Reviews tagging 'Panic attacks/disorders'

A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid

134 reviews

jessamo19's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Misogyny, and Death of parent

Moderate: Violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship

emjayory's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Misogyny, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Panic attacks/disorders, and Death of parent

overbookedmama's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.25

A Study in Drowning is a gothic fantasy that follows a first year architecture student as she uncovers the mystery of a beloved book with a rival literature student. A book within a book, Effy is faced with untangling her own life from tales of The Fairy King. This book made me feel so deeply. The romance between the two main characters is tender and innocent, as first love can be, especially when you contrast their young love with off page mentions of S. A. Ava Reid’s writing is incredibly atmospheric. You could feel yourself getting drenched by the storms on the cliffs of Hiraeth. Effy’s struggles will be relatable to many women who have faced sexism in an academic setting. We must protect her and fight for her at all costs! There were some really great themes at play here. I enjoyed the way Reid explores religion/folklore in a way that is centered around doubt. The book has a fairly slow pacing and the romance definitely feels Y. A. Nevertheless, I was wrapped up in the incredible story and want to read more from this author!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Classism, and Death of parent

fraxica's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Misogyny, Classism, Panic attacks/disorders, and Confinement

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, and Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Car accident

The main character immediately shows distress over the micro actions her classmates, revealing slowly over the course of the story that they heard rumors of her having a sexual relationship with a school advisor. Eventually, she admits to herself that she didn't want the relationship to begin with and he exerted his power and control over her. There are flash-backs that show the relationship and abuse. At the end of the book, a newly revealed character has a very similar story and that is described as well. Although both characters take back a sense of agency in the finale, the entire book sits with the weight of their abuse, showing how powerful men use younger women. HEAVY SPOILER: the fictional fae book that drives the story is actually written by a young woman whose abuser bartered her father for the rights to her and her story. He claimed both for his own and succumbed to the Faerie King, which led to her abuse and captivity.

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

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

cloudyatlas's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, and Sexual harassment

missgnomers's review against another edition

dark emotional lighthearted mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

I really enjoyed this! Some reviews say the themes are heavy handed and that the setting feels awkwardly placed in time. While I believe it to be a thematic choice, it didn’t feel cohesive. 

I  think the themes are well handled in this lite thriller

I just adored the romance in this book. Also, I liked that the writer had only Effy and Anghadad see the Fairy King. Allies like Preston can hear and know, but they can’t experience it for themselves. The mystery itself was an easy guess but felt earned.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Grief, and Mental illness

Minor: Animal death

maregred's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Xenophobia, and Sexism

Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual content

Minor: Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Grief, War, Alcoholism, and Alcohol

lizlikes_books's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

3.75

Some excellent quotes:

• "I didn’t know how to do anything but wait to drown.”
  “Oh no, Effy. That’s not what I meant at all. You don’t have to take up a sword. Survival is bravery, too."
• "I was a woman when it was convenient to blame me, and a girl when they wanted to use me."
• "It was an eternal feeling, this sense of being unwelcome. No matter where she was, Effy was always afraid she was not wanted."

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Misogyny, Sexism, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual violence

girrllie's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

2.5

I think the author is intrigued by and wanted to write water imagery and metaphor and fit a story around it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Mental illness, and Colonisation