The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
kaiiyo's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Such a beautiful and respectful depiction of trauma and healing. Came at a very fitting time in my life and provides a powerful message about grief and the ways it manifests. The way dissociation and anxiety are written feel like one of the most accurate and compassionate portrayals I've seen.
Yes sometimes overcoming trauma is all bloody knuckles and determination but just being alive is also a testament of great strength ❤️
Yes sometimes overcoming trauma is all bloody knuckles and determination but just being alive is also a testament of great strength ❤️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Mental illness
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Classism, Colonisation, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Child abuse, and Sexism
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Sexual content
amelianotthepilot's review against another edition
medium-paced
4.0
A gothic fantasy full of feminine rage.
It has everything of a classic gothic novel: a female who’s maybe mad or uncovering something, a spooky house with a spooky man, and a mystery to keep her there with a sprinkle of romance.
I overall really enjoyed this story. I loved the characters and the spooky gothic house. The water and drowning imagery was also delicious. I loved the feminine rage and depictions of the female experience.
The plot was a bit obvious towards the end and the last two chapters of wrap up were boring. There were a lot of quotable lines but also an equal amount of cringey pompous lines. I loved the world building but at the same time for a stand alone novel it seemed unnecessary for a personal success plot. It followed the main character and her struggles not a political or societal change.
It follows Effy who is the first female architecture student at this university. She enters a competition to build a house in memorial for her favorite author who has recently passed away. She is invited to the house to discuss and finalize her plans only to get there and see how truly messed up and spooky the current house is. The house is on the cliff which could be swallowed by the sea at any moment. Will Effy, the creepy man owner of the house, and the other male student researching there survive or succumb to the house?
It has everything of a classic gothic novel: a female who’s maybe mad or uncovering something, a spooky house with a spooky man, and a mystery to keep her there with a sprinkle of romance.
I overall really enjoyed this story. I loved the characters and the spooky gothic house. The water and drowning imagery was also delicious. I loved the feminine rage and depictions of the female experience.
The plot was a bit obvious towards the end and the last two chapters of wrap up were boring. There were a lot of quotable lines but also an equal amount of cringey pompous lines. I loved the world building but at the same time for a stand alone novel it seemed unnecessary for a personal success plot. It followed the main character and her struggles not a political or societal change.
It follows Effy who is the first female architecture student at this university. She enters a competition to build a house in memorial for her favorite author who has recently passed away. She is invited to the house to discuss and finalize her plans only to get there and see how truly messed up and spooky the current house is. The house is on the cliff which could be swallowed by the sea at any moment. Will Effy, the creepy man owner of the house, and the other male student researching there survive or succumb to the house?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, Death of parent, Sexism, Abandonment, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, and Adult/minor relationship
btwnprintedpgs's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
A Study in Drowning is an impeccable study in world building - the writing is atmospheric and full, while also filling you full of dread. It was definitely one of those books where you think, "I'm not happy to be here, but I'm intrigued. Proceed." The uncomfy feeling that sat on my chest through this story made it harder to read, but the writing made it hard to look away. It was an interesting reading experience for sure.
While I loved the premise of the story and the tidbits of magic and horror that we get, I feel like much of the problems the characters run into are solved too easily. Need to find proof of something? Go from point A to point B and tada - it's right there waiting for them. A lot of things felt too convenient which often pulled me out of the story.
Additionally, the romance felt too quick. Effy is so rude to Preston when he, objectively, has done nothing to actually offend her. They weren't rivals, really, Effy was just a classist B who needed someone to yell at since everyone else was a misogynistic a-hole. I didn't like her a lot because of that, and their declarations of feelings came much too fast when that was the base of their relationship. It was not for me, honestly.
I did love the overall message. It didn't feel preachy - in fact, it felt magical and I loved that. The way Ava Reid weaved together the story and connected all the dots at the end was absolutely brilliant and I almost wish we could've scrapped the whole romance plot for more depth into the magic of the world.
All in all, this was a solid read, but the stakes for the obstacles they faced (other than a few obvious big ones) felt so low and too easy. I wish there was a bit more meat to those aspects, but enjoyed the book as a whole.
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 3.5/5
World Building: 5/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Pacing: 3/5
Overall: 3.5/5
TW: misogyny, sexism, sexual harassment, sexual assault, grief, injury detail, PTSD, mental illness, emotional abuse, blood; mentions death of a parent, abandonment, adult/minor relationship, xenophobia
eARC gifted via NetGalley by HarperTeen in exchange for an honest review.
