September 19, 2022
In Fawcett’s slow-moving but atmospheric debut adult fantasy (after YA Even the Darkest Stars), a socially awkward Cambridge professor heads to the frost-coated fictional country of Ljosland in an alternate 1909 where tangling with faeries is commonplace. The tale is presented as the journal of dryadologist Emily Wilde as she documents her research for the eponymous encyclopedia. These journal entries work well at giving readers a window into the voice and personality of an extremely introverted and detached heroine, but they don’t make the aloof, academic Emily any easier to root for. As Emily becomes more involved with the Ljosland locals and their faerie troubles—and meets a changeling fae, who has swapped places with a local infant—Wendell Bambleby, Emily’s colleague, professional rival, and only friend, arrives, claiming to want to help. Emily’s less than thrilled, as she distrusts Wendell’s methods and suspects that he himself may be a fae. Though the first entry in Emily’s journal hints at the high stakes of her work, the plot itself is more concerned with unpacking her relationships; danger doesn’t rear its head until the very end. Still, the extensive faerie lore and lush descriptions of the wintry setting make this fantasy worth picking up. Agent: Brianne Johnson, HG Literary.
March 1, 2023
Epistolary novels often make the best audiobooks, and Fawcett's (The School Between Winter and Fairyland) adult fiction debut is no exception. Dr. Emily Wilde sets off for the Scandinavian country of Ljosland in search of faeries, documenting her travels in her journal. Fawcett gives the titular Emily Wilde a strong voice and curmudgeonly characteristics. She's the fantasy equivalent of Eleanor Oliphant or Ove--awkward and seemingly rude, but with a heart of gold that even she doesn't know exists. Narrator Ell Potter provides Emily with a slightly fussy, sometimes bewildered, but generally exacting, intelligent, and knowledgeable voice that seems just right. Michael Dodds has less narration time and appears later in the book. This might have been a jarring transition, but Dodds perfectly matches Wilde's impressions and descriptions, and his voice and mannerisms come as no surprise at all. The stakes are high, the romance with exasperating colleague Wendell Bambleby is full of banter, and the worldbuilding is sure to bring joy to any lover of folk tales. VERDICT This is The Love Story of Missy Carmichael with fairies and snow. A sure win for believers in the value of story.--Matthew Galloway
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