Reviews tagging 'Infidelity'

A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid

3 reviews

tired_cicada's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

There is something to say about a world and a magic system that feel lived in. And if there's one thing that I can appreciate it's an author who trusts her readers to be smart enough to figure things out. Reid doesn't waste unnecessary time on flowery exhibition about how her world works, you just get thrown into it and you sink or swim. Personally, I like that a lot. I don't need an author to hold my hand the entire time and so would an author just says "here you go, figure it out" I just know I'm going to have a great time. Particularly if it's a standalone that needs to be good on its own merit.

I think that this is magical realism at its finest. The world in "A Study in Drowning" is very similar to our own from the 50s and 60s. Many of us have a working knowledge of that time period so it's easy to fill in the blanks for what's going on. Furthermore, the magic system is so well entrenched into the culture that it feels like a natural part of the world. So often magic systems are slapped onto a world but don't seem to affect it down to a day-to-day.

Reid's writing is very poetic, almost to the point of being lyrical in some cases. In previous experience my main criticism with this writing style is that it seems the authors will get so attached to certain phrases that they're dialogue suffers. As in out of nowhere a character who was previously flamboyant and ridiculous is all the sudden preaching at a pulpit over tea. I do not have this criticism here. Each of Reid's characters have a distinct voice that they keep throughout the story. It's easy to know who's speaking as none of them sound the same.

anyway I'm glad that Mr Benett(I listen to the audio books I don't know how it's spelled) got fired or whatever but he deserved to go to jail at least and I'm so mad that he didn't

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Sexism, and Misogyny

Moderate: Rape, Car accident, Death, Sexual assault, Stalking, and Abandonment

Minor: War, Death of parent, Gun violence, Infidelity, Physical abuse, and Grief

dani_reis's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Sexual harassment, Drug use, Mental illness, and Chronic illness

Moderate: Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, and Confinement

Minor: Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, and Infidelity

Drug use is just glorified smoking of 18-20 year olds.

mythicsage's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Misogyny, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Bullying, Blood, Sexual assault, Confinement, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Classism, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Xenophobia

Minor: Grief, Dementia, Drug use, War, Infidelity, Sexual content, and Animal death