While I loved the premise of the story and the tidbits of magic and horror that we get, I feel like much of the problems the characters run into are solved too easily. Need to find proof of something? Go from point A to point B and tada - it's right there waiting for them. A lot of things felt too convenient which often pulled me out of the story.
Additionally, the romance felt too quick. Effy is so rude to Preston when he, objectively, has done nothing to actually offend her. They weren't rivals, really, Effy was just a classist B who needed someone to yell at since everyone else was a misogynistic a-hole. I didn't like her a lot because of that, and their declarations of feelings came much too fast when that was the base of their relationship. It was not for me, honestly.
I did love the overall message. It didn't feel preachy - in fact, it felt magical and I loved that. The way Ava Reid weaved together the story and connected all the dots at the end was absolutely brilliant and I almost wish we could've scrapped the whole romance plot for more depth into the magic of the world.
All in all, this was a solid read, but the stakes for the obstacles they faced (other than a few obvious big ones) felt so low and too easy. I wish there was a bit more meat to those aspects, but enjoyed the book as a whole.
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 3.5/5
World Building: 5/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Pacing: 3/5
Overall: 3.5/5
TW: misogyny, sexism, sexual harassment, sexual assault, grief, injury detail, PTSD, mental illness, emotional abuse, blood; mentions death of a parent, abandonment, adult/minor relationship, xenophobia
eARC gifted via NetGalley by HarperTeen in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Grief, and Misogyny
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, and Blood
Minor: Abandonment, Death of parent, and Adult/minor relationship
malisac16's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Abandonment and Bullying
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
cortanasreadingnook's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book was a sight to behold. I’d never thought a fantasy read could never be cozier till I met A Study in Drowning, whose story deals about a girl defying all the odds as an architecture student and a woman while struggling to make sense of her reality, and a literature scholar with a knack for academic integrity. Ava Reid’s writing is absolutely meticulous and at the same time it articulates the prejudices of a patriarchal society.
It’s incredibly impressive how she built a fantastical world off of European folkloric tradition and culture involving gods and the Fair Folk, with amazing prose and rhetorical imagery. The twists and turns in this book were truly unexpected. The soft and slow-budding romance between our sensitive but hard-driven main character and her smug but adorably handsome male lead was also not only emotionally gratifying to read, but it also takes us through their humorous, banter-filled adventure in the pursuit of truth that might end in a perilous conclusion.
It’s incredibly impressive how she built a fantastical world off of European folkloric tradition and culture involving gods and the Fair Folk, with amazing prose and rhetorical imagery. The twists and turns in this book were truly unexpected. The soft and slow-budding romance between our sensitive but hard-driven main character and her smug but adorably handsome male lead was also not only emotionally gratifying to read, but it also takes us through their humorous, banter-filled adventure in the pursuit of truth that might end in a perilous conclusion.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Medical content
Minor: Car accident and Medical trauma
aformeracceleratedreader's review against another edition
dark
sad
medium-paced
3.5
Def look at trigger/content warnings.
Overall, I appreciated reading this, but it wasn't a favorite. It was pretty slow at the beginning, and if I didn't also listen to the audio, I think I wouldn't have liked it as much. I appreciate the discussions on sexism and abuse of power/power dynamics with a backdrop of magic, but I feel the magic was a little throw away. I also could've done without the romance aspect of this.
This is the first book from this author I've read and I will plan to read more from them it's just this one wasn't amazing for me.
Overall, I appreciated reading this, but it wasn't a favorite. It was pretty slow at the beginning, and if I didn't also listen to the audio, I think I wouldn't have liked it as much. I appreciate the discussions on sexism and abuse of power/power dynamics with a backdrop of magic, but I feel the magic was a little throw away. I also could've done without the romance aspect of this.
This is the first book from this author I've read and I will plan to read more from them it's just this one wasn't amazing for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Grief, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexism
Moderate: Alcohol, Death, Medical content, Bullying, Classism, Racism, and Rape
colwellcat's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Gaslighting
Moderate: Death of parent, Misogyny, Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
thecaffeinatedlibrary's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
5.0
A Study in Drowning is cottagecore whimsy filtered through a much darker lense.
I loved Effy's journey throughout this book. The softspoken, slightly naive girl we meet in chapter 1 is a totally different creature to the Effy we see in the latter half of the book. She is brave and imaginative, but the ways in which she doubts herself are rooted so deep, they never quite leave her. Preston is honestly a delight, he reminded me a little of Palamedes Sextus from The Locked Tomb series. He's always thinking, theorising, but he is also such a kind-hearted soul that cares deeply, and will fight for those he cares about. I really loved these two together, their romance was touching and tender but never overshadowed the overarching plot of Effy's journey.
