15.2k reviews for:

A Study in Drowning

Ava Reid

3.86 AVERAGE


Surprisingly weird time for me to be reading this one, but immensely good
adventurous emotional mysterious slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
dark mysterious 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
adventurous dark tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

Wow my first book finished this month. It did take me a bit to get through this book, but I enjoyed the mystery on whether the Fairy King was real and if Myrddin really wrote Angharad. Master Corbenic did gross me out and of course a lot of men were sexist and disgusting in this book. Poor Effy had to deal with them. It was nice when Effy finally stood up for herself against the Dean. I appreciated that Preston supported her and believed her. It was a little bit too fast of a romance for me since they had only been at Hiraeth for 1 month and already said "I love you". But I do like them together. The ending kind of confused me. I'm not entirely sure what the ringing of the bells mean. Am I missing something?!?!? Please someone let me know LOL I will be reading the next book! 
mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated
dark mysterious 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: Yes
dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

“We must discuss, then, the relationship between women and water. When men fall into the sea, they drown. When women meet the water, they transform. It becomes vital to ask: is this a metamorphosis, or a homecoming?”

Perhaps it’s unfair to compare A Study in Drowning to Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries; however, since both have been promoted as academia, I’m inclined to take liberties. The latter lacks the concise execution that A Study in Drowning managed to deliver without info-dumping the lore to the readers. I had similar expectations for both, and I can conclude that the former lives up to its hype. 
The young adult within me is the target audience of this novel. It has everything I usually yearn for. An excellent cast, albeit limited. The flowery writing, picturesque setting, and immaculate vibes should not be ignored! A charming romance that could use more tension and pining, but still just as good. I would take anything this book has to offer. Everything is beautifully executed, from the dark academia element paired with fantasy and folklore to the pacing. I love the scholastic banter (not necessarily rivals) between the two main characters as they uncover the secret of the mystery of their literary heroes. 

I didn’t expect A Study in Drowning to be as politically charged. The author understood the social tension between the adversaries Northerners and Southerners. And how quickly this political divide causes systemic discrimination between the warring nations and their people. Lastly, this novel addresses the misogyny in academia, particularly in this fictional mid-20th century. What are the repercussions for women in the literary field or any space? Overall, fantastic exploration of power and agency in the context of female voices. Fleshing out the backstory would probably cause less confusion for readers; hence, the less star.

A Study in Drowning won't certainly be my last book by Ava Reid. The satisfying ending provided a nicely-tied closure. I’m not sure why a sequel is needed, but I’m still going to read it anyway.

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dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced