Heather Fawcett

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries

A curmudgeonly professor journeys to a small town in the far north to study faerie folklore and discovers dark fae magic, friendship, and love in the start of a heartwarming and enchanting new fantasy series.

“So endlessly enchanting, so rich and complete and wise that you’ll walk away half ensorcelled.”—Melissa Albert, author of The Hazel Wood

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. 

A Novel

Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries

Taryn

I could not tell if he was terrible at drawing cats or if he simply had a terrible cat.

Just because you have a heart filled with the dust of a thousand library stacks does not mean everybody does. - Wendell

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

I hope you don't mind that I didn't dislodge you when you slumped against me in sleep, your head coming to rest on my shoulder. No, silly me; of course you'll mind, but perhaps I don't care.

I recognised his expression, for I’ve seen it before: that of a man trying unsuccessfully to slot me into one of the categories of womanhood with which he is familiar.

ooh i’ve been told i have a terrible habit of not asking for help when i need it (working on it!) so this resonated with me 

nikki

“Never in my adult life had I had someone looking out for me. Everything that I have wanted or needed doing, I have done myself.

And why not? I have never needed rescuing before. I suppose I always assumed that if I ever did, I would have two options: rescue myself or perish.”

I love when Emily includes her inner thoughts. 😂

“This was Bambleby, after all—my only friend. (God.)”

Nica

“The poets say this is the sort of beauty that matters most. Kindness. Generosity. Forgiveness.”

Holly 

After Finn departed, I unpacked the rest of my things, which, as I had expected, took but a moment-I brought only four dresses and some books. The familiar smell of Cambridge's Library of Dryadology wafted out with them, and I felt a shiver of yearning for that musty, ancient place, a haven of quiet and solitude in which I have whiled away many hours.

"Nevertheless, when it comes to the Folk, there is something true in every story, even the false Ones. " 

I could have gone on about faerie stories-Ive written several articles on the subject--but I didn't know how to talk to him about my scholarship, if what I said would be nonsense to his ears. The truth is that, for the Folk, stories are everything. Stories are part of them and their world in a fundamental way that mortals have difficulty grasping; a story may be a singular event from the past, but-crucially-it is also a pattern that shapes their behaviour and predicts future events. The Folk have no system of laws, and while I am not saying stories are as law to them, they are the closest thing their world has to some form of order.

Elena M.

If you do not admit kindness from others, you cannot be surprised when they fail to offer any.

The Folk were of another world, with its own rules and customs—and to a child who always felt ill-suited to her own world, the lure was irresistible.

Fiona

You are not so terrible […]. You merely need friends who are dragons like you.

If something is impossible, you cannot be terrible at it.

I wish […] to peel back the carpeting of the world and tumble into the stars.

Emily McMeans

“The Folk were of another world, with its own rules and customs—and to a child who always felt ill-suited to her own world, the lure was irresistible.”

Sarah

It was then, as I stared at the empty hearth, hungry and cold, that I began to wonder if I would die here.

Alexa Writes

Altogether the place had such an unwholesome air about it that it was hard to look away, dark smoke drifting sluggishly from the chimney like the ooze of an infected wound. 

Bambleby was outside by the woodshed, looking like he was trying to solve a mathematical equation. For some reason, he had pushed away the snow with his boot so that he could stand upon the frosty grass. I actually felt a little sorry for him, shivering despite the weight of his cloak, for he reminded me of some temperate tree or bush, transplanted and forced to grow in some northerner's garden against its will. I hefted the axe and placed a log upon the stump. 

other than Bambleby. He seemed to have found the greenest part of the forest, which had little greenery left-a small grove of conifers.

"Any more?" he called from his sprawl at the foot of the stairs. What?" I shouted. I believe I had gone slightly deaf. “Any more of your demented beasts lurking within? Should I simply lie here until they take their leave? They're not mine, I felt it necessary to say. "Well, one of them is."

I should, I suppose, mention here that I am perhaps ninety-five percent certain that Wendell Bambleby is not human.

open the door and spat a great breath of snowflakes into the cottage. Egilson shouldered it closed again. "It's snowing," I said, an uncharacteristic inanity. I'm sorry to say that the sight of snow drifting into the fireplace had me edging once again towards morbid despair. “It does that on occasion," replied Egilson with a touch of black humour that I found preferable to false friendliness, which is not the same as saying I appreciated it. "Not to worry, though. Winter isn't here yet, it's just clearing its throat. These clouds will open up momentarily." "And when will winter arrive?" I enquired grimly. “You'll know it when it does," he said, a sideways sort of answer

A knock upon the door launched me to my feet. But the visitor was already erntering without bothering about my permission, stamping his boots with the air of a man entering his own abode after a long day. "Professor Wilde," he said, holding outa hand. It was a large hand, for he was a large man, both in height and around the shoulders and midsection. His hair was a shaggy black, his face square, with a broken nose that came together in a way that was surprisingly becoming, though in an entirely uninviting way. "Brought your dog, I see. Fine beast." "Mr. Egilson?" I said politely, shaking the hand. "Well, who else would I be? my host replied. I wasn't sure if

I absolutely loved this book, felt like I was sucked into another world.

Olivia Rousseau 

Loved it. Just ordered book 2 and 3 😂.

Loved it. Just ordered book 2 and 3 😂.

- Loved the characters, especially Emily and Wendell. They have a bit of a grumpy-sunshine dynamic. With Emily being on the grumpy side and Wendell the sunshine one haha. 

- Turns out I love vain men (it started with Howl lol).

- Academic 

- Folklore, misleading faeries, deals.

- Winter

swoonworthy & nerdy i loved this so much imgonna eat it ALSO LESBIANS WOOOOO

Although a bit tough to get into in the beginning, I rather love this style of story telling. As a scientist myself, hearing fae and mystery described as scientific and not as a whimsical love story was a fresh way at story telling. A world where Folk, Fae, and humans live among each other is unbelievable believable. I can't wait to see what Emily decides next. 

Macy M

The writing in this book is so interesting in the way that we are hearing Emily’s perspective written by her present self on her past. The footnotes are such a cute addition to the format of the book making it so unique. I loved the feeling that I was reading about folklore with the undercurrent of story and romance. 

Emily and Wendell might be one of my favourite pairings I have read in a book series in a while. They are beautifully written. Emily is so charming and Wendell is a fantastic form of comic relief throughout the story and this contrast, in my opinion formed a perfect romance. Even the side characters are written stunningly, giving everyone who is introduced to us in this book personality and depth. 

The only reason I didn’t give this five stars is that I wish the journeys they went on were more flushed out and they spent longer evolving those but I also understand it was written in her journal and not as a usually formatting. I’m sure I would give 5 on a reread to be honest. 

Eimear O'Connor 

This book is the definition of cosy. 

The writing in this book is so interesting in the way that we are hearing Emily’s perspective written by her present self on her past. The footnotes are such a cute addition to the format of the book making it so unique. I loved the feeling that I was reading about folklore with the undercurrent of story and romance. 

Emily and Wendell might be one of my favourite pairings I have read in a book series in a while. They are beautifully written. Emily is so charming and Wendell is a fantastic form of comic relief throughout the story and this contrast, in my opinion formed a perfect romance. Even the side characters are written stunningly, giving everyone who is introduced to us in this book personality and depth. 

The only reason I didn’t give this five stars is that I wish the journeys they went on were more flushed out and they spent longer evolving those but I also understand it was written in her journal and not as a usually formatting. I’m sure I would give 5 on a reread to be honest. 

Otherwise love, loved, loved

“I knew you wouldn’t believe it. Just because you have a heart filled with the dust of a thousand library stacks does not mean everybody does.”

