Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
Professor Emily Wilde of Cambridge is a specialist in many things, including studying faeries. She is creating the first encyclopedia of faerie lore in the world and is a brilliant researcher. But Emily Wilde struggles with dealing with people. She was never able to get an invitation to a party or make small talk at one. She also enjoys spending time alone with her books, Shadow, her dog, and the Fair Folk more than other people.
Therefore, Emily has no desire to make friends with the hardscrabble residents of Hrafnsvik when she first arrives there. She also doesn’t want to interact with another recent visitor. Wendell Bambleby, her dashing and insufferably handsome academic adversary, charms the locals, muddles Emily’s study, and completely baffles and frustrates her.
The most elusive of all faeries, the Hidden Ones lurk in the dark forest outside the town, but as Emily draws closer to learning their secrets, she also finds herself pursuing another enigma: who is Wendell Bambleby and what does he really want? She will need to solve the biggest riddle of all—her own heart—in order to discover the solution.
Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
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The heroine Emily Wilde, an adjunct professor at Cambridge University, kept a study journal from October 1909 to February 1910, which is included in Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries. Emily is a researcher that specializes in faeries. She is the first-person narrator of the book because it is her journal, with the exception of one chapter that was written by her colleague Wendell Bambleby.
Emily makes a wonderful heroine. She is a dedicated and hardworking scientist who has little interest in anything else. She doesn’t really want to do anything other than work because she doesn’t like talking to others and prefers to spend her free time in the library or her office.
The encyclopedia is the plot from the outset. We hear that Emily is heading up north to record the last family of folk (the faeries) in order to start editing and releasing her book. The author doesn’t introduce any new narrative devices that remain unanswered, and all the other side stories have a clear connection to the main project. Even the major narrative development that will continue into the following book or books is resolved. The reader is satisfied with the “To Be Continued” and the clear road to resolution.
Each character—not only our leads—is wonderful and plays a crucial role in the story. When writing in a journal, you probably won’t go into great detail about every person you meet; instead, you’ll focus on the people who are important to you, your cause, or your end goal. The author does not invest unnecessary time or energy in characters who will only have a passing role in the story. I liked how these characters, like the major characters, showed believable growth as a result of their experiences in the book. They grow from their mistakes, they are getting over their loss, and they are learning to love and appreciate one another. The author’s use of clichés is subtly done and is in no way outrageous. Everything has been done quite skillfully.
Emily comes across as a dull student who is unprepared for the demands of the real world. She is described as a “mousy little scholar” by one character. She occasionally asserts that she can hold her own with the faerie people because she has experience working in the field with them. Heather Fawcett progressively revealed Emily’s skills to us. The book actually gets off to a lacklustre start. But as the days go by, Emily finds herself in scarier and hairier situations, which she manages bravely and deftly. You grow to admire her for what she does, not for what she claims she can accomplish or for what others claim she is capable of.
