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Perilous Enchantment: The True History of Faeries
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Expected 13 Oct 26We often think of them as tiny creatures fluttering through children's books and parties in pastel tulle and glittery wings, but fairies haven't always been so cute and benign. Here, historian Sarah Clegg explores the true history of fairies, and the menace and ambiguity that always lurks within the shimmering fantasy and is now nudging its way into the dark edges of romantasy. This is a story of how fairy myths grew and spread across Europe, of how they changed and developed, and why we have, for centuries, been so enthralled by the danger and enchantment of the fae.
Over the course of a year, we follow the author as she visits fairy sites across the world, from the Twelfth Night celebrations of Iceland, where fires are lit both to guide travelling elves and to keep them away, to an entrance to fairyland in the Apennine Mountains on May Eve; from a Sicilian palace where witch trials were held, to a prehistoric site in Cornwall where children thought to be changlings were taken in the hope of cure; and from a fairy-filled forest in Brittany dripping with Arthurian lore, to a modern-day fairy ball in Los Angeles.
Over the course of a year, we follow the author as she visits fairy sites across the world, from the Twelfth Night celebrations of Iceland, where fires are lit both to guide travelling elves and to keep them away, to an entrance to fairyland in the Apennine Mountains on May Eve; from a Sicilian palace where witch trials were held, to a prehistoric site in Cornwall where children thought to be changlings were taken in the hope of cure; and from a fairy-filled forest in Brittany dripping with Arthurian lore, to a modern-day fairy ball in Los Angeles.
336 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication October 13, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
September 21, 2026
✨Review of Advanced Copy received from a Goodreads giveaway ✨
One thing I appreciated about Perilous Enchantment: The True History of Faeries is the inclusion of trigger warnings, with Chapter 8 specifically called out. It’s a thoughtful detail that can be especially helpful for certain readers.
Each chapter represents a month of Sarah Clegg’s research and travels, as she visits places connected to the history she’s exploring. Her research draws from Scandinavian, German, Icelandic, Norwegian, and so many other folklore traditions.
I especially enjoyed how she uses sources such as poetry and medical texts from different countries and centuries. So much of history is preserved subtly through art, literature, and even medical writings, and Clegg brings those pieces together to show how beliefs about faeries appeared throughout history.
She also explores the origins of words and phrases. Those linguistic details add another fascinating layer.
For me, the book became even more personal after discovering my own family’s traditions involving sacred oaks, faeries, and protection through mist. It made Clegg’s exploration of folklore, history, and ancestral beliefs feel unexpectedly close to home.✨🧚🏻💕
One thing I appreciated about Perilous Enchantment: The True History of Faeries is the inclusion of trigger warnings, with Chapter 8 specifically called out. It’s a thoughtful detail that can be especially helpful for certain readers.
Each chapter represents a month of Sarah Clegg’s research and travels, as she visits places connected to the history she’s exploring. Her research draws from Scandinavian, German, Icelandic, Norwegian, and so many other folklore traditions.
I especially enjoyed how she uses sources such as poetry and medical texts from different countries and centuries. So much of history is preserved subtly through art, literature, and even medical writings, and Clegg brings those pieces together to show how beliefs about faeries appeared throughout history.
She also explores the origins of words and phrases. Those linguistic details add another fascinating layer.
