Emily Wilde has spent her life studying faeries. A renowned dryadologist, she has documented hundreds of species of Folk in her Encyclopaedia of Faeries. Now she is about to embark on her most dangerous academic project yet: studying the inner workings of a faerie realm—as its queen.
Along with her former academic rival—now fiancé—the dashing and mercurial Wendell Bambleby, Emily is immediately thrust into the deadly intrigues of Faerie as the two of them seize the throne of Wendell’s long-lost kingdom, which Emily finds a beautiful nightmare filled with scholarly treasures.
Emily has been obsessed with faerie stories her entire life, but at first she feels as ill-suited to Faerie as she did to the mortal world: How can an unassuming scholar such as herself pass for a queen? Yet there is little time to settle in, for Wendell’s murderous stepmother has placed a deadly curse upon the land before vanishing without a trace. It will take all of Wendell’s magic—and Emily’s knowledge of stories—to unravel the mystery before they lose everything they hold dear.
Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales is the final book in the Emily Wilde romantasy trilogy and a conclusion to the adventures of the dryadologist Emily Wilde and her fae fiancé, Wendell Bambleby. The story picks up right after the events of the 2nd book, with Emily and Wendell returning to his faerie kingdom to reclaim his throne. Upon arrival, they discover that the realm is suffering from a curse left by Wendell’s stepmother, Queen Arna, causing the land to wither. Emily uses her scholarly expertise to delve into faerie lore in search of a remedy to the curse.
As this book is not intended to be read as a standalone, there are no needless recaps—the author expects readers to know the plot backstory coming in. If it’s been a while since you read the first two books, it’s highly recommended to give them a reread to fully appreciate all the nuances and faerie folklore in this one. This book’s storyline is not as complex as in the first two, which both featured epic quests and lengthy travels for Emily and Wendell. What this book does offer is further evolution of Emily and Wendell’s relationship and more of their delightful, playful banter. The book also sees a return of several beloved side characters, including Emily’s endearing faerie friend Poe, and characters from Emily’s expedition to Ljosland from book one.
Once Emily and Wendell arrive back in his faerie kingdom, a whole new set of characters are introduced, several of whom are unhappy with Brambleby’s ascension to the throne. Emily’s decision to leave the mortal world, wed Wendell, and rule as Queen of his faerie realm is a stark contrast to the hesitant Emily readers first met in book one—further evidence that her character arc in this series is very profound! What hasn’t changed is Emily’s incessant chatter and her hilarious academic tangents that provide a lot of entertainment value. Emily and Wendell’s contrasting personalities also continue to provide a lot of humor and depth in this book.
Fawcett’s world-building in this book is not as expansive as the previous installments, but there is still a lot of descriptive prose describing the variety of fae creatures and different elements of the forests in Wendell’s faerie kingdom. Another highlight of the worldbuilding is the intricate politics of the faerie realm, especially those within the castle grounds. Right upon their arrival, Emily and Wendell are faced with a high-stakes battle solely based on political deals arranged by Wendell’s deceased father!
The pacing in this book is also slower, especially at the start. The majority of the first half involves a trek back to the faerie castle, getting acquainted with the castle and its subjects, and Emily’s adjustment to her new role as queen. A good portion of the story moves forward only with Emily’s research and her discussions about it with others.The pacing does get better in the second half after Emily returns to Cambridge University to search for a remedy to the curse, and there are a few gripping action scenes that follow. The final chapter does feel a bit flat and leaves readers wanting more. A follow-up novella would be a fantastic idea to provide more closure and satisfaction for beloved fans!
Overall, Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales is a whimsical romantasy novel and a heartfelt conclusion to a beloved series. Fawcett further showcases her talent at weaving compelling fantasy stories of adventure, faerie folklore, and romance. Narrators Ell Potter and Michael Dodds return to deliver wonderfully entertaining and heartfelt performances of the characters, once again bringing everything so vividly to life! This book is a must-read for those who have read the first two books in the series, as well as anyone who enjoys whimsical fantasy, closed-door romantasy, fae folklore, and historical fiction!
