Unlike its Cottington-Archive predecessors "Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Book," "Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Journal," and "Strange Stains and Mysterious Smells," the Fairy Album is a work entirely by Brian Froud (without Monty Python alumnus Terry Jones taking on any of the writing) that delves into the family history of Angelica Cottington, diarist of the Pressed Fairy Book and brother to the inventor whose contraptions made Strange Stains and Mysterious Smells possible.

The central narrative, told through diary entries of the mysterious Euphemia Cottington whom Angelica has never met, is wonderful, but I feel Angelica's hastily-scrawled commentary to Euphemia's entries detracted from the story a bit, as they lacked the humourous fluster of the Pressed Fairy Book. the art is brilliant, and i rather like the phtographs and things inserted between the pages and the little envelope stuck to a page (via a squished fairy) at the end, although it took a moment of careful tugging to determine whether or not it's meant to coem off so you can read the back as you can with the photograph (it's meant to stay affixed to the page, btw).
If you're the sort who likes to get every book in a series or just a fan of Froud's non-comedic fantasy art, I highly reccomend this book. If you're looking for some Terry-Jonesian comedy to go with your fantasy, however, you might prefer "The Goblin Companion"

This is the best of the Lady Cottington books. Ever wonder why the Faeries like her so? Get this and find out

I really liked this book. I'm so glad that Brian Froud continued on with the Cottington story. When I first heard about Brian Froud back in the early 90's, it was very difficult to find Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy's in stock. I had to order it from England. The art is so original, I have just about all of Froud's books. I'm alittle disappointed though that this artist has become mainstream (i.e. Hot Topic). Froud did not disappoint his fans with Lady Cottington's Fairy Album. The storyline was interesting and still original. You have to get this book if you got the first.