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jessversteeg's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.0
“Haunting and tender” one author said of this book on the back jacket cover. I agree.
It’s a weird, gothic book that crosses over university life and fairy folklore (or is it folklore?). It could easily be made into a thriller movie released at Halloween. It’s creepy and tender, but also quite sad.
A huge theme in the book is both the treatment of women and the ways women are perceived. There are a few pretty awful quotes about how women are either seductresses or submissive, how they’re unable to produce any real intellectual work etc. It also becomes clear early on in the book that the main character was taken advantage of by her academic advisor, and she basically has severe anxiety/ptsd over it. Her anxiety about her life experiences makes her wonder if she’s crazy or not, many people tell her she’s crazy and making stuff up. The story juxtaposes folk monsters with real life sketchy men. It’s about fighting back against abusers.
I doubt I’ll read it again, but I’m sure I’ll think about it a lot in the future. I kinda think it should be high school required reading so teens can learn about power dynamics and consent, believing women, etc.
Here’s a quote from the end that gutted me:
“I know I beat him in the end, but for so many years all I could do was run and hide. I just sat there and let the water pour in around me. I didn’t know that I could fight back. I didn’t know how to do anything but wait to drown.”
It’s a weird, gothic book that crosses over university life and fairy folklore (or is it folklore?). It could easily be made into a thriller movie released at Halloween. It’s creepy and tender, but also quite sad.
A huge theme in the book is both the treatment of women and the ways women are perceived. There are a few pretty awful quotes about how women are either seductresses or submissive, how they’re unable to produce any real intellectual work etc. It also becomes clear early on in the book that the main character was taken advantage of by her academic advisor, and she basically has severe anxiety/ptsd over it. Her anxiety about her life experiences makes her wonder if she’s crazy or not, many people tell her she’s crazy and making stuff up. The story juxtaposes folk monsters with real life sketchy men. It’s about fighting back against abusers.
I doubt I’ll read it again, but I’m sure I’ll think about it a lot in the future. I kinda think it should be high school required reading so teens can learn about power dynamics and consent, believing women, etc.
Here’s a quote from the end that gutted me:
“I know I beat him in the end, but for so many years all I could do was run and hide. I just sat there and let the water pour in around me. I didn’t know that I could fight back. I didn’t know how to do anything but wait to drown.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual content, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Child death, Sexual content, and War
anna_xiety's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
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
4.75
I loved this book so much- I was hesitant to start it because I had high hopes for it, but it definitely lived up to them. I think the start was a little slow but the pacing builds up and I love how Reid handles the issues in the book. and how the characters stories connect with each other ( put as a spoiler just in case)!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Misogyny, and Sexism
Moderate: Sexual content, Violence, Xenophobia, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Alcoholism, Car accident, and War
dom_brlw's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
A surprising read, with a strange yet very well built world. It had me always expecting the worse, trying to figure what would come next but being gradually more surprised after each chapter. It was a very enjoyable read!
The negative part of the book will have to be the writing though, that sometimes felt too cliché, or too « Wattpad »-like.
The negative part of the book will have to be the writing though, that sometimes felt too cliché, or too « Wattpad »-like.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment
story_singer_101's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Wow. Just, wow.
...
Yeah. Words. Um.
So, this was good. I checked it out on a whim after debating back and forth whether or not I wanted to read it for actual months. And then I promptly devoured the entire 10.5 hour audiobook in *checks calendar* just over two days. Yup. Couldn't turn it off. Couldn't put it down. Stayed up until 1am this morning to finish it.
Here's the thing. I've read a lot of YA fantasy, and, before that, I spent an entire childhood reading old faerie tales, hunting down mythology from other cultures, and meticulously planning how I would ward off an evil Fae creature from either court--Seelie or Unseelie didn't matter. So when I say that I can normally read the tropes and predict the endings of fantasy books, it's because I have a massive internal data set I'm drawing on of all the tropes used in the genre as well as the adjacent faerie tale/mythology genres. And yet A Study in Drowning kept me guessing pretty much the entire book. Right up until the end, I didn't know what was going to happen, who to believe, or even what the basic premise of the worldbuilding was, and it worked. It worked so well. I was completely enthralled. The imagery and thematic content were beautifully done, the message was clear and poignant, the writing was captivating, the world was fascinating, the characters grew and developed, and I was fully engaged and interested for the duration of the story.
The only reason this isn't a full 5-star rating is because there was an open-door (but pretty non-graphic) sex scene that contributed very little if anything to the plot (it's very easily skippable if you don't want to read that kind of content and are afraid of missing plot details) and because the defeat of the Fairy King felt kind of... anticlimactic after the build-up. I'd hardly wrapped my head around him being real after all and then all of a sudden he was dead... . I might also change my mind later and make this a full 5-star rating because of just how masterfully it was done despite the aforementioned hiccups. So if my rating changes a lot here, you know why.
In summary, you should read the book. It's really good. You should also know that this book deals very heavily with the themes of sexual assault, so, if that's triggering to you, you shouldn't read the book. I thought it handled the themes really really well, but, yeah, be informed and don't re-traumatize yourself.
...this means I need to find something else to read...
That's unfortunate.
...
Yeah. Words. Um.
So, this was good. I checked it out on a whim after debating back and forth whether or not I wanted to read it for actual months. And then I promptly devoured the entire 10.5 hour audiobook in *checks calendar* just over two days. Yup. Couldn't turn it off. Couldn't put it down. Stayed up until 1am this morning to finish it.
