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Sign up todayEmily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries
Emily Wilde: Book #1
Length
12 hours 5 minutes
Language
English
Narrators
Ell Potter & Michael Dodds
This audiobook uses AI narration.
We’re taking steps to make sure AI narration is transparent.
Learn moreBookseller recommendation
“The quirkiness of Heather Fawcett's character Emily Wilde is simply engaging. From the moment the dowdy and self-deprecating professor steps off the ship to study the faeries of the northern climate near Hrafnsvik to the curious and informative 'footnotes' that pepper the narrative, the novel engages the reader in the possibilities of world-building. I can't wait for the second book's release!”
— Linda • Mind Chimes Bookshop
Bookseller recommendation
“Let this entirely enchanting, slow burn, light academia fantasy whisk you away to an alt-Iceland full of warm-hearted villagers & cold-hearted Fae, changelings & buried kings - and one curmudgeonly professor conducting fieldwork on faerie lore & her charismatic dandy of an academic rival (who may or may not be a Fae in disguise & may or may not have feelings for her). Highly recommend this series-starter for fans of Naomi Novik and Katherine Arden! ”
— Megan • Underground Books
Bookseller recommendation
“I thoroughly enjoyed this story! It was appropriately dark for a book about fairies...'real' fairies, you know. It is set in a world in which Folklore, as in the lore of the fae, is a legitimate field of scientific study and it was fun reading a fairytale told through that lens. There was a sweet hint of romance and it features a heroine who could arguably be ace. Way to represent!!”
— Maren • Nook & Cranny Books
Bookseller recommendation
“A charming blend of fantastical faerie lore and seemingly mismatched academics set against a shadowy, snowy wonderland. Meticulous lore (it is an Encyclopaedia after all!) with brilliant world-building, loveable characters, magical mischief, romance, and page-turning action - this series has it all!”
— Chelsea • Bromley's Books
Bookseller recommendation
“When prodigy fae scholar Emily Wilde hauls herself off to cold and snowy Hrafnsvik for field study, she does so with a plan to finish the world's first definitive encyclopaedia of fairies. She doesn't anticipate Wendell Brambleby—her all-too-appealing academic rival, (unfortunately) her only friend, and perhaps a member of the fae himself if her suspicions are correct—to follow her to the edge of the world like a lost puppy. She especially doesn't anticipate violating her rules of scholarly detachment to help the villages of Hrafnsvik to rescue their kidnapped loved ones from the fae...You'll find yourself not just falling in love with the oddball sunshine-grumpy romance, but the complex lore of this fantasy haven and the villagers of Hrafnsvik aswell. ”
— Wulfe • Raven Book Store
Bookseller recommendation
“Written in the style of a scientific journal from the point of view of hapless and dour Emily Wilde, when I first started this book, I was a bit worried. But, as soon as the magic of this world blew onto the scene, all my worries were swept away like cobwebs! Bamleberry is the perfect foil to Emily, and their scenes are positively kinetic. So too is every moment Emily spends with the Folk she confesses to understand better than people. The world building is wonderful, both the icy northern island and the mysterious world of faerie that slips into the corner of our eyes. And slowly, as Emily begins to open up to those around her, I found myself becoming more and more fond of her, until I found myself understanding and adoring her perhaps even more than the magic and the mystery that allowed me to get to know her. Totally compelling and so much fun. My only complaint? I wish there was more! Here's hoping to a sequel in this book's future.”
— Amy • Bookbug
Bookseller recommendation
“Emily Wilde is a serious Dryadologist and probably the best in her field. Her colleague Wendell Bambleby is...not. Or at least, he certainly doesn't live up to her high academic standards. He's too posh, too lazy, to fickle, and come to think of it, maybe a little too much like the fairy folk they study. Is Wendell harboring a secret? Or maybe two? When they are thrown together during Emily's latest field research, we are treated to a delightful account of their caper from each person's point of view - one who harbors a crush, and one who is unwittingly falling under love's spell. ”
— Charity • Schuler Books
Bookseller recommendation
“Meet Emily Wilde, one of the leading experts on the fair folk and faerie world. Emily is a dedicated, introverted professor with an eye and heart for magic, but where she excels at academia, she struggles at people skills. When she travels to the faerie populated town of Ljosland to work on her Encyclopaedia, the last person she expects to find there is her academic (and frustratingly handsome) rival Wendell Bambleby. Charming where Emily is reserved, Wendell begins to help Emily with her research, slowly but surely helping her become friendly with the town's inhabitants. But as Emily and Wendell work together to uncover the secrets of the fay world, Emily begins to wonder if Wendell's own mysterious past is something worth exploring. With a dark faerie world and a charming-yet-frustrating love interest, Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries is cozy academia fantasy with a historical settling that is perfect for readers of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell and Howl's Moving Castle!”
— Kelly • Mysterious Galaxy Books
Bookseller recommendation
“This book is beautifully written and narrated! It’s so whimsical and perfect for fantasy lovers!”
— Morgan • The Last Word
Bookseller recommendation
“This book is perfect for anyone who likes looking for hidden doors and mushroom circles and perhaps someone to make a dubious bargain with. It's all about curiosity and the joy of discovery, with the added warmth of community. Plus, of course, the captivating mercurial nature of fae. I absolutely fell in love with the little faerie Poe, while Emily's academic rival Bambleby surprised and delighted me. I'm aghast that I have to wait for the sequel and tempted to make my own faerie bargain to read it sooner. ”
— Sydney • Book Soup
Bookseller recommendation
“A prickly English folklorist travels to a small Scandinavian town to study the local faeries - being driven mad by her irritating but handsome Irish colleague (who may or may not be human himself) in the process. This adventurous book is populated by socially awkward academics, changelings, brownies who can bake, ice kings, and a lovable cast of villagers. If you struggle to make small talk and should infinitely prefer a book (preferably a dissertation on obscure fairy-stories), you'll get on well with Emily Wilde. ”
— Kaley • Quail Ridge Books
Bookseller recommendation
“This book perfectly captures what scholars in a world of dark, mysterious creatures would look like. And despite taking place in winter, the subtle romance in it can’t help but make you feel warm and giddy. Perfect for fans of Diana Wynne Jones’ “Howl’s Moving Castle”, especially if you’re fond of the movie adaptation. ”
— Evelyn • Page 158 Books
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
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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Reviews
“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 Expand reviews
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