For me, the book became even more personal after discovering my own family’s traditions involving sacred oaks, faeries, and protection through mist. It made Clegg’s exploration of folklore, history, and ancestral beliefs feel unexpectedly close to home.✨🧚🏻💕
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August 13, 2026The format is not dissimilar to the author's previous book, spooky Christmas custom survey Dead Of Winter, and at times I wondered if the material might have been happier if allowed to find its own form, rather than being fitted into the pre-existing shape where Clegg opens each chapter from a location, doubles back into the relevant material, then returns us to the scene with our eyes opened by the fresh information. Not least because, while Krampus runs and the Venetian Carnival shed obvious light on the traditions, sometimes here it feels like more of a stretch to, say, climb a mountain to where the Sibyl's cave was, rumoured to contain a dangerous route to a fabulous fairyland... except the entrance has collapsed now (exploring cave systems with dynamite will tend to do that), so while Clegg sees some very nice flowers up there, the benefit of the journey to the book is less immediately apparent. Still, this was only an occasional bother, and for the most part she's a great guide to the evolution from various precursor legends such as nymphs, elves and sidhe into what we recognise as faeries. Except, what do we recognise as faeries? Because part of what fascinates her is how the beliefs and fictions never stay consistent for long, keep dancing around each other, feeding back into each other, shifting and twisting. Some of this is familiar, not least the way modernity saw the eerily beautiful faerie knights and ladies shrink to twee little folk with butterfly wings, but even here it turns out the history is more complicated, the grittier early versions to which folklorists and fantasists tried to get 'back' often involving a lot of dubious inference, wishful thinking and separation of categories beyond what the evidence supported. Things I'd assumed were firmly grounded in the lore – the tithe to Hell, Seelie and Unseelie Courts – turn out barely to be mentioned in earlier sources, until someone (often Katharine Briggs) picks up on them from one or two tales, and then subsequent generations are sufficiently charmed that, just as I did, they take it as gospel, use it in their own versions, and so the dance continues. Along the way, Clegg adds wry asides, hilarious footnotes and running jokes, albeit often ones grounded in sincere sentiments, as when exhorting the reader to check out Marie de France, or taking the piss out of the church's bizarre (and, let's face it, still ongoing) obsession with semen. Though it is interesting how mediaeval clergy were actually pretty chill about faeries and even some demons, and only got really hardline in early modern times, which is surely at odds with how most people would interpret those terms. That shift does set the book's tone wobbling somewhat, as the geeky, enthusiastic persona with which the reader has been happily hanging out is now obliged to lament the cruelty of witch trials and attempts to deal with changelings, but hey, it's hardly Clegg's fault that any history involving humans is inevitably going to encompass viciousness far less glamorous than that of even the most dangerous faeries.
(Netgalley ARC)
(Netgalley ARC)
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The author has done a great job researching the many facets of the history of “fairies” and I learned so much while reading this book! I really enjoyed it. It reads as a comprehensive, well-researched history of the origins of fairy mythology, focusing mainly on European traditions. The layout of the book is neat - there are 12 chapters, one for each month, in which she visits a really neat “fairy” or fairy-related site. Each site relates to the chapter’s topic, and I felt that the chapters flowed into each other really well, making the book easy to read despite the large amount of information being presented to the reader.
I appreciate the trigger warnings at the beginning of the book, which are repeated at the start of a couple of the chapters as well, dealing with some really terrible, tragic, troubling events. Although I skimmed over some of that material in one chapter (dealing with changelings, child abuse, torture and murder; as a mother I found it especially hard to read about the real, recorded events of the children who suffered) the parts that I did read about, the history leading up to the events, was very interesting.
It was fascinating to read about the way that the myths and beliefs surrounding “the fae” have shifted and changed over the centuries, often reflecting the prevailing beliefs/ways of thinking at the time. The writers often used earlier sources, recycling that older material into something new that reflected their own time periods and agendas, creating and adding to the very large mythos of many different creatures. I loved reading that early fairies were not bound by social, moral, sexual or gender norms and all that entailed. When reading about the criticisms that medieval romances received during their time it really felt like time is a circle, as these are still issues (mainly) women deal with today. This is a very timely and interesting read, and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves fairies, fantasy in general, and history!
I appreciate the trigger warnings at the beginning of the book, which are repeated at the start of a couple of the chapters as well, dealing with some really terrible, tragic, troubling events. Although I skimmed over some of that material in one chapter (dealing with changelings, child abuse, torture and murder; as a mother I found it especially hard to read about the real, recorded events of the children who suffered) the parts that I did read about, the history leading up to the events, was very interesting.
It was fascinating to read about the way that the myths and beliefs surrounding “the fae” have shifted and changed over the centuries, often reflecting the prevailing beliefs/ways of thinking at the time. The writers often used earlier sources, recycling that older material into something new that reflected their own time periods and agendas, creating and adding to the very large mythos of many different creatures. I loved reading that early fairies were not bound by social, moral, sexual or gender norms and all that entailed. When reading about the criticisms that medieval romances received during their time it really felt like time is a circle, as these are still issues (mainly) women deal with today. This is a very timely and interesting read, and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves fairies, fantasy in general, and history!
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Perilous Enchantment by Sarah Clegg was a fascinating and enjoyable exploration of faerie folklore and how these stories have evolved across different cultures and periods of history. As someone who enjoys fantasy, I found it especially interesting to learn about the origins of many of the myths and beliefs that continue to influence modern fantasy literature today.
One of my favorite aspects of the book was its structure. Rather than presenting the information as a straightforward history lesson, Clegg organizes the book into chapters focused on different stories, legends, and locations. This made the book feel more like a journey through the world of faerie folklore, allowing each chapter to stand on its own while contributing to the larger picture. The variety kept the material engaging and made it easy to pick up and read a chapter at a time.
