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lizzye33's review against another edition
- 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
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
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
bailey_walk's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
dianaschmidty'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? It's complicated
4.25
This poor girl. As someone who deeply related to multiple of Effy’s experiences, Ava Reid perfectly encapsulated both how to be a survivor and how it feels to survive. As a female history major, I think that Ava Reid also perfectly encapsulated how it feels to academically survive in a world where it’s assumed that “scholarly” articles are more valid coming from a man. Watching Effy survive and learn to thrive by the end of the book was really special.
This was one of the most complex YA books I’ve ever read and I really enjoyed that. I hope that more English teachers add this to their reading lists. The world building was very complex and I would love to read more books set in this world! I also can’t wait to read more from Ava Reid!
Also, I absolutely adored Preston. The world needs more Prestons.
Thank you to NetGalley, HarperTeen, and Ava Reid for providing me access to this book.
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Rape, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Minor: Sexual content
snleck'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
5.0
Graphic: Sexism
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
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
xennial_reader's review against another edition
3.75
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Alcoholism
Minor: Sexual content, Grief, and War
mythicsage'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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Blood, Death of parent, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Animal death, Drug use, Infidelity, Sexual content, Dementia, Grief, and War
annamay1021'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
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment
kayceeisbookish's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail