Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries Summary, Characters and Themes

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett is a cozy academic fantasy following the determined Cambridge professor Emily Wilde, who travels to the icy village of Hrafnsvik to complete her life’s work on faerie folk.

Intent on cataloging the elusive “Hidden Ones,” she faces brutal weather, skeptical locals, and unexpected faerie entanglements. Her solitude is disrupted when Wendell Bambleby, her charming and mysterious colleague, arrives uninvited, carrying secrets that may reshape Emily’s understanding of faeries and herself. Blending folklore, dry humor, and the challenges of field research, the book immerses readers in a snow-laden world where scholarship and faerie bargains collide.

Summary

Emily Wilde arrives in the cold, remote village of Hrafnsvik, determined to study the Hidden Ones to complete her encyclopedia on faeries. She lives in a small cottage near the harsh forest, accompanied by her loyal hound Shadow.

The locals are wary and cold toward her, partly due to her blunt demeanor and her focus on research rather than social customs. Emily meets Finn, a kind young man who helps her adjust, and Krystjan, who warns her not to provoke the powerful faeries.

She learns the villagers consider her odd and view her mission with skepticism. Emily struggles with daily tasks like lighting fires and gathering food, highlighting her discomfort with village life.

She begins to observe small faeries and leaves offerings to gain their trust. She suspects her colleague, Wendell Bambleby, who writes to her, may be a faerie himself.

Soon Wendell arrives in the village with two students, moving into her cottage and shifting the dynamic of her research. Wendell easily wins over the locals, something Emily finds challenging due to her lack of social awareness.

Their research styles clash, with Emily preferring structured notes while Wendell uses conversation and charm to gather stories. They begin to investigate a changeling case in the village, discovering that the real child, Ari, was replaced years ago.

Emily’s interactions with the changeling and other faeries expand her understanding of their customs and nature. Emily and Wendell develop a cautious partnership as they explore a mysterious white tree rumored to contain a faerie king.

Emily touches the tree despite Wendell’s warnings, leading to a strange enchantment that places a shadow ring on her finger. Meanwhile, she continues her faerie studies, learns about the faeries’ tendency to steal villagers, and uncovers that the changeling is a beacon drawing faeries to the town.

The bond between Emily and Wendell deepens as he reveals his identity as a faerie king exiled from his realm. Emily, despite her focus on research, begins to value Wendell’s presence, though she is cautious about his intentions.

They work together to return the changeling child to his family and learn the child is the son of the imprisoned faerie king, taken to protect him from a ruthless queen. Emily eventually succumbs to the enchantment of the white tree, which drags her into the faerie realm.

The Hidden king plans to marry her, believing she is the scholar destined to free him. Despite the king’s promises of kindness, his power causes destruction, and Emily realizes his rule endangers mortals.

She uses a Word of Power to unbutton the cloak within the tree, freeing the king, who then builds an ice palace, expecting Emily to become his queen. As the wedding approaches, Emily’s mind is clouded by magic, and she struggles with fragmented memories while trying to escape the king’s hold.

Wendell and Shadow infiltrate the palace disguised as tailors, revealing that the villagers, led by Aud, have been planning her rescue. The villagers provide poisoned wine at the wedding gift ceremony, but Emily hesitates to use it, feeling it does not fit the ending she wants for the story.

During the chaos caused by the queen’s arrival, Emily and her friends escape. Back in Hrafnsvik, Emily recovers while grappling with the changes in her life, her relationship with Wendell, and her place between the human and faerie worlds.

The village expresses gratitude, and Emily and Wendell prepare to leave for the academic conference, with Emily promising to consider Wendell’s proposal of marriage. They depart the village after heartfelt farewells, with the Hidden king believing Emily to be dead.

Before leaving, Poe, Emily’s faerie contact, gives her a coil of bone he calls a key. At the conference, Emily and Wendell present their research, marking the completion of Emily’s encyclopaedia and symbolizing her growth from a solitary researcher into someone who understands the value of connection, community, and the complexities of faerie-kind.

In the epilogue, an Irish tale is recounted, drawing a parallel to Emily’s journey and the challenges of living between two worlds. The story of the serving girl and the prince, cursed and transformed into golden ravens, mirrors Emily’s own entanglement with faerie lore, love, and the pursuit of knowledge, leaving open the possibilities for further adventures in Emily’s life and work.

Characters

Emily Wilde

Emily is a dedicated Cambridge professor driven by her obsession with cataloguing and understanding the fae. Her commitment to knowledge over comfort is evident in her willingness to isolate herself in the brutal cold of Ljosland.

She accepts the villagers’ mistrust to pursue her academic goals. She is socially awkward, often failing to grasp the nuances of social customs, which leads to misunderstandings, particularly with Aud.

Her connection with the fae is methodical and respectful, as she offers tokens of friendship and attempts to learn their ways rather than imposing human perspectives upon them. Throughout her time in Ljosland, Emily transforms from a coldly analytical researcher into someone who begins to understand the necessity of community and emotional bonds.

