Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands Summary, Characters and Themes

Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands is the second installment in Heather Fawcett’s cozy fantasy romance Emily Wilde series. This sequel follows Professor Emily Wilde, an academic who specializes in faeries, as she embarks on a perilous quest to locate a secret faerie doorway in Ireland. Helping her potential fiancé, Wendell Bambleby, reclaim his stolen faerie kingdom, Emily faces magical dangers, academic rivalry, and an uncertain future. 

Blending whimsy with intrigue, the novel weaves a tale of adventure, love, and faerie lore, as Emily balances her scholarly ambitions with her growing affection for the charming yet enigmatic Wendell.

Summary

In Map of the Otherlands, Professor Emily Wilde has completed her groundbreaking encyclopaedia on faeries and is now focused on creating a detailed map of faerie realms and their secret doors. Her research takes on new urgency when she agrees to help Wendell Bambleby, a fae prince who has been overthrown by his stepmother. 

As Wendell’s love interest and confidante, Emily reluctantly joins his quest to find a hidden faerie door that will grant him access back into his realm, Silva Lupi, where he plans to reclaim his throne. Meanwhile, Wendell awaits Emily’s answer to his marriage proposal, though she remains uncertain about their future.

Back at Cambridge, Emily’s niece Ariadne has become her eager assistant, though trouble looms in the form of Dr. Farris Rose, the head of the dryadology department. 

Rose is suspicious of Wendell’s dubious academic credentials and aims to uncover his fraud. When faerie assassins attack Wendell during one of his lectures, Rose witnesses Wendell using faerie magic to defend himself and Emily. 

This exposes Wendell’s fae identity, deepening Rose’s suspicions. 

To avoid being fired, Emily, Wendell, and Ariadne embark on an expedition to locate the nexus—an elusive faerie door—last sought by missing scholars in St. Leisl.

Upon arriving at St. Leisl, the group settles into a cottage, only to encounter eerie faerie activity. 

Despite nightly offerings to appease the local fae, strange apparitions and relentless scratching at the door suggest they are being watched. Emily soon discovers these disturbances are linked to the vanished scholars, Danielle de Grey and Bran Eichorn, who were investigating a rare faun before disappearing into the faerie realm. 

Eichorn occasionally manifests to Emily in spectral form, revealing cryptic clues about the Otherlands, but his lucidity is fleeting.

As Wendell’s magical powers falter due to a poison he unknowingly ingested, Emily becomes increasingly desperate to locate the nexus. 

She makes alliances with local faeries, including a helpful fox faerie named Snowbell, and seeks aid from her old faerie friend, Poe. 

While Emily temporarily alleviates Wendell’s symptoms with enchanted scones, the poison continues to threaten his life. 

Meanwhile, Emily’s careless leadership results in an attack by faerie creatures, leaving Rose gravely injured.

With time running out, Emily tracks down Eichorn and de Grey, pulling them from the faerie realm. Wendell, on the verge of death, receives Emily’s acceptance of his marriage proposal just before she realizes that his cat, Orga, holds the key to curing him. 

Armed with de Grey’s poisonous faun horn and Snowbell’s guidance, Emily infiltrates Wendell’s kingdom, slipping the poison to the usurping queen. They escape back to the mortal realm, where Orga’s magic saves Wendell’s life.

As Wendell recovers, they prepare for a final battle to reclaim his kingdom, now with an army of the little Folk at their side. 

Emily, having set aside her academic career for now, is ready to embrace her future with Wendell.

Characters

Emily Wilde

Emily Wilde, the protagonist of the series, is a scholarly and introverted Cambridge professor specializing in faerie studies. Throughout the novel, Emily’s character development is rooted in her intellectual curiosity and emotional growth.

Initially, she is primarily focused on her academic pursuits, as seen in her work on faeries and her map of the Otherlands. However, her relationship with Wendell Bambleby forces her to confront her emotional vulnerability.

Emily is a complex individual who struggles to balance her personal desires with her professional goals. Her feelings for Wendell are conflicted—she admires his charm and cares for him deeply but hesitates to fully embrace the idea of marriage, showcasing her fear of commitment.