I loved this story, and these characters, so much! The Grumpy/Sunshine trope definitely applies to Emily and Wendell, and I enjoyed the bit of role reversal here with allowing the female main character to be the grumpy one for once. 

This book is fairly slow paced, with a big emphasis on Emily's field studies and her knowledge and background of the Fae and Fair Folk. This wasn't something that bothered me since I was so interested in learning about her work, but it may come across as tedious for some readers who prefer more action. 

Wendell was a joy and his clear pining over oblivious Emily was adorable to witness. He wasn't very fleshed out in this first installment of the trilogy, but I believe he will take a larger presence in the forefront of the story moving forward. 

And we can't forget about Poe! The sweet tree fellow that he is. He totally stole the show. 

Catherine

“I knew you wouldn’t believe it. Just because you have a heart filled with the dust of a thousand library stacks does not mean everybody does.”

What a sweet, fun tale! 

I loved this story, and these characters, so much! The Grumpy/Sunshine trope definitely applies to Emily and Wendell, and I enjoyed the bit of role reversal here with allowing the female main character to be the grumpy one for once. 

This book is fairly slow paced, with a big emphasis on Emily's field studies and her knowledge and background of the Fae and Fair Folk. This wasn't something that bothered me since I was so interested in learning about her work, but it may come across as tedious for some readers who prefer more action. 

Wendell was a joy and his clear pining over oblivious Emily was adorable to witness. He wasn't very fleshed out in this first installment of the trilogy, but I believe he will take a larger presence in the forefront of the story moving forward. 

And we can't forget about Poe! The sweet tree fellow that he is. He totally stole the show. 

I will be continuing this trilogy! 

This book was quite lovely, but i have to say i was expecting way more. The writing was simultaneously captivating and tedious. I liked the narration style,  but also i felt like it dragged on for ages and i had to reread certain paragraphs because i found my mind wondering. I liked the characters, particularly Emily. She’s this determined, single minded, socially awkward mess of a scholar who somehow manages to accidentally befriend faeries while offending humans. I liked that she was extremely practical, even to a fault, i found the flaw endearing. I can see why this book is regarded as cosy, it has the cute wintery vibes, an ideal small town setting, and found family. However, i wish the book had stayed on track, i felt like it veered off near the end and i got super bored and uninterested. Loved the writing and the characters. Particularly enjoyed whatever it was that was going on between Bambleby and Emily, not quite romance entirely, but quite sweet. Also it gets points for cute magical dog.

bel 

Emily Wildes encyclopedia of faeries was such a joy to read. This story is about a researcher and Cambridge professor—Emily Wilde—and her travel adventures as she compiles her own encyclopedia on faeries. I loved the journel style of this book and Heather Fawcett's writing is so good, it didn't even bother me that the plot was a bit slow

I loved Emily Wilde, she's so analytical and meticulous in her research and she prefers the company of books over people, which is honestly so relatable. Emily is brilliant, she's got this bluntness and take no nonsense personality that I just loved about her. Wendell is another great protagonist, he's charming and despite his aloofness, he understands Emily so well

I honestly can't say enough about how much I loved reading this book, it's cozy and whimsical with the perfect amounts of fantasy, history, academic rivalry and a bit of romance which was to die for 

June

Emily Wildes encyclopedia of faeries was such a joy to read. This story is about a researcher and Cambridge professor—Emily Wilde—and her travel adventures as she compiles her own encyclopedia on faeries. I loved the journel style of this book and Heather Fawcett's writing is so good, it didn't even bother me that the plot was a bit slow

I loved Emily Wilde, she's so analytical and meticulous in her research and she prefers the company of books over people, which is honestly so relatable. Emily is brilliant, she's got this bluntness and take no nonsense personality that I just loved about her. Wendell is another great protagonist, he's charming and despite his aloofness, he understands Emily so well

I honestly can't say enough about how much I loved reading this book, it's cozy and whimsical with the perfect amounts of fantasy, history, academic rivalry and a bit of romance which was to die for 

Read this for the powerful use of character voice, the dark and delightful magical world, the undeniable cozy atmosphere, and the unique formatting of the narrative itself. Enjoy the romance as an aftertaste. I can not think of any book I've loved more in many, many, years.

