Reviews tagging 'Chronic illness'

A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid

6 reviews

reddeddy's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Kidnapping, Stalking, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Drug use, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Car accident, Alcohol, Colonisation, Dysphoria, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Deportation

likeagilmoregirl's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Chronic illness, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

crispinophurs's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

As usual, a book by Ava Reid is phenomenal. But I think it’s the weakest of her current books, for one reason only: I think the demographic rating actually held her back a bit. If she’d been allowed to delve into it the way she went into Juniper & Thorn, this book would have been a masterpiece.

And that isn’t to say that the contents of this book were too “adult” for the YA genre or some other nonsense— as a mentally ill, Jewish SA survivor myself, Ava’s writing and handling of such topics means the world to me— but I know that she could’ve pulled out all the stops for such a story with no limitations placed upon her.

I also guessed the puzzle pieces of the mystery early on, but this was written like a good mystery: it allows the reader to figure things out for themself and the conclusion makes them feel like an intellectual instead of annoyed by a sudden rug-pull.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Classism

kirbylover16's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

I find the story concepts to be quite intriguing. For example, I am interested in exploring various religious and regional interpretations of a flooded world. Additionally, the idea of Celebrity Sleepers acting as protectors is unique, although it is unfortunately not utilized enough.

the Cold War, the start of the second drowning, her mother; all plotlines dropped

There was a missed opportunity not to add a Lemony Snicket twist to the title, which should have featured Augharad, or even just the Fairy King would be a better title. I wish the book spent more time with Effy while she attends school. (the dark academia?) This change would not only help us better understand Effy but also enable us to get to know other characters.

The story was supposed to be a romance with rivals-turned-lovers, but it failed to deliver. The main love interest is introduced too late, and we learn little about him, except that he's foreign and Effy is jealous/racist towards him. Effy never stops being racist or unfairly mean to him. I like him more than Effy because he's less whiney and stupid. They don't fight each other in the competition or know each other in school. They're not even staying in the same house. Where is this rivalry? The romance is rushed and not spicy. 

TL;DR
I am eager to learn more about the world, but there are still too many gaps and squandered ideas. I made zero connections to any of the characters. The pacing is all over the place. This book is falsely advised and disappointing.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Car accident, and Classism

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Chronic illness, Genocide, Mental illness, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

The car accident isn't an accident but not attempted murder either. not very violent.

Mc is pushed out of a moving car. The guy was trying to keep mc from coming back to the house but couldn't tell her

There is one bar date? where mc tries alcohol for the first time to fit in. She doesn't get drunk or even finish the glass. The child abuse is only hinted at till halfway thru the book where mc tells the so her mom tried to leave her to die but chickened out. Kinda comes out of nowhere.

dani_reis's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Drug use, Mental illness, Sexism, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, and Sexual assault

Minor: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Drug use is just glorified smoking of 18-20 year olds.

kenzaett's review against another edition

dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I went into this knowing nothing but the title, and that it was a runner up for book of the year..

Did I expect a wonderfully written novel thats engaging, has dark academia, found family, enemies to lovers, grumpy x grumpy, mystery, academic rivals tropes, dark urban fantasy, fae legend proving true, great world building, feminism, mental health awareness, and is trickled with beautiful poetry, in a gloomy, misty island setting?? 

Did I LOVE IT and read half of it within one day? Yes!!! 

And the romance was JUST the right amount, not overly annoying or taking away from the protagonist's innner conflict, or the mystery in the plot. 
THE FMC is called Effy, btw. What other Effies do we know? Trinket, the one from skims... She's another one in a line of amazing, uniquely flawed and intriguing characters! 

The "plot twist" was a bit expectable, but I don't mind figuring it out earlier than the protagonists. It was just too obvious

with there only being one name unmentioned and then turning out to be exactly her, lol.

You'll love this if you liked books like Divine Rivals or , cold oceans and cliff sides, LOADS of references to water, a slow burn academic rivals romance, elements of fairy tales, female empowerment, discussions of mental health... And beautiful, poetic writing!

Here are my favorite, most memorable wuotes;

(TBA) 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Chronic illness, Drug use, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Torture, Xenophobia, Death of parent, Murder, and Abandonment

Minor: Toxic relationship, Violence, Trafficking, and Car accident