This is seen in her growing alliances with Lilja, Aud, and even Wendell. Her courage and steadfastness when dealing with dangerous fae, her ability to resist enchantments, and her decisive actions in freeing the Hidden King reflect a layered character.

She balances vulnerability with quiet, consistent bravery.

Wendell Bambleby

Wendell, Emily’s colleague and eventually a close companion, embodies charm, mystery, and complexity. Initially appearing as an intrusive yet charismatic academic rival, his true nature as a fae prince—later revealed as a fae king—adds depth to his interactions with Emily and the environment around him.

Wendell’s fluid social skills contrast sharply with Emily’s awkwardness, allowing him to navigate village dynamics effectively and gain the locals’ trust where Emily fails. He blends arrogance with a subtle longing for belonging, revealing his motivations to reclaim his throne not merely for power but to restore what was stolen from him by betrayal.

His affection for Emily grows into a profound bond, leading him to risk his safety to rescue her from the Hidden King and displaying his uncharacteristic vulnerability. Wendell’s oscillation between fae detachment and deep care for Emily showcases his duality.

This makes him both an enigma and an anchor for her as they navigate the layered conflicts of the faerie world.

Shadow

Shadow, presented initially as Emily’s massive, docile hound, reveals himself to be a Grim, a fae creature loyal to Emily. Shadow’s quiet loyalty and protective presence make him a comforting constant in Emily’s isolated world.

His true nature is hinted at through his unbothered reaction to fae magic and his ability to protect Emily and others from enchantment, especially during the rescue of Lilja and Margret. Shadow’s actions display an understated heroism, showing initiative by finding portals and protecting Emily without being commanded.

His steadfastness contributes significantly to Emily’s successes. This illustrates that her isolated life is not as solitary as it seems, as she has earned the loyalty and trust of a powerful fae creature.

Aud Hallasdottir

Aud, the village headwoman, embodies the protective and pragmatic spirit of Ljosland. Initially skeptical of Emily, Aud’s trust is hard-won, requiring Emily to navigate and respect the local customs she previously overlooked.

Aud’s eventual forgiveness and assistance in tending to Wendell’s injuries mark a pivotal moment, allowing Emily to become accepted within the community. Her dislike of the fae is tempered by practicality; she does not oppose Wendell when he proves himself non-threatening and helpful.

Aud becomes a bridge between Emily and the village, facilitating Emily’s research while ensuring the safety of her people. Her collaboration in the rescue missions and her involvement in the plan to free Emily from the Hidden King’s grasp illustrate her strategic mind.

She is committed to protecting her community from the fae’s whims.

Lilja Johannasdottir

Lilja, the young woodcutter, is one of Emily’s earliest allies in the village. Her initial wariness transitions into cautious friendship, particularly when Emily shows interest in Lilja’s connection to the faerie world through the door in her backyard.

Lilja’s relationship with Margret and her straightforward nature contrast with Emily’s academic aloofness, grounding the narrative with warmth and real-life stakes. Her abduction by the Hidden Ones and subsequent rescue demonstrates the constant threat the fae pose to the villagers.

Her teaching Emily to chop wood further humanizes Emily’s experience in Ljosland, deepening their bond. Lilja’s loyalty and practicality add a layer of resilience to the village’s collective character.

She reminds Emily of the people she impacts through her work.

Poe

Poe, the small, childlike faerie who befriends Emily, serves as her key informant on the Hidden Ones while adding levity and complexity to the fae representation in the narrative. His willingness to trade information for offerings and his quirky anxieties about Wendell hint at the intricate fae hierarchies and dangers Emily is navigating.

Poe’s vulnerability, as shown when his tree is burned, elicits Emily’s empathy and strengthens their bond, while his reward of three questions in exchange for her assistance exemplifies the layered nature of fae bargains. Poe is instrumental in helping Emily locate Lilja and Margret.

Later, he reveals critical information about the Hidden King’s imprisonment. This shows how even minor fae characters can shape the broader arc of Emily’s mission.

The Hidden King

The Hidden King, initially imprisoned within a white tree, represents the destructive potential of fae power unchecked by human morality. His charm and the promise of partnership initially lure Emily, but his true nature as a manipulative and power-hungry ruler becomes clear as he ignores the suffering of mortals under the harsh snow he conjures.

He rewards violence among his followers while claiming to desire peace. His vision of Emily as a scholar-queen aligns disturbingly with his seer’s prophecy, but Emily’s resistance and eventual rejection of his claim over her demonstrate her commitment to autonomy.

She possesses a moral compass that sets her apart from the fae. The Hidden King’s interactions with Emily sharpen her clarity of purpose, transforming him into a necessary antagonist that tests and ultimately strengthens her resolve.

Themes

Knowledge Versus Human Connection

In Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries, the tension between rigorous academic pursuit and the necessity of human connection shapes Emily’s arc and the narrative’s emotional undercurrent. Emily arrives in Ljosland determined to document the elusive Folk to complete her life’s work, yet her social awkwardness and reluctance to engage with others initially isolate her.