'A darkly gorgeous fantasy that sparkles with snow and magic, this book wholly enchanted me' Sangu Mandanna, author of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches Enter the world of the hidden folk - and discover the most whimsical, enchanting and heart-warming tale you'll read this year, featuring the intrepid Emily Wilde. . . 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 encylopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at 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 But as Emily gets closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones - the most elusive of all faeries - 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. 'Forget dark academia: give me instead this kind of winter-sunshined, sharp-tongued and footnoted academia, full of field trips and grumpy romance' Freya Marske, author of A Marvellous Light 'Enchanting in every sense of the word. . . This book is real magic' H. G. Parry, author of The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep 'A book so vividly, endlessly enchanting, so crisply assured, so rich and complete and wise and far-reaching in its worldbuilding that you'll walk away half ensorcelled, sure Fawcett found Emily Wilde's journal in some sea-stained trunk' Melissa Albert 'The ideal book to curl up with on a chilly winter's evening. . . this book is an absolute delight.' Megan Bannen, author of The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy 'A charmingly whimsical delight. . . Five dazzling, gladdening stars' India Holton, author of The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels 'I enjoyed every word of this gorgeously written fairy tale featuring a grumpy heroine and an utterly charming love interest' Isabel Ibañez, author of Woven In Moonlight

millena

I don’t even know where to start, this book had been on my Kindle for 6 months and I finally got the courage to read it (I was afraid of getting bored) ((spoiler: I wasn’t bored))

The book is undeniable slow but super cozy, the city and the found family was *chefs kiss*. Emily & Wendell don't compare to any other character I've ever read, Emily was a little too cold hearted for me and for Wendell I literally don’t have any compliments, he is just me 🫂

I’ll definitely read the next ones!

This book was such a joy to read. I have always been interested in stories about the Fae, so this book about a researcher of Fae was perfect for me. Emily was such an amazing main character, and I found myself relating to her quite a bit while reading. Bambleby was also delightful to read, and I found his relationship with Emily to be quite adorable and refreshing. The pace of the story was quite slow, but I didn't mind that. I also love how Emily was able to connect with the villagers by the end of the story, and they accepted her as a part of their community. 

Mirror

i can’t think of any words to describe this other than delightful. 

Lorelei Petcu

My first cozy fantasy & i really enjoyed my time :) 

I liked the last half a LOT less than the first half, but yeah, I still enjoyed my time 

Jessie!

My first cozy fantasy & i really enjoyed my time :) 

I liked the last half a LOT less than the first half, but yeah, I still enjoyed my time 

While she starts out QUITE slow, I still had a good ol’ time. Definitely unique type of writing and style. It was just enough to keep me interested until the story picked up. But you know what, their little romance had me kicking my little feet by the end cause it was cute and it redeemed the slow start for me. I always enjoy the fantastical and whimsical fantasy books as a palette cleanser to the more war, bloodshed, and politically driven vibes you get from others. 

A silly rivals so lovers. I’m not sure when I’ll dive into the next one but I will eventually. 

Laura Wilson

While she starts out QUITE slow, I still had a good ol’ time. Definitely unique type of writing and style. It was just enough to keep me interested until the story picked up. But you know what, their little romance had me kicking my little feet by the end cause it was cute and it redeemed the slow start for me. I always enjoy the fantastical and whimsical fantasy books as a palette cleanser to the more war, bloodshed, and politically driven vibes you get from others. 

A silly rivals so lovers. I’m not sure when I’ll dive into the next one but I will eventually. 

i feel like the story changed its trajectory in the middle part and i was not fan of it? also had a hard time reading it cause of the writing style, it was not for me. nevertheless, i still enjoyed it and looking forward for the next book

Bria

I’m not really a slow burn type of girl but this was cute and cozy!

4 stars ⭐

I think this is a good enough book if you're the type of person who likes a lower stake, cozy, slower fantasy book. 

I think it was cute and it being framed around journal entries is fun! didn't fully connected with the characters but I like them as they are. 

not a bad experience at all I may just be feeling a little lukewarm.

4.5 stars

so cozy and lovely i enjoyed this very much and can't wait to read the second one

the main lady doesn’t know how human social behavior works (love that) and wendell’s kind of a little shit (also great)

plot took a second to get going but was nice once it got revved up vroom vroom

the main lady doesn’t know how human social behavior works (love that) and wendell’s kind of a little shit (also great)

plot took a second to get going but was nice once it got revved up vroom vroom

Megan

I loved this book so much, but it’s not without its flaws. It’s very dense, and as it’s a journal written by an academic, there are lots of complex sentences and large words I didn’t know. The lore is a little bit confusing (likely on purpose) and Emily is kind of hard to understand. She makes a lot of strange choices in the name of science, but they don’t make a lot of sense. Her character growth is nearly non-existent. I would have loved to see her more confident in her abilities by the end. 

Particularly her decision which sets of the climax of the story had me very confused. I just don’t see why should make this choice. It seemed very stupid, yet no one gives her hell for it, either. It’s a huge f*ck up, but it’s breezed over completely. 

Wendell, however, is the star of the show. He’s a great, complex, character that grows before our eyes. His character arc is absolutely perfect. He went from someone I couldn’t stand to someone I loved so much. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I just don’t understand Emily’s motivation toward the end. It felt very out of place. However, Wendell, Poe, and the villagers made up for this completely. On top of that, Fawcett does a great job painting a world of intrigue, mischief, and snowstorms. I would definitely read a second book in this series, if there were one. 

Disclaimer: I was given an e-arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

I haven’t read a lot fantasy novels in my life (yes, I have never read any fantasy series other than that one time I read The Infernal Devices back when I was 16), especially those that involve the fae folk, particularly because it just wasn’t my cup of tea. I realized as of late that I’ve been missing out on a lot of great books that are in the fantasy genre (as well as other genres), so I decided to branch out. As someone who just has absolutely no idea of the faerie folk, I thought this novel is a great entrance to them or in general, fantasy reading.

The first part of the book was tough to get into, but I know it’s just because of all the worldbuilding that I’m quite not used to yet, and that’s probably why it took me almost a month to get back to it (oops). Even so, I appreciate that it did provide enough lore to fill in the gaps. I do love the way it’s written like an academic journal, with all those annotations that sometimes felt a little tedious, but I do get why it’s there. It’s clear that Emily does her best at remaining objective, but I’ve mentioned in a highlight that I love it when her inner thoughts make its way into the pages of the journal, especially when it came to Wendell and the townspeople.

I love Emily. I love when a character is incredibly likable with reasonable flaws. I resonated so much with her in a sense that she’d rather face anything other than her own emotions. I adore her relationship with Shadow, her ever loyal furry companion, and Poe (we love Poe), a common faerie. Wendell, on the other hand, is so annoying (affectionate). I liked him nonetheless. Another thing I would like to note is that it’s clear that Emily values her space above everything and Wendell could care less about anyone else but I love how that’s not the case when they’re together, because to Emily being alone is synonymous with being alone with Wendell, and to Wendell, he would rather spend his time with Emily.

Overall, I had fun reading it! I originally picked it up because silly me didn’t read the blurb and thought it’s actually a guide book about faeries by someone named Emily Wilde. 😭  I’m not complaining though!

Also, if anyone has recommendations of fantasy novels, I’m up for it!

I haven’t read a lot fantasy novels in my life (yes, I have never read any fantasy series other than that one time I read The Infernal Devices back when I was 16), especially those that involve the fae folk, particularly because it just wasn’t my cup of tea. I realized as of late that I’ve been missing out on a lot of great books that are in the fantasy genre (as well as other genres), so I decided to branch out. As someone who just has absolutely no idea of the faerie folk, I thought this novel is a great entrance to them or in general, fantasy reading.

