Leonora de Lima Andrews' Do You Believe in Fairies? is a quiet novel that feels like finding a forgotten letter in an old desk. Published in the mid-20th century, it has that timeless quality of a story told by a fireplace.

The Story

In 1923, Elara inherits Willowbrook, her eccentric aunt's remote country house. She arrives expecting dust and legal paperwork. Instead, she finds a home frozen in time, filled with her aunt's life's work: notebooks of local folklore and, most intriguingly, exquisite botanical illustrations. But these aren't just pictures of plants. Scattered among the roots and leaves are delicate, almost-hidden figures—winged beings, small humanoids, strange glowing orbs. They're labeled with names from local legends everyone claims are just stories.

As Elara explores the overgrown woods her aunt loved, she starts to notice things. A patch of mushrooms in a perfect circle where one drawing said it would be. The way the light dapples through a certain oak tree, just like in another sketch. The village doctor and the pragmatic housekeeper think she's grieving and seeing things. But the evidence in the notebooks is hard to ignore. The central mystery becomes less about proving the fairies are real, and more about understanding why her aunt dedicated her life to documenting something the world had decided was make-believe.

Why You Should Read It

This book got under my skin. It’s not a flashy fantasy adventure. It’s a story about belief, memory, and the quiet sadness of things that slip away. Elara isn't a hero on a quest; she's an ordinary person piecing together a puzzle left by someone she loved. Her struggle isn't with monsters, but with doubt—both from others and from herself.

Andrews writes about the English countryside with such love that you can almost smell the damp earth and hear the rustle of leaves. The magic here is subtle. It lives in the details: the strange warmth of a stone, the odd behavior of birds, the feeling of being watched by something ancient and gentle. The book asks a beautiful question: does something stop being real just because we stop looking for it?

Final Verdict

Do You Believe in Fairies? is perfect for anyone who loves atmospheric, character-driven stories. If you enjoyed the melancholy mystery of The Essex Serpent or the quiet magic of books like The Night Circus (but on a much smaller, more intimate scale), you'll find a friend here. It’s for readers who don't need all the answers spelled out, who are happy to wander in the woods of a story and feel the possibility of magic in the shadows. It’s a gentle, thoughtful read that stays with you long after you close the cover.