A Quick Note On This Review: This article includes affiliate links to Bookshop.org as a way of supporting both local bookshops and my own ability to write.
Also, since this is the second book in the series, it may contain light spoilers. I recommend checking out Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries before reading on.
Dr. Emily Wilde – the genius scholar of dryadology, Cambridge professor, and potential fiancee to her colleague Wendell Bambleby – feels pretty good about the way life is turning out now that her encyclopaedia has been published. Unfortunately, things hit a snag when the head of the dryadology department, Dr. Farris Rose, tells Emily that he has suspicions about Wendell for his history of academic fraudulence and Emily herself for their close association, and would like to see them both fired. However, things don’t go quite according to plan when Wendell is attacked by fae creatures in the middle of the lecture Rose and Emily are sitting in on, and Wendell seems even more depleted than usual after the fight. Emily is forced to find a way back to Wendell’s home in the Silva Lupi in the hope of finding out what’s wrong and confront the queen who has murderous ideas about her colleague.
Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett is the second book in the Emily Wilde trilogy and Fawcett continues her skilled job of building out the Emily Wilde universe that she set up in Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faerie. What struck me most about the novel was the deft way that Fawcett was able to build a plot around the idea of a marriage proposal that has neither been accepted fully nor entirely denied; Emily and Wendell are off on a quest to save Wendell’s life and Emily has to take extraordinary measures far above what any coworker would undertake for their teammate. And yet, Emily does it, explaining the whole way that she’s actually doing it for a combination of academic curiosity and…maybe…perhaps a little bit…for concern over Wendell. It’s rare to see an author illustrate the contradictions that come with emotional connection when two characters care about one another, but one still has some emotional growing to do, and when set against Fawcett’s playful style, Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands offered an intriguing and entertaining adventure.
For casual readers, anyone looking for a light read steeped in folklore and fantasy with overtones of academia and historical fiction would thoroughly enjoy the book. There are also elements of romance to it that aren’t overpowering, making it an ideal book for anyone who may want a touch of romance with their story without wading into more traditional romance novels. Fawcett’s work also introduces several new strong female characters, as well as bring back a few from the first book that helped facilitate continuity, but did so in a way that would make the novel ideal for anyone with a particular fondness for strong female protagonists. Plus, if you enjoyed the first book, then Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands is unlikely to disappoint.
For writers, Fawcett’s novel offers similar lessons to those that could be found in the first one. On top of those, Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands presents a unique case where character’s actions and stated desires don’t entirely align without their intent being evil, which makes it useful to read if there’s an interest in writing characters that are unreliable narrators, but still likable. There’s also even more details about fairies in this book than the first, which makes it ideal reading for anyone looking to create modern faerie stories without turning to traditional tropes. Fawcett’s ability to make something new should be emulated by writers regardless of their genre as it offers new ways of reaching audiences and expanding the ongoing impact of a single story.
If you’re interested in reading the book and want to support local bookstores as well as my work, consider using this affiliate link: Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands.
What’s Next?
I am an avid reader and have quite a few thoughts on how some books could benefit both people that want to be entertained and those looking to sharpen their literary skills.
If you’re interested in finding out more about what I’ve been reading – and how it could benefit you – I will be publishing those thoughts on Fridays on a weekly basis. Check back next week for a discussion of Taffy Brodesser-Akner’s Long Island Compromise!
The Writerly Review 