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kiri_crossland's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Sexism and Sexual violence
Minor: Addiction and Adult/minor relationship
louisepea's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
Effy, the only female architecture student at a prestigious university, wins a contest to redesign the home of her favourite late author.
Troubled by visions of the fairy king her whole life, as well as dealing with sexual abuse from her professor, and an uncaring mother, Effy hopes it will be an opportunity to escape her demons, and finally prove herself. But when she arrives at the dilapidated estate which is threatening to crumble into the sea, Effy discovers another student is secretly attempting to prove that her favourite author is a fraud and the book she finds solace in was penned by another writer.
Effy is furious, but Preston wants her help, and putting her name on his thesis could open doors in the literary college she longs to enter but can't because she's a woman.
With her role to redesign the house proving to be more complicated than she thought, and her host a creepy lech, Effy secretly teams up with the insufferable Preston to uncover the truth about the author and the origin of her favourite book.
Their quest takes them on a dangerous journey which sees them facing two men willing to do anything to hide the truth. a predatory fairy king attempting to claim what he believes is his, the unforgiving forces of nature, and perhaps most perilously of all, their growing feelings for each other. *Gasp*.
Can Effy and Preston uncover the truth and alert the world or will their curiosity see them paying the ultimate price to someone determined to keep it a secret?
*
I was so excited to read this book, but considering the hype online, it wasn't what I was expecting at all, and while I enjoyed it, I guess I'd anticipated so much more.
It was a weird but atmospheric little read about two rival students who team up to secretly uncover the truth about their favourite late author and his most famous book while staying in his creepy, dilapidated old house on other assignments. To be honest, this was a pretty boring storyline I had little interest in, but the threats from their lecherous host, a creepy fairy king, the eerie house, and the elements themselves made it a great, moderately-paced read, and kept me turning the pages. (Although, I felt the addition of a fairy king was a really odd choice for this YA academia / mystery, and made little sense to the story. I think it would've been better without this fantasy aspect).
I really liked the two main characters, Effy and Preston, and their slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance was adorable in a way only young love is. Preston sweetly vowing to look after Effy, a vulnerable young woman who'd known nothing but neglect, fear, and sexual abuse her whole life, might have melted my cold, dead heart. I loved how he always had her back, even when they had different views, and the way she made him blush was too cute.
I was on the edge of my seat during the scenes in the flooded basement, when it seemed like all hope was lost for a happy ending for the two of them, and it added a much stronger climax to the story than the truth that unravelled about the author and Angharad. To them, I say 'meh.'
Overall, I thought it was a suspenseful three star read with an interesting setting, likeable main characters, and some good lessons to be learnt. But did it wow me? No, not as much as I'd hoped.
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual content
Minor: Addiction, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
wrensreadingroom's review against another edition
5.0
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
ghostlyprince's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Car accident, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, and War
kenzaett's review against another edition
- 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
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
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)
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
hazychapters's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
The characters are very endearing, although I had a little difficulty at first differentiating Effy's voice from Marlinchen’s (Juniper and Thorn). Ultimately, Effy becomes a fully-fledged character, very interesting to analyse and follow. Preston is a very good love interest who touched me a lot. A little faded but that didn't bother me since for me, Effy is the main character, not him. Their romance was perhaps a little rushed but it was self-evident given Effy's narrative arc and her evolution.
Reid's prose is still as melodious as in his other books. The descriptions are imposing but they immerse us with the characters in their emotions and feelings.
However, I had a little more difficulty with the worldbuilding, which was a little vague at the start (I needed a map!!), and the pace of the story. This one is indeed quite slow, which didn't help my reading slump, and we progress very slowly until the half or even the two thirds of the book. The ending is much more accelerated but therefore causes an imbalance.
In conclusion, a very beautiful book with a powerful message: the invisibility of women in academic circles and of the victim of a toxic relationship and abuse. Ava Reid always manages to write beautiful stories that deal with dark and serious subjects.
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
leahcanread's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexual assault, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Addiction, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, and Xenophobia