Series: Emilie 1 & 2
Author: Martha Wells
Publisher: Tor.com
Released: May 13, 2025
Received: Own
Find it on Storygraph | More Fantasy | Martha Wells
Emilie and the Hollow World
Summary: Emilie is sick and tired of hearing what her aunt and uncle have to say about her life. So she packed up and ran away. That sounds all dangerous, but she has a plan. She’s going to travel to where her cousin works at a school and help out there. She’s already sent ahead her supplies and everything.
There’s just one problem. She doesn’t have money to hire a ship, and the one she’s snuck onto isn’t going her way. In fact, the destination isn’t anywhere in this world. Emilie may have just begun a magical journey, entirely by mistake.
Review: I am slowly (oh so slowly) working my way through Martha Wells’ back catalog. It helps that Tor has kindly been republishing a lot of her older works, giving me the motivation to pick up the pace (and the books!). Enter The Emilie Adventures! The first book in this series, Emilie and the Hollow World, is a fantastical tale that not only sets the scene but also introduces us to a young and determined character.
It’s a highly entertaining adventure, from start to finish. We’re talking about a world beneath the sea, plenty of action, and even a daring escape or two. The historical fantasy element adds a nice touch, putting Emilie in a world where women aren’t expected to behave this way.
This novel is a bit more YA than the rest of Martha Wells’ works, and that’s not a bad thing. Emilie is charming, and her story is great fun. The stakes felt real, though the pacing was perhaps a bit faster than it needed to be. More time to explore the world (and the magic/tech) would have been appreciated, but then again, I’m always greedy like that.
The supporting cast helped to make this story shine, especially Kenar and Rani. I would give just about anything to see a novel or novella from their perspective. Even a short story telling more of their world would be delightful!
Emilie and the Sky World
Summary: Emilie has only just gotten back from her first real adventure, and she’s still reeling from it all. She’s lucky enough to have two choices in front of her: work for her cousin at a local school or continue her adventure for the Marlendes family.
It’s not hard to guess which option Emilie picked. Her second adventure wasted no time in showing up on her door, and now Emilie is about to be whisked off into yet another world, this time one high up in the sky. Who could have guessed?!
Review: Emilie’s adventures were a whirlwind read, and I’m sad to see her story come to an end here. I may have even checked (a few times) to be sure that Emilie and the Sky World was the conclusion to this series. Maybe with the reprinting, we’ll see more someday?
Where the first novel was fun, Emilie and the Sky World felt more settled. It’s still a chaotically entertaining adventure, but there’s less worry about having us get to know the characters.
Emilie and the Sky World has a little bit of everything, from technology that feels like magic to alien (otherworldly?) races and complex situations. It was a magical read, pun intended. I especially loved the new character introduced for this one, but I won’t spoil it here.
Much like the first, this novel is a bit more YA than Wells’ other works. That said, it did work in a whole bunch of subplots into the main plot, some of which touch upon deeper themes and subjects. So I wouldn’t say that Wells underestimated her audience.
I will say that Emilie’s bright and joyful personality is a breath of fresh air. She’s excited about her adventures, and it’s easy to get swept up in her. Likewise, it’s nice to see strong female characters outside of the typical adventurer build.
Highlights:
- Steampunk World
- Layers of Worlds
- Determined/Defiant Young Lady
- Historical Fantasy
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