A review by ourhandsfull
Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

adventurous dark funny informative medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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. 
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