I loved the backdrop of the rotting, dilapidated house and how it became a character in and of itself. Reid's writing is full of lilting prose that is so atmospheric that I felt genuinely scared for Effy and Preston at times. The gently woven themes of misogyny, the deeply ingrained act of women doubting themselves when it comes to academia and literature, were slow and mournful before they turning vengeful, it was easy to empathise Effy here. I loved Reid's thought-provoking commentary on gender, and classism.
The magic system was less fantasy to me, and more magical realism. We're running on vibes and fairytale dreams, and you're never really sure if what's happening, IS happening. I would have loved to know about it all, the Sleepers and the Drowning, Reid has created an intriguing world. To me it felt as though there was a lot left unanswered in the end, not so much for our MC's, but for the world itself — which could be purposeful on the author's part.
If you like lush prose, haunting landscapes and dreamlike magic, give ASID a try 😊
I loved Effy's journey throughout this book. The softspoken, slightly naive girl we meet in chapter 1 is a totally different creature to the Effy we see in the latter half of the book. She is brave and imaginative, but the ways in which she doubts herself are rooted so deep, they never quite leave her. Preston is honestly a delight, he reminded me a little of Palamedes Sextus from The Locked Tomb series. He's always thinking, theorising, but he is also such a kind-hearted soul that cares deeply, and will fight for those he cares about. I really loved these two together, their romance was touching and tender but never overshadowed the overarching plot of Effy's journey.
I loved the backdrop of the rotting, dilapidated house and how it became a character in and of itself. Reid's writing is full of lilting prose that is so atmospheric that I felt genuinely scared for Effy and Preston at times. The gently woven themes of misogyny, the deeply ingrained act of women doubting themselves when it comes to academia and literature, were slow and mournful before they turning vengeful, it was easy to empathise Effy here. I loved Reid's thought-provoking commentary on gender, and classism.
The magic system was less fantasy to me, and more magical realism. We're running on vibes and fairytale dreams, and you're never really sure if what's happening, IS happening. I would have loved to know about it all, the Sleepers and the Drowning, Reid has created an intriguing world. To me it felt as though there was a lot left unanswered in the end, not so much for our MC's, but for the world itself — which could be purposeful on the author's part.
If you like lush prose, haunting landscapes and dreamlike magic, give ASID a try 😊
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny
Moderate: Sexual assault
nanananaelena's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
After a series of bad reads, I picked up this book knowing that I was likely going to love it. For anyone thinking about picking this up, I'd recommend you take a look at this Tiktoker's beautifully worded review of the book (no spoilers): https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT85f4JQt/. Now for my review below:
“I will love you to ruination,” the Fairy King said, brushing a strand of golden hair from my cheek. “Yours or mine?” I asked. The Fairy King did not answer.”
A Study in Drowning is a story that is grounded in dark fairytale, with an eerie and dreamlike atmosphere and beautiful prose. It is not a fairytale retelling, but instead acts as a story within a story and inspired by Welsh folklore.
I was a woman when it was convenient to blame me, and a girl when they wanted to use me.
This book deals in heavy themes ofsexual assault and misogyny . The protagonist is for the soft, anxious, and deeply caring to a fault parts of us that still check under our beds at night for monsters. She spoke to my own fears and anxieties in a way that most books nowadays - with badass dragon-slaying, sword-wielding female protagonists - don't.
Any for anyone who feels like they're that lone lighthouse shining a beacon into the horizon, wondering if there's anyone there to see, if there's anyone that will signal back: I am that ship in the horizon. I am signaling back. I see you. I understand you.
“I will love you to ruination,” the Fairy King said, brushing a strand of golden hair from my cheek. “Yours or mine?” I asked. The Fairy King did not answer.”
A Study in Drowning is a story that is grounded in dark fairytale, with an eerie and dreamlike atmosphere and beautiful prose. It is not a fairytale retelling, but instead acts as a story within a story and inspired by Welsh folklore.
I was a woman when it was convenient to blame me, and a girl when they wanted to use me.
This book deals in heavy themes of
Any for anyone who feels like they're that lone lighthouse shining a beacon into the horizon, wondering if there's anyone there to see, if there's anyone that will signal back: I am that ship in the horizon. I am signaling back. I see you. I understand you.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny, Racism, Sexual violence, Sexism, and Sexual assault
ellejaereads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny