Emily Wilde is back in an all-new tale from Heather Fawcett, Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales! In the third book of the series, Wendell’s Faerie realm is quickly dying and Emily may be the only one who can figure out how to save it. But is the cure worse than the sickness this time?
[Note: While I am reviewing this novel independently and honestly, it should be noted that it has been provided to me by Del Ray for the purpose of this review. Warning: My review of Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales contains some spoilers!]
Nothing’s ever easy for Emily Wilde
Emily may be an uptight, socially inept outsider, but there’s certainly never a dull moment around her! Having just finished a sojourn into Faerie to save Wendell, she’s headed right back there, this time as queen! But what should be the triumphant return turns into yet another problem.
Things are very wrong in Faerie. Emily didn’t quite finish off the old queen, and she’s spitefully decided that if she can’t have Faerie, no one can. Wendell tries to use his magic to stop the curse, but it’s not enough. So Emily does what she does best, she turns to stories to find the answer.
After some intense research, she finds an old story that she’s pretty sure applies to their situation. But it’s less than ideal. You see, to save Faerie they have to finish off the old queen. Unfortunately, in all but one version of the story, the new king also ends up dead. Emily wants to save Faerie, but not if it means losing Wendell. Can she find another way to end this curse? Faerie is defined by stories of its past, Emily is hoping she can write a new ending for her and Wendell before it’s too late.
Compendium of Lost Tales provides a wonderful escape from everyday life
I have loved Emily since I read her first adventure Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries back in 2023. Her insatiable curiosity combined with her awkward social skills makes a funny but endearing persona that I love spending time with. Paired with Wendell’s exuberance and spontaneity, they make for a lovely odd couple.
Even better, Fawcett’s adventures aren’t heavy. There’s adventure, danger, and excitement, but it’s all in a fun and lighthearted package. In a world that’s becoming darker and scarier by the day, it’s nice to have a story to disappear into that doesn’t leave you emotionally wrung out. Sure, the characters get into trouble, but it’s all the silly faerie kind.
Even when things get really dicey, the tone and overall style of Fawcett’s work reminds you that it’s all going to be okay. You never really lose faith that Emily will find the answer. I cannot stress enough how wonderful it was to just laugh at Wendell’s over the top antics and relax in the knowledge that Emily had everything under control while I was reading Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales. It was just what the doctor ordered during a very stressful week.
A reminder that stories define us, but we write the stories
A big part of Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales is the concept of stories. Of course, that’s the big theme that runs through the whole Emily Wilde series, her chasing after Faerie stories. But in this case, the stories are extra important. Emily realizes just how much Faerie relies on stories.
They’re not just guides, they’re almost like blueprints. The question she has to answer is, can those blueprints be changed? This applies to life in general and helped me to find more than just escape in this book. Our whole world runs on stories. We’re often told that if we don’t learn from the past, we’re doomed to repeat it. But we also use the past as a map for the future. And whether we like it or not, we tend to play out the same dramas over and over again in our lives, and across generations (hello generational trauma, I’m looking at you).
Often we get swept along in these narratives that we tell ourselves and feel powerless to change them. That’s certainly the case in Faerie. But Emily decides that isn’t going to work for her. She wants a new story. So she takes old stories, and just… changes what she doesn’t like. She writes a new story, hoping for a new ending. It’s an inspirational thing that we all should try. Instead of being caught in the endless loop of a bad story, just… change it. It’s not easy, and boy does Emily find that out. But nothing changes if we don’t change, so it’s worth a try!
Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales is a perfect pick me up story
I love Emily. I could read about her and Wendell all day. Watching her change a faerie prince without doing a thing is wonderful. And it’s what love really is. After all, she doesn’t try to change him, she doesn’t ask him to be different. But he wants to be better for her. That’s what true love does, makes us want to be better for the other person.
Between their beautiful love, fierce loyalty, and fearless bravery, Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales leaves you with a feeling of happiness and lightness that makes the rest of the day, week, maybe even month feel better. And if that good feeling wears off, you can always read it again. I highly recommend picking up Fawcett’s latest adventure today!
My Rating: 9/10
Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett is now available wherever books are sold. Have you been reading this series? What do you think of it? Let us know on social media @mycosmiccircus or @TheCosmicCircus.com on Bluesky!
Book Review: Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
Book Review: Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands By Heather Fawcett
