Literary in the City

RATING: 4.25/5

“One doesn’t need magic if one knows enough stories.”

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries

A close friend recommended this book to me, and they said that this seemed like something right up my alley. And they were right! Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries is one of the most charming, whimsical books I’ve had the pleasure of reading.

Written by Heather Fawcett, Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries follows Emily Wilde, a dour professor who travels up north to a small town to pursue her studies of dryadology. She is quickly joined by her academic rival Wendell Bambleby. As infuriating (and attractive) as Wendell may be, Emily is determined to finish her research. However, when the magic around her seems more dangerous than previously thought, Emily must use all her skills to save the day…

This book did take me a while to finish, but I’m glad I took my time with it. I highly recommend savoring the slow world-building and the unique narrative voice. The plot is certainly intriguing, but the real star of this book is the characters.

Both Emily and Wendell had such magnetic personalities. Emily is grumpy yet incredibly wise; it was refreshing to read about a character who lives and breathes for their work. Also, if you’re searching for more books with footnotes after reading my review of Babel by R.F. Kuang, you’re in luck–Emily loves to make witty footnotes. Wendell was just…hilarious. His mannerisms, his words, and his personality all make him so endearing. 

Wendell and Emily’s relationship was everything I didn’t know I needed. I’ve always loved the black cat x golden retriever dynamic, and Emily and Wendell are such a wonderful example of that. Because both of them have such contrasting, unique personalities, their chemistry melts the page.

Sometimes, we think romance is grand gestures or dramatic love confessions, but maybe it’s a little simpler than that. Perhaps true love resides in the little things. Perhaps true love is friendship (can you tell I’ve watched the season 3 Bridgerton trailer a million times?). 

Emily and Wendell’s story continues in the next book in the series, Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands. It’s on my TBR and I cannot wait to read it soon! 

If you’ve read this book, let me know what you thought! ❤

Flying away with magical fairy wings,

H.