Only you, Em, would refer to heartbreak as a distraction. I think I would receive a more sympathetic response if I asked to marry a bookcase.
Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands
by Heather Fawcett
Genre: Fantasy
About: Emily has made it her mission (and next scholarly book) to find Wendell's door to his usurped realm, and she can't waste a moment as assassins begin attacked Wendell with unusual fervour. After a poison attempt affects Wendell's magic, Emily must rely on her mortal cunning to locate the door, enter Faerie, and find a way to save him.
Thoughts
I love this world. Heather Fawcett's writing is so whimsical and cosy to sit down with. Her Folk are murderous monsters that you can also have pleasant conversations with and the magic is as unsettling as it is endlessly fascinating - no wonder Emily's niece also wishes to study it. I really enjoyed the addition of Ariadne and Dr Rose, they give some great push and pull to Emily's character, reminding us of the dangers of Emily's profession, as well as allow her some growth in learning to trust and value the people around her.
I didn't particularly enjoy the Dani de Grey storyline, especially how it resolves, but I wasn't reading the book with the desire to solve a scholarly mystery. I was there for Emily and Wendell. For cosy village time. For Poe! And, like the first book, the climax at the end takes us on a wild journey that gives us so many literal magical moments.
Like it's Folk, this book is contradictory in nature. Slow paced with a crazy climax. Heart-warming with casual cruelty. Romantic with footnotes. I can't wait to sit on the throne with a nice cup of coffee in the next book!
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