Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries
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 fantasy series.
“A darkly gorgeous fantasy that sparkles with snow and magic.”—Sangu Mandanna, author of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches
HUGO AND 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
- Pages
- 435
- First published
- January 1, 2022
- Language
- English
- Edition
- Ebook
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Reviews
Finished September 27, 2023
- Anonymous
Finished June 18, 2024
Okay so I have thoughts. I'd heard mixed things going into this, so I was worried that I wouldn't like it. I ended up actually enjoying it! I loved the vibes, and I love the two MC'S! I think Wendell is an extremely funny love interest, and I'm excited to see where this goes. I love Emily and I think she's really relatable. I will say that during the last like 100 pages I kind of zoned out so I had no idea what was happening 💀. But I definitely did enjoy the vibes! Overall, I give it 4/5 stars, and I'll definitely continue the series!
Started June 16, 2024 · Finished June 18, 2024
Finished April 28, 2026
Finished October 15, 2024
Started April 5, 2026 · Finished April 11, 2026
- adventurousdarkemotionalfunnyhopefullightheartedmysteriousMedium-paced
Started April 4, 2026 · Finished April 12, 2026
I really enjoyed this, although I did get a bit bored in parts of it. I loved the relationship between Emily and Bambleby. And Shadow, of course, is adorable. I loved the lore involved, especially with the different faeries being discussed from around the globe and the comparison of different lore. I also loved the way the characters developed, especially Bambleby. I went from very much disliking him to loving him wholeheartedly. I will definitely be carrying on with this series. I need to know what happens next.
Finished December 11, 2025
Started November 7, 2025 · Finished November 7, 2025
Finished October 1, 2024
this was a super unique and fun read. when I first finished it, I'd thought it was good, but nothing really special; it's now been a few months and looking back, this was one of my most memorable reads of last year. Emily & Wendell were such great characters and they had such an entertaining dynamic (I also loved how their roles in their relationship kind of challenged the gender norms of the historical period the book takes place in). the writing style is also very interesting, as it's written like an old-timey diary (so if that's not for you, maybe skip this one). I can't bring myself to give it five stars, though, mostly because there were times in the plot where I felt less invested in what was happening and found myself skimming a bit. I just wanted answers to what was happening, but I didn't care enough to do the legwork myself, if that makes sense. anyway, it was lots of fun and I'm looking forward to see where the story goes.
Finished November 21, 2025
I adored this book so much, might be my favorite read of the month
Finished November 8, 2024
Finished January 5, 2025
I. Love. This. Emily and her no-nonsense, dry humor? Love. Wendell and his golden retriever tendencies? Love. This book was making me laugh every other chapter, for one reason or another. I love the writing, and I usually don't get along well with first person POV. I think it being formatted as a personal journal helped with that. I'm looking forward to starting the second book!
Finished October 19, 2025
3.5/3.75 stars I don't know where I stand with this book. I enjoyed it but also found myself feeling indifferent about it at the same time. I found myself doing a double take when my kindle said I had finished the book. I think possibly my issue was with pacing? I cannot tell. Maybe I'll think on this more and come back with a fleshed out review. I enjoyed the side characters and the found family aspect but yes, something is definitely off with my feelings about the entire book.
Finished June 26, 2025