Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales

“‘Em,’ he said, ‘she is a cat. You might as well expect Shadow to disregard your will as assume Orga to be governed by it. Remember her nature.’”

Heather Fawcett uses Emily and Wendell’s deep love for their pets to humanize them, here using the eternal tussle between dog-people and cat-people as a source of humor. While Emily dislikes Orga’s languorous, insubordinate nature, Wendell reminds Emily that Orga is only being a cat. This lighthearted moment foreshadows later character development, as both Wendell and Emily will have to remember and test the boundaries of their own natures.

“‘You already know more about faerie kingdoms than any mortal.’

‘Stories,’ I said faintly, drawing my hand back. ‘I know stories.’

He gave me an odd look. ‘And have you ever needed anything else? Have you not shaken a kingdom to its foundations, found a door to a distant otherland, overthrown a queen? Hand you the right storybook, and you are capable of anything.’”

Wendell’s faith in Emily demonstrates his love for her and also illustrates the theme of Stories as a Means of Creating Reality. Further, the statement serves as exposition, referring readers to important events in the last books. In the second book, Emily used her research on maps and faerie doors to access a dangerous realm known as the Otherlands, leading to the rescue of lost scholars Bran Eichorn and Dani De Grey.

“‘Poor dear,’ Wendell said, bending to rub Shadow’s ears. ‘When I retake my throne, I shall dedicate a fleet of servants to his needs. They shall make for him a velvet bed in every room, with a fire burning beside each one, and the bones of my enemies will be preserved for his enjoyment.’

‘That started off well, but I did not care for the ending,’ I said.”

This exchange between Emily and Wendell is an example of Fawcett’s use of humor in the novel. Emily dryly notes that Wendell’s cozy promises to Shadow—complete with soft, warm images of velvet and fireplaces—end in the punchline of the bones of Wendell’s enemies for Shadow to gnaw at leisure.