A review by readlentless
A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.75

dark academia (bit academic rivals to lovers) and historical fantasy, it feels like a gothic novel bc of the eerie and cold atmosphere and the haunted manor. i love how the characters didn't fall into usual archetypes so it makes them more believable. as someone timid, nd, has lots of anxiety, and is also incredibly defensive— the fmc resonated with me. the characters' love language is bantering in a neurotic kind of way lol. more than the fantastical elements (wc is not a lot), it's more of an exploration on trauma, unshackling oneself from the past, and being a woman in "a man's world". i think it was shown realistically that it never felt sensationalized. the resolution came like a whiplash but it was fine, i still enjoyed it. i may not be a super fan of ava reid's past works but i sure do love her writing style in all of them.