Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands

Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett is the second book in the Emily Wilde Series.   After really liking the first book in this series, I was excited to continue Emily Wilde’s story and this sequel was really enjoyable as well.   Emily Wilde is a professor of faerie folklore, and I really liked the academic aspect of this series and that in combination with heart-warming moments is just lovely. Emily is working on an encyclopedia of faerie and is trying to expand this with a map and that is a major focus in this book, and I find cartography absolutely fascinating and liked how it was portrayed in this book.   She is assisted by Bambleby who is not only a scholar, but also an exiled faerie king. He provides such a great additional perspective, and it was very intriguing to learn more about him and his mother.   This book is just magical and cozy, and I always have a good time returning to this world. They go on an adventure to the Austrian Alps, and I loved to accompany them and see new friendships. The story also includes a little bit of a mystery with faerie doors that made the plot even more intriguing.   Overall, this book is a great sequel, and I can’t wait to return to Emily Wilde’s world in the next installment.  4 stars.   (ARC kindly provided in exchange for a review.) ...weiterlesen

I was looking forward to diving into this sequel, as I was captivated by the original approach to fairy beings and the characters of Emily and Wendell. What makes this approach original is that the fairy beings are seen from a scientific point of view, as the protagonists are researchers (called dryadologists in the book). Their romantic relationship remains largely in the background, which I personally appreciate very much. The book picks up exactly where the previous one left off, with Emily and Wendell in Cambridge. Emily is engaged in a search for a door leading to Wendell's kingdom, and literature suggests it may be in the Austrian Alps. The place names and references are invented. The greatest expert in this field, the scientist de Grey, has disappeared while searching for the same door. So, Emily decides to follow her trail together with Wendell and two new characters: her niece Ariadne (I don't remember if she was introduced in the first book) and the head of the department, Rose. The story continues to be narrated like a diary, but it felt more like a fluid first-person narration. I don't know if it was because the chapters were longer than in the first book or if the tone was slightly different. Being in tune with Emily, I enjoyed seeing the events from her point of view. However, the characterisation of secondary characters such as Ariadne and Rose was rather shallow and they come across as flat, especially Ariadne. Rose, on the other hand, had more personality. The pace of the story was rather slow in the first half, while in the second half it became more frenetic and somewhat rushed. The delicate writing, lively exchanges and cosy atmosphere made up for these aspects for me. I enjoyed seeing characters like little Poe and one of the villagers in Iceland again through a letter. Poe remained in my heart with this book. In conclusion, this is a short and entertaining fantasy read, ideal for cold days. If you love scientist protagonists who are a bit eccentric and willing to put themselves in dangerous situations for the sake of science and their curiosity, and appreciate a view of fairies that goes beyond the seductive aspect, you might like this book. ...weiterlesen