Scan barcode
tired_cicada's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
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.
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
kirbylover16's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
The story was supposed to be a romance with rivals-turned-lovers, but it failed to deliver. The main love interest is introduced too late, and we learn little about him, except that he's foreign and Effy is jealous/racist towards him. Effy never stops being racist or unfairly mean to him. I like him more than Effy because he's less whiney and stupid. They don't fight each other in the competition or know each other in school. They're not even staying in the same house. Where is this rivalry? The romance is rushed and not spicy.
TL;DR
I am eager to learn more about the world, but there are still too many gaps and squandered ideas. I made zero connections to any of the characters. The pacing is all over the place. This book is falsely advised and disappointing.
Graphic: Misogyny
Moderate: Car accident, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, and Classism
Minor: Genocide, Mental illness, Kidnapping, Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Chronic illness, and Gaslighting
The car accident isn't an accident but not attempted murder either. not very violent.elizabeth_lepore'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
4.75
Graphic: Sexual assault, Misogyny, and Sexism
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Car accident, Death of parent, and Mental illness
Minor: Injury/Injury detail
wrensreadingroom's review against another edition
5.0
Moderate: Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Vomit, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Animal death, Bullying, Body shaming, Confinement, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Blood, Car accident, Classism, Addiction, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Murder, War, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Death, Gaslighting, Gore, Rape, Sexism, Child death, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical content
honuzbubbles's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Sexism, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Xenophobia, Medical trauma, Emotional abuse, and Child abuse
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Gun violence, Grief, Bullying, Car accident, Physical abuse, Blood, Classism, Colonisation, and Violence
Minor: War
warlocksarecool21'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? Yes
5.0
To me, this book was such a powerful story about womanhood, strength and survival. Of course there’s the dark academia and fantasy elements, which were fun, but the message it had to tell was very profound. This book also had excellent commentary about the misogyny in academia and the publishing industry and the abuse that so often gets hidden away, which continues to be relevant today.
Ava Reid’s character work is so well done, I saw so much of myself in Effy, in her fears and self-doubt, but also in her conviction and strength. Her character growth throughout the book was so satisfying and I loved her realization that she can live for herself and build a future despite (and maybe because of) what happened to her. I also adored Preston 💞💞💞 he and Effy were everything to me. I highly recommend this book and I will eagerly read anything Ava Reid writes.
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Abandonment, Death of parent, Confinement, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual assault
ghostlyprince's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Death of parent, Rape, Car accident, Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Confinement, Addiction, Body shaming, Racism, Death, Physical abuse, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, and Child abuse
Minor: Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Forced institutionalization, Domestic abuse, and War
cellia's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Confinement, Car accident, Sexism, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, and Adult/minor relationship
cortanasreadingnook'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
It’s incredibly impressive how she built a fantastical world off of European folkloric tradition and culture involving gods and the Fair Folk, with amazing prose and rhetorical imagery. The twists and turns in this book were truly unexpected. The soft and slow-budding romance between our sensitive but hard-driven main character and her smug but adorably handsome male lead was also not only emotionally gratifying to read, but it also takes us through their humorous, banter-filled adventure in the pursuit of truth that might end in a perilous conclusion.
Graphic: Violence, Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Medical content
Minor: Car accident and Medical trauma
kenzaett's review against another edition
- 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
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
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)
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Drug use, Chronic illness, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, and Grief
Moderate: Murder, Addiction, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Abandonment, Torture, Xenophobia, and Mental illness
Minor: Trafficking, Toxic relationship, Car accident, and Violence