Clegg does an excellent job balancing research with storytelling. The historical details are informative without feeling overly academic, and her passion for the subject shines through on every page. I particularly enjoyed seeing how beliefs about faeries changed over time and how local traditions and landscapes shaped the stories people told.
Overall, Perilous Enchantment is an accessible and engaging read for anyone interested in folklore, mythology, or the roots of fantasy storytelling. It offers a thoughtful look at the enduring appeal of faeries while providing plenty of intriguing stories and historical insights along the way. I came away with a deeper appreciation for the rich history behind many of the legends that continue to inspire fantasy readers and writers today.
One of my favorite aspects of the book was its structure. Rather than presenting the information as a straightforward history lesson, Clegg organizes the book into chapters focused on different stories, legends, and locations. This made the book feel more like a journey through the world of faerie folklore, allowing each chapter to stand on its own while contributing to the larger picture. The variety kept the material engaging and made it easy to pick up and read a chapter at a time.
Clegg does an excellent job balancing research with storytelling. The historical details are informative without feeling overly academic, and her passion for the subject shines through on every page. I particularly enjoyed seeing how beliefs about faeries changed over time and how local traditions and landscapes shaped the stories people told.
Overall, Perilous Enchantment is an accessible and engaging read for anyone interested in folklore, mythology, or the roots of fantasy storytelling. It offers a thoughtful look at the enduring appeal of faeries while providing plenty of intriguing stories and historical insights along the way. I came away with a deeper appreciation for the rich history behind many of the legends that continue to inspire fantasy readers and writers today.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I loved Sarah Clegg’s previous book The Dead of Winter, on the dark folklore of Christmas, so was very excited to see she’s now tackled the history of fairies. Perilous Enchantment follows the same format as before - divided into months of the year, it follows the author as she travels round important sites in fairy folklore and uses them as a jumping off point. She dives into the history of fairies in Europe, from the earliest mentions historians have found in scraps of texts through to their current appearance in romantasy books, and always puts the information into context of the culture and preoccupations of the world at the time. It manages to be accessible, relevant, and very readable, while also being deeply academically researched and referenced. And her dryly funny asides providing commentary in the footnotes have made me literally laugh out loud at times.
I didn’t know much about fairy mythology before starting this book but never felt at a loss for that, and the writing is beautiful - atmospheric and descriptive, but never flowery, and I appreciate how’s she’s just as clear about what we don’t know as what we do (and how the ways previous historians have filled in gaps in the readings often says more about the times they lived in rather than the histories themselves).
I’ve finished the book feeling both informed and entertained, and looking forward to see what she does next.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I didn’t know much about fairy mythology before starting this book but never felt at a loss for that, and the writing is beautiful - atmospheric and descriptive, but never flowery, and I appreciate how’s she’s just as clear about what we don’t know as what we do (and how the ways previous historians have filled in gaps in the readings often says more about the times they lived in rather than the histories themselves).
I’ve finished the book feeling both informed and entertained, and looking forward to see what she does next.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I absolutely loved this. Perilous Enchantment is a fascinating exploration of the history of faeries and the ways our ideas about them have changed over centuries. Sarah Clegg takes what could easily have been quite a dense subject and makes it incredibly engaging and accessible.
I particularly enjoyed learning how far removed traditional faeries were from the tiny, harmless, winged creatures we often picture today. The darker history surrounding faeries, changelings, witchcraft, religion and the supernatural was fascinating, and I loved seeing how these beliefs developed and adapted alongside society. The journey from ancient nature spirits and dangerous otherworldly beings to Victorian fairies and the fae of modern fantasy was especially interesting.
The travel element worked really well too. Visiting places connected with different legends and traditions gave the history a real sense of place and made the book feel much more immersive than a straightforward chronological account might have been.
What I appreciated most was Clegg's obvious enthusiasm for her subject. Her interest comes through throughout the book without ever making it feel overly academic or inaccessible. I came away feeling as though I had learned so much, while also thoroughly enjoying myself along the way.
A brilliant combination of folklore, mythology, social history and cultural history, and easily a five-star read for me.
I particularly enjoyed learning how far removed traditional faeries were from the tiny, harmless, winged creatures we often picture today. The darker history surrounding faeries, changelings, witchcraft, religion and the supernatural was fascinating, and I loved seeing how these beliefs developed and adapted alongside society. The journey from ancient nature spirits and dangerous otherworldly beings to Victorian fairies and the fae of modern fantasy was especially interesting.
The travel element worked really well too. Visiting places connected with different legends and traditions gave the history a real sense of place and made the book feel much more immersive than a straightforward chronological account might have been.
