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A review by chellesofbooks
Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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? Yes
5.0
5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC to review. All thoughts are my own.
As an avid fan of Emily and Wendell in book one, I anticipated this read so much that I was over the moon to receive early access, and am pleased to state that Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands not only is worth the wait, but it became my favourite read of 2023 - pushing book 1 off the pedestal.
I loved the return to the journal entry style of this world. Emily, now back in her scholarly domain, is fulfilling her promise to Wendell to find the fae door to his court. This leads the pair - along with an opinionated senior professor and Emily's niece - to the Swiss Alps. If you enjoyed the dangerously whimsy atmosphere of book 1, then you'll find Fawcett has taken it further this time. Whilst darker in some aspects, I absolutely loved the adventure Emily embarks on, and just how far her character grows and shines. She will never lose her prickly behaviour, which I adored in the first book, but I appreciated getting to see other sides to her, through her strained relationship with her niece Ariadne, her combative reactions with Professor Rose, how she interacted with the fae and her companion Shadow, and her deepening affections for Wendell. Emily is a force to reckon with and I love how bold she became when the situation required it of her, or how whiny and annoyed she easily was provoked in becoming by all of her travelling companions.
I adored the enchanting world in book one, yet this time both spent in and out of Faerie showcased the skill Fawcett possesses with world-building. I was immersed immediately into the locations - both at the university and the mountainous township. I felt as if the world had come to life within my mind and I was travelling alongside Emily into the dangers she uncovered. I also loved the return of the old through some familiar faces, and how that compared with the differences of the fae we meet in this book. I was smitten with Snowbell a great deal - nothing like how much I was obsessed with Poe in the first read - and the continuation of learning about new fae and how that adds to the world was so exciting for me.
The romance subplot comes further to the forefront in this read, and I relished both the continuation of Emily and Wendell's banter and how it evolves into something more the longer you read Map of the Otherlands. I could read Emily and Wendell all the time and never bore of them, they truly have become my favourite fictional characters. The romantic elements are tasteful and fulfilling, and I'm so impressed with how Fawcett balances the world around Emily and her heart. It's beautifully written and has me eager for the third installment of this series.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC to review. All thoughts are my own.
As an avid fan of Emily and Wendell in book one, I anticipated this read so much that I was over the moon to receive early access, and am pleased to state that Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands not only is worth the wait, but it became my favourite read of 2023 - pushing book 1 off the pedestal.
I loved the return to the journal entry style of this world. Emily, now back in her scholarly domain, is fulfilling her promise to Wendell to find the fae door to his court. This leads the pair - along with an opinionated senior professor and Emily's niece - to the Swiss Alps. If you enjoyed the dangerously whimsy atmosphere of book 1, then you'll find Fawcett has taken it further this time. Whilst darker in some aspects, I absolutely loved the adventure Emily embarks on, and just how far her character grows and shines. She will never lose her prickly behaviour, which I adored in the first book, but I appreciated getting to see other sides to her, through her strained relationship with her niece Ariadne, her combative reactions with Professor Rose, how she interacted with the fae and her companion Shadow, and her deepening affections for Wendell. Emily is a force to reckon with and I love how bold she became when the situation required it of her, or how whiny and annoyed she easily was provoked in becoming by all of her travelling companions.
I adored the enchanting world in book one, yet this time both spent in and out of Faerie showcased the skill Fawcett possesses with world-building. I was immersed immediately into the locations - both at the university and the mountainous township. I felt as if the world had come to life within my mind and I was travelling alongside Emily into the dangers she uncovered. I also loved the return of the old through some familiar faces, and how that compared with the differences of the fae we meet in this book. I was smitten with Snowbell a great deal - nothing like how much I was obsessed with Poe in the first read - and the continuation of learning about new fae and how that adds to the world was so exciting for me.
The romance subplot comes further to the forefront in this read, and I relished both the continuation of Emily and Wendell's banter and how it evolves into something more the longer you read Map of the Otherlands. I could read Emily and Wendell all the time and never bore of them, they truly have become my favourite fictional characters. The romantic elements are tasteful and fulfilling, and I'm so impressed with how Fawcett balances the world around Emily and her heart. It's beautifully written and has me eager for the third installment of this series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death and Blood