Her obsession with precise data collection and methodical observation contrasts with Wendell’s intuitive, flexible, socially attuned methods, highlighting her discomfort with the messiness of human (and fae) relationships. The villagers’ initial indifference and mild hostility toward Emily reflect not only their suspicion of outsiders but also Emily’s own walls against meaningful relationships, stemming from her focus on scholarship over community.

Wendell’s presence forces her to acknowledge the importance of softer skills—negotiation, hospitality, cultural customs—in effective research and personal safety. The evolving friendship with villagers like Aud, Lilja, and Margret is earned through vulnerability, mutual aid, and Emily’s eventual willingness to ask for and accept help, a stark departure from her initial desire to remain self-sufficient.

The completion of her encyclopedia becomes less about her solitary triumph and more about the collective contributions of the community, showcasing how true scholarship in a living world necessitates the involvement of those around her. Emily’s deepening bond with Wendell also illustrates the layered necessity of trust, compromise, and emotional courage, showing that knowledge without connection risks not only loneliness but the potential for moral blindness in her dealings with the Folk.

Power, Consent, and Faerie Bargains

The narrative explores the subtle and overt forms of power that faeries and humans exercise over each other and the complex moral dimensions surrounding consent. The Folk’s power often manifests in enchantments and forced bargains, where human agency is stripped away, seen starkly when Auðor returns a shell of herself, robbed of autonomy by the faeries.

The changeling subplot, where a child’s body is possessed by a faerie, forces Emily to confront the ethical reality of beings who take without asking, framing the faeries’ power as not merely mystical but a reflection of predatory hierarchies. Wendell, himself a faerie king living among humans, embodies this duality, wielding immense magical power yet forming a connection with Emily that challenges the typical fae-human power imbalance.

His proposal to Emily, offering his true name, reverses the usual fae dominance, positioning him as vulnerable and willing to surrender power in a gesture of love and trust. Emily’s interactions with the Hidden Ones and the imprisoned faerie king further complicate notions of consent, as she navigates coercive enchantments that nearly claim her autonomy, emphasizing that even when bargains are struck, they often operate under pressures that obscure true consent.

This theme is not restricted to grand conflicts but underpins smaller moments, like local pricing injustices and cultural misunderstandings, revealing how power can corrupt even simple exchanges. The book interrogates whether one can truly engage ethically with beings whose cultural frameworks do not value consent, and how an individual might navigate these realities while maintaining their moral compass.

Identity, Disguise, and Hidden Truths

Throughout Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries, characters mask their identities for survival, protection, and strategic advantage, revealing how identity is both a shield and a tool in interactions between humans and the Folk. Wendell’s hidden identity as a faerie king, concealed beneath the guise of a charming, scatterbrained Cambridge professor, challenges Emily’s perceptions of him and the boundaries of trust she is willing to extend.

The delayed reveal of Shadow’s true nature as a glamoured Grim underlines the protective deceptions that guard Emily from the dangers of her research while highlighting her deeper connection to the faerie world. The changeling storyline explores identity theft in a visceral sense, where a faerie child inhabits a stolen human body, raising questions about belonging and the cost of hidden truths.

The villagers themselves are forced to adopt facades of compliance with faerie customs for survival, revealing the collective masking necessary under faerie oppression. Emily’s own hidden feelings, particularly her gradual love for Wendell, unfold as she becomes more willing to drop her emotional guard, learning that vulnerability can coexist with her independent identity.

The magical enchantments that muddle minds and memories further reinforce the fragility of identity under faerie influence, creating a persistent tension between who characters are and who they appear to be. Ultimately, the book portrays identity not as a fixed trait but as an evolving set of choices made in the pursuit of survival, love, and integrity within a world shaped by enchantments and hidden bargains.

Isolation and Community

The icy isolation of Ljosland mirrors Emily’s initial emotional state, embodying the loneliness of a scholar consumed by her mission, disconnected from others by her single-minded drive and awkwardness. The inhospitable environment, the small cottage in the shadow of the mountains, and the villagers’ wariness all emphasize the cost of isolation, where Emily risks freezing both physically and emotionally without communal warmth.

Wendell’s arrival disrupts this isolation, introducing color, laughter, and social connections that force Emily into uncomfortable but necessary interactions with the community. The villagers’ gradual acceptance of Emily, marked by shared meals, local customs, and collaborative problem-solving, becomes a lifeline, turning the village from a place of hardship into a site of belonging.

The communal effort to rescue Emily from the Hidden king, where the entire town participates in planning and sacrificing for her freedom, showcases the transformative power of community in overcoming the oppressive forces of the Folk and breaking the isolating enchantments that threaten Emily’s autonomy. This theme reveals how community is not merely a comfort but a necessary structure for resilience in a world where threats often demand collective action.

Even the faerie realm, with its courts and kings, mirrors this theme, demonstrating the consequences of communities built on fear and dominance rather than mutual care. Emily’s departure from Ljosland, marked by farewells and promises of return, signals her evolution from a solitary scholar into a person who understands the necessity of community in shaping both her identity and her scholarship, creating a nuanced portrait of how isolation can be overcome through genuine, reciprocal connection.