What I appreciated most was Clegg's obvious enthusiasm for her subject. Her interest comes through throughout the book without ever making it feel overly academic or inaccessible. I came away feeling as though I had learned so much, while also thoroughly enjoying myself along the way.
A brilliant combination of folklore, mythology, social history and cultural history, and easily a five-star read for me.
September 6, 2026
I read an eARC of this book on NetGalley so thank you to the author and the publisher.
If you want to read more non-fiction but it’s not really your thing. Then this author’s books are a great place to start. I absolutely loved the books on different Christmas traditions and folklore. This one follows a similar format and writing style but instead explores the world of faerie. I really like the author’s writing style which always feels respectful to its source material whilst maintaining a level of whimsy and curiosity.
I liked the breadth that was explored in this book. The author actually includes quite a few modern books as part of this. Some that I really like, some less so, and others that I’m now going to look up. There’s no snobbery or disdain shown towards these books (which some people do exhibit). There’s just a discussion around how they’ve been influenced by faerie stories and folklore that came before them, and that’s fascinating.
I am a fan of faerie stories. Usually ones more routed in folklore more so than romantasy. So there was a lot of content I was familiar with here, but there’s still plenty that I learned for the first time and I’m delighted to have added a bunch of books and stories to my reading list from this!
The writing style is lovely and I really liked the respect shown by the author. An enjoyable non fiction read.
If you want to read more non-fiction but it’s not really your thing. Then this author’s books are a great place to start. I absolutely loved the books on different Christmas traditions and folklore. This one follows a similar format and writing style but instead explores the world of faerie. I really like the author’s writing style which always feels respectful to its source material whilst maintaining a level of whimsy and curiosity.
I liked the breadth that was explored in this book. The author actually includes quite a few modern books as part of this. Some that I really like, some less so, and others that I’m now going to look up. There’s no snobbery or disdain shown towards these books (which some people do exhibit). There’s just a discussion around how they’ve been influenced by faerie stories and folklore that came before them, and that’s fascinating.
I am a fan of faerie stories. Usually ones more routed in folklore more so than romantasy. So there was a lot of content I was familiar with here, but there’s still plenty that I learned for the first time and I’m delighted to have added a bunch of books and stories to my reading list from this!
The writing style is lovely and I really liked the respect shown by the author. An enjoyable non fiction read.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
nformative, entertaining and wonderfully wide-ranging, the book explores how attitudes towards the faerie world have evolved over the centuries. What fascinated me most was discovering that the familiar image of the fairy is only one relatively recent version. Clegg traces the changing perceptions of these elusive beings, showing how they have reflected the fears, beliefs, imagination and cultural attitudes of the societies that created and reshaped them.
I particularly enjoyed the travelogue element. The book takes the reader on a journey to fairy-related places ranging from Yorkshire and Iceland to Ireland, Cornwall and Cottingley, bringing together landscape, history and folklore.
There is plenty here for readers interested in history and literature, but also in the way stories evolve and become embedded in popular culture. I found the connections between historical beliefs, literary traditions and our modern perception of faeries especially intriguing.
A fascinating and entertaining introduction to a subject I knew little about — and one that has left me looking at fairy lore in a completely different light.
I particularly enjoyed the travelogue element. The book takes the reader on a journey to fairy-related places ranging from Yorkshire and Iceland to Ireland, Cornwall and Cottingley, bringing together landscape, history and folklore.
There is plenty here for readers interested in history and literature, but also in the way stories evolve and become embedded in popular culture. I found the connections between historical beliefs, literary traditions and our modern perception of faeries especially intriguing.
A fascinating and entertaining introduction to a subject I knew little about — and one that has left me looking at fairy lore in a completely different light.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A book exploring the origins and history of beliefs in fairies, with some emphasis on the dark side of fairies. Its discussion of official attitudes to those who believed in fairies brings out the links to witchcraft trials and, in the nineteenth century, child abuse. Each of the main chapters opens and closes with accounts of a visit to a place associated with legend. The final part of the book encompasses the appearance of fairies in romantasy.
The book conveys a vast amount of information, but does so in a chatty way which makes it easy to follow.
I have given four rather than five stars for two reasons. First, there were times when I felt that the author was stretching the concept of a fairy rather too far, to include other beings of legend and folklore. Second, much of the factual material related to Britain and Ireland, and I would ideally have liked to see rather more use of information relating to other countries.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me have an advance copy. The opinions in this review are entirely my own.
The book conveys a vast amount of information, but does so in a chatty way which makes it easy to follow.
