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jessamo19'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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Violence
merlemarijn's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Didn't like Effy at the beginning, but I was able to understand her more towards the end.
Loved Preston.
And loved the setting. Reid describes everything so vividly that it feels like you're there in the Bottom Hundred.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
snopes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse and Abandonment
Moderate: Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual harassment
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
khaielah's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I love the authors descriptions and metaphors. And the voice actors voice was the perfect mix of enchanting yet tense.
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Sexism and Violence
Drowningkaiiyo's review against another edition
- 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
Yes sometimes overcoming trauma is all bloody knuckles and determination but just being alive is also a testament of great strength ❤️
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, and Grief
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Colonisation, and Classism
Minor: Sexual content and Suicidal thoughts
azrah786's review against another edition
4.25
CW: misogyny/sexism, parental abuse/neglect, emotional abuse, gaslighting, adult-minor relationship/grooming, sexual harassment/assault, toxic relationship, domestic abuse, violence, injury, blood, death, death of parent, bullying, xenophobia, grief, mental illness including hallucinations and delusions, suicidal ideation and self-harming behaviors; post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety
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This was my first Ava Reid book and it definitely won’t be my last!
A big reason for this is Reid’s writing, which is phenomenal and perfectly encapsulates the haunting and mysterious atmosphere of this story and setting.
A Study in Drowning follows Effy, a young woman who is an architecture student who grasps the opportunity to design the house of her now late favourite author, Emrys Myrddin as it also means escaping the misogyny and harassment at her institution. Upon arriving at Hiraeth Manor, Effy meets the author’s son who unsettles her with his demeanour and Preston another student who is out to prove Myrddin as a fraud.
Effy’s connection to Angharad, Myrddin’s famous book is more than just sentimental and so she falls in with Preston as a means to uphold Myrddin’s legacy but they both begin to realise that there is more to the house and the author than they expected.
I don’t actually recall reading the synopsis so discovering that the protagonist was an architecture student (albeit reluctantly, as women aren’t allowed to study literature in this world) was such a surprise! There is definitely a niche for more Dark Academia with an Architecture / Engineering focus and I have a mighty need!!
That being said the book does eventually diverge from architecture and despite the study of literature being a big part of the story I feel like genre-wise this leans more towards gothic fiction. Though there is still much commentary on the prejudice women face in academia and in society overall which was really well addressed.
On immediately finishing the book I enjoyed so many things particularly how immersive and vivid everything was and the mystery aspect to the plot. The rivals to lovers aspect did start off a little flat but I liked how it eventually developed.
I do think that the magic side of things wasn’t as fleshed out as I expected by the end, it felt more like it was there to add to the overall ambiance and was overshadowed by the themes of agency and power. Then again I am also a reader who isn’t the biggest fan of fae elements in books so this could have just been a me thing.
All that aside I did enjoy this book and i'm glad I finally picked up Reid's work!
Final Rating – 4.25/5 Stars
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, and Death of parent
themelodyofspring's review against another edition
- 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
The story was sooo eerie. Effy was such a contradictory narrator that you couldn't tell if she was fulfilling the role of an unreliable narrator or not. I was questioning my sanity with her lol. 5 stars to Preston for not being an asshole and for being a softy.
The writing was amazing! The story inside the story was amazing. The little epigraph snippets from the in-book authors were amazing. I marked so many quotes I loved.
Going back to read the previous two works by the author.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Stalking, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Suicidal thoughts
bebobel's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Death, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
margauxjpg'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
Moderate: Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual harassment