Reviews tagging 'Terminal illness'

A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid

8 reviews

shamaramill's review

dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing sad slow-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Blood, Medical content, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, and War

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

artemisx's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Alcoholism

loveat1stwrite's review

dark slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Minor: Animal death, Terminal illness, and Injury/Injury detail

chrisnotfromorlando's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

I’ll be thinking about this book for a while, I think. It touches on so many things at once, despite it being a story that feels very small for a fantasy, no dragons or great quests.

It touches on the way men wield their power over women, the way grief and trauma takes hold and slowly etches away at you, what it’s like to live your life in survival mode and feel alone in the world, and much more.

It also has absolutely beautiful prose without ever feeling purple, and some of the most tactile descriptions I’ve ever read. You’ll find yourself lost in the dark academia, gothic setting as if you too were walking through the slowly decaying mansion, wondering if the Fairy King is lurking around the corner.

Oh, and the romance is the cherry on top. A sweet, slow burn that adds just enough warmth to the story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Gaslighting

Minor: Body horror, Terminal illness, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

goldenjoy's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Sexual harassment

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

lizzye33's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Cultural appropriation

Moderate: Confinement, Death, Cultural appropriation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body shaming, Child death, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and War