Reviews with content warning for Death of parent - A Study in Drowning

This is trying to do too much: aftermath of SA, academic integrity (death of the author), misogyny, mental health, climate change.. then there's the whole politics and war between two nations.. Ghost story and Fairy King, is it fantasy or just Gothic? Some terms are super modern in an anachronistic way to the historical-feeling setting. Also, Effy keeps calling Preston pretentious but it never shows in the actual portrayal. Maybe I would be more irritated in his agnostic disbelief if she wasn't so annoyingly flighty and overdramatic. Changeling child as "not normal". And childhood trauma of being abandoned to death, frostbite, loss of a finger. Still has church in "fantastical" country. Arguing over coffee.. so modern. And now there's television. What even is this world building?
Good heavens, why does every little thing need to be explained to the readers in the end like they're idiots. Leave something for interpretation or discussion. Yikes. Ability to write a good phrase does not a good book make.

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graceislost's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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

4.5

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a_paper_mess's review

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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? It's complicated

5.0

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overbookedmama's review against another edition

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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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grace_b_3's review against another edition

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dark mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

Just a heads up that

sexual assault

is a major theme of this book, as it isn’t mentioned in the book description.

This book is very atmospheric. I can definitely see a Gothic influence, as well as a Romantic one. I enjoyed the atmosphere, but where the book fell flat for me is thematically. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but the focus on

sexual assault and misogyny

surprised me. That’s not a theme that I particularly enjoy reading about, so that affected my experience with the book. Even if I wasn’t very interested in the themes, I can appreciate the craft of this book.

I’d reccomend this if you are a fan of Ninth House. I could see V. E Schwab fans enjoying this as well.

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chrisnotfromorlando's review against another edition

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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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goldenjoy's review against another edition

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dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Content Warnings

tadah's review against another edition

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dark emotional 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? It's complicated

4.0

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