This inner conflict is heightened when Wendell’s life is threatened by poison, forcing Emily to confront her deeper emotions and acknowledge the depth of her feelings for him. Additionally, Emily exhibits a notable growth in leadership as she takes charge of the expedition to St. Leisl, despite her occasional mistakes and guilt over the consequences of her actions.

Her sense of duty towards her niece, Ariadne, further exemplifies her nurturing side. Emily’s journey also highlights her moral compass, seen when she accepts the responsibility for saving Wendell and using her knowledge to assist others, particularly in her interactions with the fae.

Wendell Bambleby

Wendell Bambleby, Emily’s friend and potential fiancé, is a complex character. He is revealed to be a faerie monarch, heir to the Silva Lupi kingdom, which was usurped by his stepmother.

Wendell’s charm, wit, and carefree demeanor initially mask his deeper vulnerabilities and responsibilities as a fae king. His magic, which begins to wane due to the poison from his stepmother, symbolizes the fragile balance between his dual identity as both a scholar and a fae ruler.

Wendell’s dynamic with Emily is layered with romantic tension, as his marriage proposal to her hovers in the background of the plot. While he is confident in his feelings for Emily, he respects her hesitancy, allowing her the time and space to come to her own conclusions.

As the novel progresses, Wendell’s loyalty and strength become more apparent. He risks his life multiple times to protect Emily and the others from faerie assassins, showcasing his bravery and sense of duty.

His relationship with his cat, Orga, who ultimately helps save him from the poison, further adds to the depth of his character. Wendell places immense trust in those close to him, even small, seemingly unimportant creatures.

Wendell’s eventual acceptance of his royal responsibilities marks his transformation from a somewhat frivolous academic to a determined and rightful king.

Ariadne

Ariadne, Emily’s niece, plays an important supporting role in the novel. She is portrayed as an enthusiastic and intelligent young woman who greatly admires her aunt and strives to follow in her academic footsteps.

Ariadne’s character is significant because she provides emotional support to Emily while also showing the potential to become a capable scholar in her own right. Her role as Emily’s assistant allows her to prove her value in the expedition.

She shows considerable bravery and initiative during their adventures in St. Leisl. While Ariadne is still growing into her identity, she represents the next generation of academics, but with a stronger sense of adventure and curiosity than even Emily.

Her dedication to learning and desire to assist her aunt in mapping the faerie realms highlight her resourcefulness and growing independence. Moreover, her quick acceptance of Wendell’s fae identity demonstrates her open-mindedness and adaptability, qualities that make her an asset to the group.

Ariadne’s character arc in the novel is one of growth and maturity, as she transitions from an eager student to a more confident and capable scholar by the end.

Dr. Farris Rose

Dr. Farris Rose is the head of the Dryadology Department at Cambridge and a skeptical figure throughout the novel. He is highly suspicious of both Wendell and Emily, particularly regarding Wendell’s fraudulent academic work.

Rose’s skepticism and investigative nature serve as a counterbalance to Emily’s and Wendell’s more whimsical and magical dealings with the fae. As a character, Rose embodies the rigid, rational side of academia, one that demands proof and disdains anything that appears unscientific or fantastical.

His decision to accompany Emily on her expedition to St. Leisl is primarily motivated by his desire to uncover more information about Wendell’s deception. However, during the journey, Rose is forced to confront the reality of faerie magic, which challenges his scientific worldview.

His injury during the expedition, and the subsequent healing by Wendell, pushes him into a more accepting stance toward the supernatural. Rose’s character doesn’t undergo a radical transformation, but his arc does represent the academic’s slow shift from disbelief to reluctant acceptance of the faerie world.

Danielle de Grey and Bran Eichorn

Danielle de Grey and Bran Eichorn are two mysterious figures connected to the earlier expedition to St. Leisl. De Grey, a scholar who disappeared while studying tree fauns in the 1860s, is tied to the faerie realms and eventually revealed to be a key figure in the novel’s climax.

Her connection to the tree faun and her periodic assaults on Emily’s cottage serve as ominous reminders of the dangers of the Otherlands. De Grey is portrayed as a tragic figure, stuck between worlds, manipulated by faerie forces but still maintaining a desire to complete her research and return home.

