Source: NetGalley, thank you to the publisher!
TL;DR: An excellent follow-up to the second, and a very good setup for a third
Plot: Emily & Wendell go on a search for the Nexus to find Wendell’s door and happen to solve a few mysteries along the way
Characters: I love Emily & Wendell quite a bit, but the addition of Rose and Ariadne was lovely. They helped flesh it out a bit
Setting: This one was warmer and darker than the first, which I liked a lot. The return to Poe a few times was a treat
Magic: More fairy magic to be had! I loved the further exploration of the fairy world
Thoughts:
Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Fairies was a bit of a sleeper hit for me last year. I finished in December and I genuinely enjoyed it. I had low expectations but it was very fun. Map of the Otherlands is the follow up that expands on the story of Wendell and his quest for the Door he needs. He and Emily, along with a collogue and Emily’s niece travel to a new location with new people and new fairies.
One of the only things I wished we had a bit more of in the first book were more of the Common Fae, the smaller brownie type fairies. In this one we definitely see more of those, and Poe from book one returns a few times which delighted me (I loved him in book one). We also see more of the inside of a Fairy land. That last quarter of the book had me racing to find out what was happening.
My only complain? Disclaimer? I can give these books is that consistently the first third is a little on the dry side and moves a bit slowly. After the halfway mark they pickup pace as things begin to unravel, but you do have to push a bit through that first portion. Otherwise I really loved this follow-up. I wouldn’t say it was nearly as strong as book one, but we get some great payoff in the relationship department and the world is explored even further.
4 out of 5 twisted doors
Sarah Evermotion's Book Thoughts 
Leave a comment