Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands

Wendell Bambleby is Emily’s love interest, a major dryadologist at Cambridge, and secretly one of the courtly fae. He is the Faerie King of the Irish Folk, who was usurped by his stepmother and exiled from the Silva Lupi realm. He’s spent over a decade searching for an unguarded back door into his realm so that he may take back his throne. His courtly fae magic consists of the ability to manipulate time, control summer elements, and heal wounds. Wendell is also part oíche sidhe, which is why he’s obsessive over clean, cozy living quarters and handy with needlework—which he uses to enchant clothing items for his loved ones’ protection.

Wendell has golden hair, an elegant frame, and eyes that “have always been too green, a blackened green like leaves layered until no light can get through” (73). He also possesses a charming yet lazy disposition and habitually complains “of fatigue, sore feet, and a myriad of other ailments—generally when confronted by the necessity of hard work” (13). Wendell has proven himself as a beneficial opposite to Emily in terms of social aptness. He excels in making friends with locals during expeditions and forcing Emily outside her comfort zone by provoking her into discussing emotional—often romantic—matters. Yet despite this aspect of compatibility, the fact that Wendell is Folk is a common point of internal conflict for Emily, as the Folk are innately untrustworthy and historically proven to be dangerous, especially for mortals with whom they romantically entangle themselves.

However, Wendell and the Folk of his realm consistently defy Emily’s expectations throughout the novel. They do not conform to the stories she treats as law, nor do they behave as the Folk of other regions do. Emily’s preconceptions about the Folk, which she judges Wendell by, become obsolete. Though she believes that “like all the Folk, [Wendell] is not made for self-reflection” (304), he surprises her by self-reflecting often. Wendell’s differences from the stereotypical Folk are evidenced in his heightened sense of morality; his respect for Emily and her human friends; his avoidance of making bargains; and his contempt for the revenge-seeking habits of his fellow faeries.

Dr. Farris Rose is a “portly [man] with a manelike fringe of white hair framing a bald pate and of indeterminate age […] falling anywhere between fifty- and seventy-something” (27). He has been the dryadology Department Head at Cambridge for over a decade and is a “known eccentric even among the scholarly community” (27). Despite his eccentricities, Rose has a vast and respected body of scholarship, yet few friends, and has spent a majority of his career compiling his own encyclopaedia of the Folk, only to have Emily complete hers before him. He is also “the sort of man accustomed to giving opinions; whether others are interested is a question he rarely takes into consideration” (69). Given his characterization, Rose’s character is a mirror to Emily’s; both struggle in social situations, both have similar career aspirations, and both have few friends because of their scholarly ambitions. These similarities provide the foundation for the relationship arc to come; their mutual resentment will eventually turn into an enriching and respectful mentor-mentee relationship.

Yet, Rose has a few key differences from Emily. He is set on the traditional methodology of scholarship and research while Emily values innovation. While this becomes a great way for each to learn from the other—illustrating The Benefits of Accepting Help From Others—it also inhibits their research at every turn. Emily consistently underestimates Rose, dismissing his years of expertise from studying the Folk of the Alps because of his supposed outdatedness; the disastrous consequences of her ignorance—Rose’s gruesome injuries—suggest The Dangers of Arrogance. Rose’s excessive protective measures and his ample distrust of the Folk provide a complete opposite approach to the mission than Emily. He continuously warns Emily away from romantic or platonic entanglements with Wendell and the other Folk. His outside perspective serves as a voice of reason when Emily begins losing the remains of her objectivity as the danger to Wendell’s life increases.