Eichorn, who appears as the ribboned man, is also trapped in the Otherlands, searching for De Grey for fifty years. His interactions with Emily are often cryptic, and his character represents the toll that faerie magic can take on mortals.

Both De Grey and Eichorn are ultimately saved by Emily and Wendell, but their story underscores the darker side of faerie magic and the risks scholars face when delving too deep into the Otherlands.

Shadow

Shadow, Emily’s loyal grim, is a constant presence throughout the novel, providing both physical and emotional protection for her. While Shadow is a silent companion, his importance is evident through his repeated interventions, particularly when Emily is in danger.

He saves Emily from the fox faeries and later helps fend off faerie assassins. Shadow’s bond with Emily is emblematic of the loyalty and deep connections between humans and magical creatures in the novel.

His role is primarily that of a protector, yet his quiet presence also serves as a grounding force for Emily, reminding her of the consequences of her actions and the need for caution in dealing with faeries.

Orga

Orga, Wendell’s magical cat, plays a pivotal role in saving Wendell from the poison. Though initially only briefly mentioned by Wendell in conversation, Orga’s significance grows as the novel progresses.

As a magical creature deeply trusted by Wendell, Orga’s ability to heal him underscores the vital importance of magic in the fae world. The cat’s loyalty and mysterious power become crucial in the climax when Emily realizes that Orga holds the key to curing Wendell.

Orga’s presence emphasizes Wendell’s connection to his fae heritage. The cat’s eventual role in saving Wendell showcases the novel’s theme of trust in both magical beings and the unexpected.

The Stepqueen

Wendell’s stepmother, the primary antagonist of the novel, remains a shadowy but dangerous figure throughout the story. Although she never appears directly, her influence looms large, particularly through the assassins and poisonous machinations she sends after Wendell.

Her usurpation of Wendell’s throne and her attempts to kill him reflect the cutthroat politics of the faerie world. The Stepqueen’s motivations are largely tied to her desire to maintain control over the Silva Lupi kingdom, but her cruelty toward Wendell adds a personal edge to her villainy.

Despite being physically absent, her presence is felt as an ever-present threat, driving much of the plot’s tension.

Themes

The Intersection of Scholarship and Supernatural Politics in Human-Faerie Relations

One of the central themes in Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands is the complex intersection of academic curiosity and supernatural politics, particularly in the context of human-faerie relations.

The protagonist, Emily Wilde, is an academic whose work originally stems from a place of intellectual pursuit—she is, after all, mapping the faerie realms in a scholarly endeavor—but this quest increasingly embroils her in political conflicts and power struggles that transcend academia.

This theme suggests that the search for knowledge, especially in relation to the supernatural, is not a neutral pursuit but one fraught with political entanglements, personal stakes, and existential risks. Emily’s research into faerie nexuses is no longer just an academic exercise; it’s a means of survival and a potential tool for Wendell to reclaim his throne.

Her scholarship transitions from theory to practice, highlighting the inevitable merging of intellectual and political realms when knowledge of magical or supernatural forces is involved. This reflects a broader commentary on how academia, especially in the humanities and historical studies, can never be entirely divorced from real-world consequences and political power plays, even when its practitioners wish to maintain objectivity.

The Moral Ambiguity of Power and Responsibility in Magical Realms

Another prominent theme is the moral ambiguity that comes with power and leadership, especially within the magical realms that characters like Wendell and Emily traverse. Wendell’s role as a potential faerie monarch is marked by his internal struggle over whether he truly desires the throne or is merely compelled by the need to reclaim his birthright.

The steps he takes to regain his kingdom highlight the ethical complexities of leadership in a realm where power is not just political but magical. Actions have both immediate and long-term consequences for various beings, from faeries to humans. Wendell’s ability to dispatch his enemies but his choice to show mercy to the gargoyles reinforces the notion that leadership, particularly in faerie realms, is about more than wielding authority.

It is about navigating the fine line between justice and cruelty. The novel questions what it means to have power over others—especially beings like the faeries, who exist outside the traditional human moral frameworks—and how individuals in positions of leadership must contend with their responsibilities, not just to their subjects but to themselves and the principles they stand by.