Here's the thing. I've read a lot of YA fantasy, and, before that, I spent an entire childhood reading old faerie tales, hunting down mythology from other cultures, and meticulously planning how I would ward off an evil Fae creature from either court--Seelie or Unseelie didn't matter. So when I say that I can normally read the tropes and predict the endings of fantasy books, it's because I have a massive internal data set I'm drawing on of all the tropes used in the genre as well as the adjacent faerie tale/mythology genres. And yet A Study in Drowning kept me guessing pretty much the entire book. Right up until the end, I didn't know what was going to happen, who to believe, or even what the basic premise of the worldbuilding was, and it worked. It worked so well. I was completely enthralled. The imagery and thematic content were beautifully done, the message was clear and poignant, the writing was captivating, the world was fascinating, the characters grew and developed, and I was fully engaged and interested for the duration of the story.
The only reason this isn't a full 5-star rating is because there was an open-door (but pretty non-graphic) sex scene that contributed very little if anything to the plot (it's very easily skippable if you don't want to read that kind of content and are afraid of missing plot details) and because
In summary, you should read the book. It's really good. You should also know that this book deals very heavily with the themes of sexual assault, so, if that's triggering to you, you shouldn't read the book. I thought it handled the themes really really well, but, yeah, be informed and don't re-traumatize yourself.
...this means I need to find something else to read...
That's unfortunate.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Sexual assault
courtsbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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
4.25
An architecture student with literary dreams takes on the project of a lifetime: to redesign the home of one of the most esteemed authors in the world. The author, Emrys Myrddin, has since passed and his home has barely survived the effects of the Drowning. Meanwhile, Effy has been plagued by constant nightmares of the notorious Fairy King: a mystical character who is the antagonist of Myrddin’s most famous story. With the help of another student, Effy discovers if magic is indeed real as she explores the history of her idol.
This book is mysterious and enchanting. I appreciate how the characters not only uncover truths about others, but also uncover truths about themselves. I greatly enjoyed the character growth and the unique world in which this story is set. Even though this book took a bit longer than usual to get into, I felt it was worth the build up.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
rileydobereading's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual content
Moderate: Drug use, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Car accident, Alcohol, and War
aturb92's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
For this being marketed as a teen book I was a little surprised by the content. I would categorize this as a new adult book.
Looking past that, this creepy, Cliff side story held my attention.
Looking past that, this creepy, Cliff side story held my attention.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual content and Sexual harassment
cordeliant's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: War
moonchild_cos's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Sexual harassment, and Classism
Minor: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Sexual content, Grief, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and War
vikinona02's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Imádtam.
Neil Gaiman Az óceán az út végén c. műve után féltem új könyvbe, főleg ebbe belekezdeni, mert jóval hosszabb és komolyabb is, azt is tudtam előre, hogy a szexuális zaklatás valamilyen módon jelen lesz. De úgy örülök, hogy elolvastam! Az előző majdnem reading slump után most azért leszek reading slumpban, mert ez annyira jó volt.
Először az apró negatívumok:
Neil Gaiman Az óceán az út végén c. műve után féltem új könyvbe, főleg ebbe belekezdeni, mert jóval hosszabb és komolyabb is, azt is tudtam előre, hogy a szexuális zaklatás valamilyen módon jelen lesz. De úgy örülök, hogy elolvastam! Az előző majdnem reading slump után most azért leszek reading slumpban, mert ez annyira jó volt.
Először az apró negatívumok:
- Utálom, hogy nincsenek semmilyen jellegű figyelmeztetések vagy megjegyzések, hogy "hahó, ez a téma benne lesz". Szerencsére megtudtam máshonnan, de ideje lenne, ha végre a könyv elejébe is beletennék, mert hiába a 15 ajánlás (amik annyira feleslegesek), ha a lényeg kimarad.
- Lassúnak éreztem a hosszú fejezetek miatt, legalábbis az első felét, de illet a történethez és igazából jólesett így.
- A tetőpont számomra nem volt az a "nagy, maximális climax", de nem rossz értelemben.
És most... a pozitívumok:
Már valahol a közepétől tudtam, hogy szeretni fogom.
Effy és Preston! Prestont imádtam - na nem az elejétől, de egyre jobban beloptam magát Effy és az én szívembe is! Mindketten nagyon szépen kidolgozott karakterek voltak a többiekkel együtt.
A szexizmus és szexuális zaklatás témája, a fulladással való összehasonlítás - annyira szépen és érzékenyen dolgozta fel a témákat, komolyan vette, és ebben rejlik Preston karakterének nagyszerűsége is: hogy mennyire gondos, óvatos és tisztelettudó volt, szinte gyógyító hatással Effyre és az olvasóra is. Még csodálkoztam is az elején, hogy hogy fog annyi különböző témát egyensúlyban tartani: említés szintjén háború van, szexizmus, a főszereplő "fulldoklik" és azt hiszi, megőrült, itt egy rejtély, és szerelmi történet is. De nagyon jól csinálta.
Nagyon tetszettek az akadémikus ötleteléseik, elmélkedéseik.
Nagyon érdekes volt a világ: a költő-írók nagy, varázslatos "ereje" és szerepe, a tündér mitológia stb.
Több elismerést érdemel. Azt hiszem, azért tetszett annyira, mert sok volt benne a nüansz, a részlet is, a világ a végére teljesen valóságos volt, egy éjszaka még én is megijedtem, hogy megjelenik nekem a Tündérkirály. De nem csak a világ volt részletes, hanem sokkal inkább a karakterek, és a témák, mind egy cél felé tartott, egy nagy egésszé vált. Ebben van az ereje számomra.
És hogy egy kérdéssel fejezte be? Miféle dolog ez?!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship