Reviews with content warning for Sexual content - A Study in Drowning

I really wanted to like this but it drove me nuts. The answer to the mystery is right in front of the protagonists faces and they just completely look past it. The end is very tell not show which I find infuriating.

The fairy king being real is just about the stupidest way this could have ended. We spend so much time going back and forth. I thought it would’ve been so cool and subversive to have the fairy king not be real and have the protagonist overcome her traumas. But no.

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witcheep's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

I can see why so many people have enjoyed this book, but to me, it is a miss.

This is very dark story due to the worldbuilding! The world the characters live in is very misogynistic, and the main characters find it hard to fight against, which made the reading experience very uncomfortable – as it should. However, the plot didn't offer enough either mystery or romance, so besides uncomfortable, the book was also boring. The hints towards the mystery made the ending too predictable.

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just_emem's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

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ellenwm's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

This book is beautiful and brilliant. Truly stunning.

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theonlybaillie's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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malakahmed639's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I'd give it 2.5 but it's 3.5 cuz it's still enjoyable yet an expectable one with expectable ending.
The first 40% were making it hard to get into, too much inner monologue and info dumping that u skipped. The reason the other 60% was better because the interaction with Preston (a nice gentleman) was fun but I don't get the romantic chemistry between them it seemed forced. Also why does it seem like she is starting to heal because of her night with him😭. I still don't get how is architecture below literature it doesn't make senses. I started this one bec it's Gothic (they say) and the Mc wanted literature but chose architecture, that's what I am doing rn but obv not for the same reason 🤡. Didn't start my 1st year of architecture yet but I am sure making blueprints isn't that easy as making sketches for a drawing even if it's in mid 20s it doesn't work like that😭

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aleilvandrea's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional inspiring mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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