The Relational Dynamics of Trust and Betrayal Across Species and Realms

Trust and betrayal are intricately woven into the fabric of interspecies relationships, particularly between humans and faeries. The novel complicates this theme by exploring trust not only among human characters but also between humans and the magical beings they interact with.

Emily’s tentative alliances with creatures like Snowbell and Poe showcase the difficulty of establishing trust across such profound ontological divides. Wendell’s dual identity as both a faerie and a human academic adds another layer to the theme, as characters like Dr. Farris Rose are poised to betray Wendell and Emily based on their academic fraudulence.

This mistrust is grounded in misunderstandings and misperceptions about the faerie world, which suggests that distrust often stems from ignorance or fear of the Other. The faeries themselves, especially those serving Wendell’s stepmother, embody betrayal in its most sinister form, with Wendell constantly under threat of assassination by those who should have been loyal to him.

The novel thus interrogates the fragility of trust in a world where magical deception is common. Survival often depends on outwitting beings capable of manipulating reality itself.

The Liminality of Identity and Belonging in Faerie-Human Hybridity

Emily and Wendell’s respective positions between the human and faerie worlds evoke a powerful theme of liminality. Identity and belonging are never fully secure or stable.

Emily, as a human deeply involved in faerie scholarship, straddles two worlds. She constantly navigates the tension between her scholarly detachment and her growing personal involvement in faerie politics.

Her increasing closeness to Wendell, a faerie royal, pulls her further into this liminal space where the boundaries between the human and faerie realms blur. For Wendell, the theme of liminality is even more pronounced.

His hybrid identity as both a faerie king-in-waiting and a fraudulent academic symbolizes the fluidity of identity in a world where one’s origins and allegiances are constantly in flux. Wendell’s dilemma is not just about reclaiming his faerie kingdom but also about where he truly belongs—whether as an academic fraudster in the human world or as a reluctant monarch in the faerie one.

The liminality of their identities underscores a larger existential question in the novel: What does it mean to belong to two worlds, and can one ever be fully accepted in either?

The Consequences of Academic Arrogance and Ethical Recklessness in Faerie Expeditions

The theme of academic arrogance is embodied in Emily’s approach to her research and its consequences during the expedition to St. Leisl. At various points in the novel, Emily’s recklessness in pursuit of knowledge leads to real harm, as when Dr. Rose is severely injured due to her inattentiveness.

This dynamic speaks to the ethical dilemmas inherent in academic research, especially in dangerous or unfamiliar environments like the faerie realms. Emily’s initial failure to adequately respect the potential dangers of the faerie world is indicative of a broader theme around the consequences of intellectual hubris.

The novel suggests that the pursuit of knowledge, particularly in supernatural or unexplored territories, must be tempered by humility and caution. The consequences of not doing so are both personal—Emily’s guilt over Rose’s injury—and communal, as the faerie attacks have wider implications for the human-fae relationships in St. Leisl.

Ultimately, the novel critiques the notion that academic pursuits are benign or isolated from real-world consequences, particularly when they intersect with magical realms where the rules of engagement are fundamentally different from those of human society.

The Symbiotic Relationship Between Faerie Magic and Human Emotion in Transformative Bonds

Lastly, the novel explores the symbiotic relationship between faerie magic and human emotion, particularly in the context of transformative personal bonds. Emily and Wendell’s relationship is not just romantic but also deeply magical, with their emotional connection influencing the way faerie magic operates in their world.

Wendell’s magic fluctuates with his health and emotional state, especially under the duress of the poison. Emily’s ability to influence faerie creatures like Poe and Snowbell is tied to her growing emotional investment in their world.

This theme suggests that faerie magic is not just an external force but one deeply tied to the inner lives of both humans and faeries. The emotional ties between characters—whether romantic, familial, or even antagonistic—serve as conduits for magical exchanges that have real-world consequences, blurring the line between magic and emotion.

This theme enriches the narrative by showing how love, trust, fear, and even guilt can become transformative forces, reshaping not only individual destinies but also entire magical realms.