The Great Encyclopedia of Faeries

If you are looking for a comprehensive guide to the fairy world, you will be hard-pressed to find a better book than this. An encyclopedia is exactly what this book is- an artistic encyclopedia. It provides a thorough description of each mythical being, including its history, characteristics, magical powers, habitat, and even dietary preferences. And all the descriptions are surrounded by beautiful illustrations. If you are looking for a fairy art book, you'll probably want to look elsewhere. The illustrations are wonderful, but they are not the primary focus of the book- the information is.

This book is fabulous. The descriptions are, however, quite dificult to understand, and there are a lot of sexual references, so this is probably best for the adult faery lover. The illustrations are the best part, quite different from any other faery book. They are reminicent of illustrations from vintage children's books, with the black outlines and vibrent colors. Each page is stunning to look at. Even if you don't read the whole thing, it is worth buying just for the gorgeous illustrations.

This is a great book, packed full of faery and folklore information. It comes from France, so it's got a lot of good European lore that may be new to readers familiar only with the British faery tradition. The art is whimsical and unusual, and clearly aimed at adults, not children. This one belongs on every faery-lovers shelf beside the folklore texts of Katherine Briggs, the faery art of Brian Froud, and the faery fiction of Terri Windling, Neil Gaiman, Charles de Lint.

I have read this book in French and even in one of the most annoying languages around, it is beautiful. Mr.Dubois has a beautifull way of writing things in a reasonable and humorous way that could charm a free-minded crittic. The book is enjoyable as both a guide to Europian folklore and as a book full of fairy-tales. The illustrations are beautifully magical and mysterious and a joy to the eye. A tip for those who can read French or Dutch, Mr. Dubois has written another book of this sort, an encyclopedia of the Little People which is just as great.