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Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is the foremost expert on the study of faeries. She’s a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher determined to write the world’s first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. Point being, Emily is good at many things, but she is not good at people. She prefers the company of her books, her dog, and the Fair Folk to parties and small talk. So when she arrives in the small Nordic village of Hrafnsvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Instead, she leaves charming the townsfolk to another new arrival: Wendell Bambleby, her dashing and insufferably handsome academic rival, who has a frustrating talent for getting in the middle of her research.
But as Emily gets closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones — the most elusive of all faeries — that lurk in the shadowy forest outside of town, she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: Who is Wendell Bamblely, why is he here, and what does he really want?
Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries has a lyrical writing style reminiscent of The Ten Thousand Doors of January mixed with the dangerous, mysterious fae of An Enchantment of Ravens. Written as entries in Emily’s journal, it feels both intimate and real-time with her adventures, but it also adds distance by taking away the question of “Will they survive?” As such, the format, slower pace, and low stakes may be off-putting to some readers who could see the plot as boring or dragging. However, with its combination of mystery, history, fantasy lore and light romance (between two characters who truly do prove the theory that opposites attract), this story stands out as something new and unique in the world of fantasy.
Overall, Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries is a cozy academic fantasy with enchanting atmosphere and sometimes disturbingly violent fairies. It can get a bit dark at times, but it’s a fun, quirky read that will likely appeal to fairy tale lovers and fae enthusiasts alike.
Rated: Moderate. Profanity includes about 2 uses of moderate language, 15 uses of mild language, and about 15 uses of the name of Deity in vain. There are also 6 uses of British (bl-) profanity. Sexual content includes subtle nods to a character’s dalliances and midnight visitors. A girl is found walking out of a bedroom in a sheet. Violence includes death, injury, blood, and murder (some of which can be graphic and is the reason for the moderate rating). There are also animal and faerie deaths referenced, stories of madness, and an avalanche which buries several farmsteads.
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