grown up protagonist that stays true to their character and does not turn into a puddle as soon as the love interest arrives. She also really has my dream job. Studying fairys hello?
I listened to the (german) audio book version and i can really recommend this book for long drives!
Definitely an outstanding story in the „fairy (+romance)“ genre - i really don‘t wanna read about another basic teenage white girl becoming the queen of fae, despite their biggest character trait being stupid and stubborn.
So thank you Heather Fawcett for this beautifully written breath of fresh air.
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
adventurous
lighthearted
relaxing
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:
No