Emily Wilde #1
Emily Wilde’s Encycolopaedia of Faeries landed on my e-reader after seeing it on Bookstagram so frequently. I didn’t read the blurb, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. A cranky introvert, Emily travels to a remote village to undertake the final research stage for her Encycolopaedia of Faeries. Emily alienates the townsfolk unintentionally and only gets a second chance after her colleague Wendell Bambleby charms the village. Unable to keep Wendell from interfering, he joins Emily in her research as they uncover the mysteries of the Hidden Ones.
Emily Wilde’s Encycolopaedia of Faeries is a beautiful book. The descriptions of the settings are crisp, clear and vivid. While there is a lot of detail in the descriptions of clothing, scenery, buildings, characters, etc., it flows smoothly with the story and doesn’t create any tedious or slow sections. I can visualize the settings so clearly and almost feel the texture of the fabrics. It took me a chapter or two to adapt to the writing style, which is wordy. It’s worth it, though. The text is so rich.
The dynamic between Wendell and Emily is fantastic. This book is full of so much “show, don’t tell,” and it very much applies to Wendell and Emily. Emily’s patience while Wendell’s back story unravels is atypical of her and shows how much she respects his limits. Wendell’s dedication to ensuring Emily doesn’t get entrapped by the Fae doesn’t diminish her abilities; he supports her in the best way he can. I love getting to bask in their camaraderie. The whole book feels like a warm hug because of all the small details and nuances.
Emily Wilde’s Encycolopaedia of Faeries was fantastic. It has excellent world-building, as well as interesting and relatable characters. I love grumpy-sunshine matches, especially when she’s the grumpy one. I’ll look for more by Heather Fawcett, including the next in this series.