The first part of the book was tough to get into, but I know it’s just because of all the worldbuilding that I’m quite not used to yet, and that’s probably why it took me almost a month to get back to it (oops). Even so, I appreciate that it did provide enough lore to fill in the gaps. I do love the way it’s written like an academic journal, with all those annotations that sometimes felt a little tedious, but I do get why it’s there. It’s clear that Emily does her best at remaining objective, but I’ve mentioned in a highlight that I love it when her inner thoughts make its way into the pages of the journal, especially when it came to Wendell and the townspeople.

I love Emily. I love when a character is incredibly likable with reasonable flaws. I resonated so much with her in a sense that she’d rather face anything other than her own emotions. I adore her relationship with Shadow, her ever loyal furry companion, and Poe (we love Poe), a common faerie. Wendell, on the other hand, is so annoying (affectionate). I liked him nonetheless. Another thing I would like to note is that it’s clear that Emily values her space above everything and Wendell could care less about anyone else but I love how that’s not the case when they’re together, because to Emily being alone is synonymous with being alone with Wendell, and to Wendell, he would rather spend his time with Emily.

Overall, I had fun reading it! I originally picked it up because silly me didn’t read the blurb and thought it’s actually a guide book about faeries by someone named Emily Wilde. 😭  I’m not complaining though!

Also, if anyone has recommendations of fantasy novels, I’m up for it!

Elle ne pense qu'au travail, il aime coudre au coin du feu. Un véritable conte de fées les attend... Explorez le royaume des fées aux côtés de la chercheuse la plus grincheuse d'Angleterre. Emily Wilde est douée dans bien des domaines. Universitaire hors pair et experte mondiale en dryadologie, elle travaille sur la première encyclopédie féerique jamais écrite. Lorsqu'elle débarque dans le village nordique d'Hrafnsvik pour y étudier les Recluses – les fées les plus rares au monde – Emily n'avait pas prévu la compagnie de son élégant rival, le professeur Wendell Bambleby. Venu " l'aider " dans ses recherches, ce dernier sème bientôt la pagaille dans sa vie, la frustrant à la limite du tolérable. Alors que les Recluses s'avèrent bien plus dangereuses qu'escompté, donnant aux contes de fées des allures de cauchemar, l'insupportable Bambleby semble quant à lui de plus en plus difficile à ignorer... Emily devra garder la tête froide si elle espère revoir la chaleur de son Angleterre natale. Traduit par Christophe Rosson " Un roman à la vivacité infiniment enchanteresse, à la plume si maîtrisée, si riche et aboutie dans la construction de son univers, que vous en sortirez ensorcelé·e, convaincu·e que Heather Fawcett a trouvé ce journal au fond d'une malle de voyage couverte de sel marin. " Melissa Albert, autrice de Hazel Wood et Nos cœurs maudits " Ce roman fantasy magnifiquement sombre qui scintille de neige et de magie m'a complètement enchantée. " Sangu Mandanna, autrice de La Société très secrète des sorcières extraordinaires

L'Encyclopédie féerique d'Emily Wilde (e-book) - Tome 01

3,5

L’écriture est vraiment sympa et originale. J’ai bien aimé la relation entre les deux protagonistes et l’ambiance. Mais je me suis un peu ennuyé durant la lecture… J’aurais vraiment aimé aimer, je pense juste que j’étais pas dans le mood ou que c’était juste pas fait pour moi.

Natalie Unsinn 

buny

** spoiler alert **
           3.25 ⭐️😵‍💫🫶 Where can I order a malewife Faerie Prince who's neverendingly dramatic, social so I don't have to be, has a sarcastic streak and would go FERAL protective over me when I got hurt. Do tell, Emily

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries

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