About the Book
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Author:
- Heather Fawcett
Cover Story: Montell Jordan
BFF Charm: Platinum
Talky Talk: No Bridge Book
Bonus Factors: Colorful Characters, Faerie Worlds, Mysteries
Relationship Status: Engaged
Spoiler warning! If you haven’t read the first book in the series, some plot points will be spoiled in the review below. Go read it first, though, it’s fantastic!
Cover Story: Montell Jordan
I’m glad they kept a similar theme as the first book, including new, little details like the compass and the fox fae from this book. The mountain on top of the M is a nice touch. These would look so pretty on my bookshelf as a matching set!
The Deal:
It’s been just about a year since Emily’s trip to Hrafnsvik (when she was almost married to the Winter King and found out the truth about Wendell Bambleby’s Faerie heritage), and things have been looking up. Her encyclopedia was published, and she’s already looking onwards to her second huge work: a map of the Faerie kingdoms—or, rather, as much of a map one can make when doors and borders tend to move on a whim. Her interest in maps was prompted by her promise to help Wendell search for a nexus door so he can return to his kingdom and overthrow his murderous stepmother. And now, after months of research, she has quite a surprise to share with him.
Dodging assassins, searching for lost academics, avoiding marriage proposals, and searching for a specific faerie door like it’s a needle in a haystack—it’s all just a new, totes normal academic trip for Emily Wilde!
BFF Charm: Platinum
I love when there’s character growth without completely changing who the character fundamentally is. Emily is not “good” with people, and that is still true, but she realized throughout the first book that she was actually lonely, and sometimes connection with others isn’t a bad thing. But while she recognizes the need for small talk and is willing to “make nice” with the locals before badgering them with her research questions, it still doesn’t mean she’s good at it.
Emily even admits her journal writing is no longer just for academic research, but also to help her sort through all her new feelings, and I love that she is being more honest with herself and exploring what she really wants out of life. I still think Emily would look at my BFF charm and scoff…but she may actually end up wearing it after she had some time to think about it. Progress!
Swoonworthy Scale: 6
We left Wendell and Emily’s relationship in the first book in a “tentative” state: Emily realized she did like Wendell despite him being, well, Wendell, and Wendell revealed he’s been smitten with Emily’s “dragon” energy almost the entire time he’s known her. Fast forward almost a year later and it seems the status of their relationship has relatively stayed the same in that they’re still more-than-friends who like each other and have zero clue on how to progress with that. But this past year has seen Emily come out of her shell more and more, so while she’s currently giving Wendell a solid “no” when he continually asks her to marry him…we’ll see how it goes by the end of THIS book.
Talky Talk: No Bridge Book
If you made it through book one and loved it, then I don’t need to caution you about the writing style by now, so suffice it to say, I think you’re going to love this one just as much! As Emily has relaxed a bit, so has her journal writing, and while it’s still observational and quick-witted, there is a looser, unclenched quality to it (although Wendell and I both still chortle at the fact that she uses footnote references in her own journal). There’s more action in this story than the first, and it serves to expand the world-building and up the emotional stakes. I saved this story specifically for when I could spend a day in bed, totally uninterrupted, and I adored every dang moment.
It looks like Emily’s story will continue with at least one more book, and I’m already in despair that I don’t have in my grabby hands. I’m thankful Fawcett wraps up this book’s main plot and dangling questions, so we leave on a “ooh, what’s the next adventure?” and not a “OMG WTF was that cliffhanger??”
Bonus Factor: Colorful Characters
Joining Emily and Wendell on their adventure is Emily’s niece, Ariadne, acting as Emily’s assistant, and the head of their academics department, Farris Rose. I enjoyed the addition of these new faces and Emily’s complicated relationship with both of them, as no one is initially thrilled that they’re all grouped together. We’re in a new part of the world, which means new faeries—good and bad—but also the return of some old friends!
Bonus Factor: Faerie Worlds
I think part of the draw of the fae is that anything goes, so authors can be as imaginative and as wild as they want. I don’t want to give too much away, but Emily finds herself in some uncharted territories, and I couldn’t wait to see what dangers and oddities lurked around every corner. This book also gave some hints about where we’d go in the next installment, which has me very excited.
Bonus Factor: Mysteries
On top of trying find the door to Wendell’s kingdom, Emily and Co. must also solve the mystery of the presumed-dead academics who disappeared decades ago from the very same small town they are now investigating. Had those “ghosts” found the very thing that Emily is seeking?
Relationship Status: Engaged
If you asked ME to marry you, Book, there’d be zero hesitation to my answer, unlike Emily dragging her feet with Wendell. It would be a wholehearted YES. Only…let’s not get married in the mountains, okay?
FTC Full Disclosure: I received my free review copy from Del Rey. I received neither money nor peanut butter cups in exchange for this review. Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands is available 1/16/24.