I have given four rather than five stars for two reasons. First, there were times when I felt that the author was stretching the concept of a fairy rather too far, to include other beings of legend and folklore. Second, much of the factual material related to Britain and Ireland, and I would ideally have liked to see rather more use of information relating to other countries.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me have an advance copy. The opinions in this review are entirely my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is a very fun and engaging read, especially if you're into romantasy and have been curious about the history and folklore behind fae and elves. Sarah Clegg traces fairies from their roots in ancient mythology all the way through to the versions we see today, showing how the stories kept shifting with culture, religion, and storytelling styles. It's fascinating (and a little unsettling) how many different faces these creatures have had over the centuries, and how much darker and more ambiguous they often were than the tiny, glittering beings most of us picture nowadays.
One of my favorite parts was when Clegg brought up modern fantasy books with fae characters in this book. Hearing how contemporary writers draw from (and sometimes twist) the older lore was super interesting. And WOW, this book made me realize just how different Tolkien's elves are from the much older, more unpredictable elf and fairy traditions. If you love romantasy and want to learn more about the history and folklore behind fae and elves, I'd definitely recommend this book.
One of my favorite parts was when Clegg brought up modern fantasy books with fae characters in this book. Hearing how contemporary writers draw from (and sometimes twist) the older lore was super interesting. And WOW, this book made me realize just how different Tolkien's elves are from the much older, more unpredictable elf and fairy traditions. If you love romantasy and want to learn more about the history and folklore behind fae and elves, I'd definitely recommend this book.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This was a great reality check for the faery lover in me; I grew up obsessed with the idea of creepy-crawly fae. Brownies and red caps, especially. The modern romantasy fae felt SO far from my misconception of "real" faery stories--but Clegg has given me a better scope of European folklore and an appreciation for the veracity of ethereal, humanoid fae. There were several times where I would stop to give my partner a recap on what was happening--"hey, honey, do you want to hear how 'mare' in nightmare comes from an Incuba that crushes men to death in their sleep?" The moments of realism--as Clegg traverses some of the places where these bits of European folklore sprouted or flourished--helped reground the narration. It was funny how these places were described simply, honestly--like gentle B-Roll on the History Channel--while the folklore sections themselves held a lot of snappy language. You can feel how Clegg loves her work, and she knows the hidden mechanisms in her field of study.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Sarah Clegg delves into the history and wonder of European fairies in a way that keeps the reader interested, almost like conversing with the author. The travelogue approach creates excellent points of reference for further research (and ideas for visiting), pulling out different aspects of what is a very broad topic.
It is fascinating to be introduced to the origins of what has become as huge presence in modern fantasy (especially with the rise of authors such as SJM) and to so clearly see some of the threads that these authors have pulled from the myth.
Much of it is based in Britain and Ireland, so it would be interesting to see further background and commentary on other European fairy lore, but there is only so much one can discuss in a single volume.
This is an excellent read to delve deeper into the real background of one of literatures most wide-ranging topics.
It is fascinating to be introduced to the origins of what has become as huge presence in modern fantasy (especially with the rise of authors such as SJM) and to so clearly see some of the threads that these authors have pulled from the myth.
Much of it is based in Britain and Ireland, so it would be interesting to see further background and commentary on other European fairy lore, but there is only so much one can discuss in a single volume.
This is an excellent read to delve deeper into the real background of one of literatures most wide-ranging topics.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is such a cool non-fiction and I learned so much fun information from it!
This is the kind of book I'd definitely want to reread because I am sure there was cool information that I didn't retain.
This was whimsical and historical and informative. I liked the historical tie-ins and the modern references. I also liked the inclusion of photos and notes/footnotes.
I also thought the relation between medical condition names and fae tales/names was really interesting. I definitely want to look into that more.
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
This is the kind of book I'd definitely want to reread because I am sure there was cool information that I didn't retain.
This was whimsical and historical and informative. I liked the historical tie-ins and the modern references. I also liked the inclusion of photos and notes/footnotes.
I also thought the relation between medical condition names and fae tales/names was really interesting. I definitely want to look into that more.
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
I love everything about fae so I obviously was super excited to win this book! I highly recommend it to anyone who loves Faeries. I absolutely loved all the history that was included in this book. Hearing where everything came from or started is so interesting. I honestly wish the book had been longer!
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
I never knew faeries could be so evil! A beautiful comprehensive guide to everything faerie (faery?) I loved the old old folklore, which is probably the closest to being the truth about these fascinating creatures. I'm so pleased to have this book on my shelves!
I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway, thank you!
I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway, thank you!
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
I absolutely adored this book. It is well researched and completely engrossing. The author has a great voice and razor sharp wit. I look forward to reading more from her. And I will definitely be recommending this to friends.
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