NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A curmudgeonly professor journeys to a small town in the far north in this “incredibly fun journey through fae lands and dark magic” (NPR), the start of a heartwarming and enchanting new fantasy series.
“A darkly gorgeous fantasy that sparkles with snow and magic.”—Sangu Mandanna, author of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches LOCUS AWARD FINALIST • A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New York Times Book Review, NPR, PopSugar, Polygon, The Globe and Mail, She Reads
Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things: She is the foremost expert on the study of faeries. She is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world’s first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at people. She could never make small talk at a party—or even get invited to one. And she prefers the company of her books, her dog, Shadow, and the Fair Folk to other people.
So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Nor does she care to spend time with another new arrival: her dashing and insufferably handsome academic rival Wendell Bambleby, who manages to charm the townsfolk, muddle Emily’s research, and utterly confound and frustrate her.
But as Emily gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones—the most elusive of all faeries—lurking in the shadowy forest outside the town, she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: Who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? To find the answer, she’ll have to unlock the greatest mystery of all—her own heart.
Book One of the Emily Wilde Series
Don’t miss any of Heather Fawcett’s charming Emily Wilde series: EMILY WILDE’S ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF FAERIES • EMILY WILDE’S MAP OF THE OTHERLANDS • EMILY WILDE’S COMPENDIUM OF LOST TALES
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“An incredibly fun journey through fae lands and dark magic”—NPR
“A heartwarming spin on fantasy lore”—POPSUGAR
“The world-building here is exquisite . . . and the characters are just as textured and richly drawn. This is the kind of forlorn, folkloric fantasy that remembers the old, blood-ribboned source material about sacrifices and stolen children, but adds a modern gloss.”—“Sizzling Hot Books for Cold Winter Days,” The New York Times Book Review
“Emily herself is delightful, brilliant but flawed, and often darkly funny. Her frustration with her feckless but charming colleague Wendell Bambleby is the perfect spark, and the romance is light but hits surprisingly hard when it chooses to.”—The New York Times (Editors’ Choice)
“A book so vividly, endlessly enchanting . . . It pushed the real world aside in the way of all truly great fantasy novels, and I'm jealous of everyone who gets to read it for the first time.”—Melissa Albert, The New York Times bestselling author of the Hazel Wood series
“Forget dark academia: Give me instead this kind of winter-sunshined, sharp-tongued, and footnoted academia, full of field trips and grumpy romance and malevolent faeries. Emily Wilde is a narrator I won’t forget in a hurry, and this book was an invigorating balm for my heart and mind.”—Freya Marske, author of A Marvellous Light
“A whimsical and enchanting romp that had me quite literally laughing out loud on every page. I enjoyed every word of this gorgeously written fairy tale featuring a grumpy heroine and an utterly charming love interest who constantly surprised me. A new favorite!”—Isabel Ibañez, author of Woven in Moonlight
“Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries charmed me more than any faerie king ever could . . . This book is an absolute delight.”—Megan Bannen, author of The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy
“Enchanting in every sense of the word, Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries is a delight of snow-laden forests and changelings, folklore and faerie kings, meticulous footnotes and academic rivalry and adventure. This book is real magic.”—H. G. Parry, author of The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep
“Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries is a charmingly whimsical delight, saturated with faerie magic and the equally wonderful magic of humanity. This is going to be one of my regular rereads. Five dazzling, gladdening stars.”—India Holton, author of The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels
“Fawcett grabs readers’ attention by drawing them into the folklore as well as the surrounding world. A great read for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Erin Morgenstern.”—Library Journal (starred review) “The full cast of characters, well-developed faerie lore, and pervasive sense of cold add depth to the delightful proceedings, which include scholarship, yes, but also danger and a hint of romance.”—Booklist (starred review)
“Follow the lights into the woods and dance with the fae under Emily’s careful guidance—just be sure not to get carried away.”—BookPage
Overall rating: 4.5822783 / 5 from 79 reviews.
AI Generated Review Summary
Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries is a highly acclaimed fantasy novel praised for its enchanting storyline, well-developed characters, and immersive world-building. Readers enjoy the whimsical and cozy fantasy read, making it a quick and entertaining experience.
"Absolutely loved this book, such a cozy comfy fantasy read that was very whimsical and enjoyable" — Danielle
"A quick read filled with enchanting characters, and an interesting storyline." — Morgan
"I loved this book - folks who enjoyed the Memoirs of Lady Trent series will absolutely enjoy this book as well." — Reader1
Reviews
Cute and fun!
"While there is a bit of a slow start to Heather Fawcett’s Faerie work; if you can get to the halfway point I believe you will be blown away by the remainder of the story. There are a wide number of things to appreciate in this first in the series book. From educational literature, to side stories of the Faerie, to cute little trinkets, to powerful glamour and magic. Fawcett gives us everything and more, so much so that I was sad for this to be over! Book 2 is out now and I do hope to get it soon. Not only to support a fellow Canadian, but because I really do want more of Emily and Wendall and their quick snipes, ridiculous fights, brilliant entanglements, and their adoration of one another underneath it all."
— Melissa L. (4/5)
Gotta love Fairies
"Cleverly done book with fun twists and turns. I personally adore fairies and love learning new things about how other people interrupt them."
— Alexandra T. (4/5)
A Heartwarming Fantasy Read
"If you enjoy Fae folklore, adventure and found family, you are going to enjoy the Emily Wilde’s series! I am smitten with the characters and the story."
— Rach (5/5)
Historical Cozy Fae Adventures
"I really enjoyed the fact that it was written in journal entries and I the footnotes were entertaining. I really liked our main character who was an antisocial scholar that stole my heart. Her research was interesting and her interactions with other characters, especially a certain rival academic, were appreciated haha. The ending was clever and I loved everything for the atmosphere and writing style to the sticky situations our characters get themselves stuck in."
— Emma (5/5)
Who are the fae?
"A fun book, a bit more fantastical than I’d hoped for"
— Megan (4/5)
Reflects what is inside the book
"The story was very interesting and I had a lot of fun reading it"
— Ouem (4/5)
Charming and Sweet Fantasy
"I thoroughly enjoyed this sweet, cozy fantasy. Emily and Wendell are truly unique characters and their relationship is just as special. I loved the academic and old-fashioned tone throughout. I immediately went out and got the second book!"
— JPLM (5/5)
A Cozy Fireside Book
"A cute cozy book that was easy to read as a palate cleanser between heavy fantasies."
— TheWickedWaye (5/5)
Skip this one
"It's not a very well written book, there are a lot of ideas but they're all explored on the surface level and it was underwhelming."
— Uncu (3/5)
Wonderful
"Wonderful story, great world building and characters"
— Meg M. (5/5)
Q&A
Published date: Oct 24, 2023
Language: English
No. of Pages: 352
Publisher: Random House Worlds
ISBN: 9780593500156
Dimensions:
5.44" W x
0.72" L x
8.23" H
Heather Fawcett is the author of the middle-grade novels Ember and the Ice Dragons, The Language of Ghosts, and The School Between Winter and Fairyland, as well as the young adult series Even the Darkest Stars. She has a master’s degree in English literature and has worked as an archaeologist, photographer, technical writer, and backstage assistant for a Shakespearean theater festival. She lives on Vancouver Island.
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