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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, Chronic illness, Drug use, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Torture, Xenophobia, Death of parent, Murder, and Abandonment
Minor: Toxic relationship, Violence, Trafficking, and Car accident
jos_haunted_library'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
4.5
Graphic: Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Classism
Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Violence, Xenophobia, Death of parent, Abandonment, and War
Minor: Gun violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
azrah786's review against another edition
4.25
CW: misogyny/sexism, parental abuse/neglect, emotional abuse, gaslighting, adult-minor relationship/grooming, sexual harassment/assault, toxic relationship, domestic abuse, violence, injury, blood, death, death of parent, bullying, xenophobia, grief, mental illness including hallucinations and delusions, suicidal ideation and self-harming behaviors; post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety
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This was my first Ava Reid book and it definitely won’t be my last!
A big reason for this is Reid’s writing, which is phenomenal and perfectly encapsulates the haunting and mysterious atmosphere of this story and setting.
A Study in Drowning follows Effy, a young woman who is an architecture student who grasps the opportunity to design the house of her now late favourite author, Emrys Myrddin as it also means escaping the misogyny and harassment at her institution. Upon arriving at Hiraeth Manor, Effy meets the author’s son who unsettles her with his demeanour and Preston another student who is out to prove Myrddin as a fraud.
Effy’s connection to Angharad, Myrddin’s famous book is more than just sentimental and so she falls in with Preston as a means to uphold Myrddin’s legacy but they both begin to realise that there is more to the house and the author than they expected.
I don’t actually recall reading the synopsis so discovering that the protagonist was an architecture student (albeit reluctantly, as women aren’t allowed to study literature in this world) was such a surprise! There is definitely a niche for more Dark Academia with an Architecture / Engineering focus and I have a mighty need!!
That being said the book does eventually diverge from architecture and despite the study of literature being a big part of the story I feel like genre-wise this leans more towards gothic fiction. Though there is still much commentary on the prejudice women face in academia and in society overall which was really well addressed.
On immediately finishing the book I enjoyed so many things particularly how immersive and vivid everything was and the mystery aspect to the plot. The rivals to lovers aspect did start off a little flat but I liked how it eventually developed.
I do think that the magic side of things wasn’t as fleshed out as I expected by the end, it felt more like it was there to add to the overall ambiance and was overshadowed by the themes of agency and power. Then again I am also a reader who isn’t the biggest fan of fae elements in books so this could have just been a me thing.
All that aside I did enjoy this book and i'm glad I finally picked up Reid's work!
Final Rating – 4.25/5 Stars
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, and Death of parent
reallyrosalie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, and Violence
Moderate: Abandonment and Sexual harassment
Minor: Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent
persephonefoxx's review
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual assault, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Xenophobia, and Abandonment
shakiral'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
5.0
Minor: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Abandonment
hazychapters'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
4.0
The characters are very endearing, although I had a little difficulty at first differentiating Effy's voice from Marlinchen’s (Juniper and Thorn). Ultimately, Effy becomes a fully-fledged character, very interesting to analyse and follow. Preston is a very good love interest who touched me a lot. A little faded but that didn't bother me since for me, Effy is the main character, not him. Their romance was perhaps a little rushed but it was self-evident given Effy's narrative arc and her evolution.
Reid's prose is still as melodious as in his other books. The descriptions are imposing but they immerse us with the characters in their emotions and feelings.
However, I had a little more difficulty with the worldbuilding, which was a little vague at the start (I needed a map!!), and the pace of the story. This one is indeed quite slow, which didn't help my reading slump, and we progress very slowly until the half or even the two thirds of the book. The ending is much more accelerated but therefore causes an imbalance.
In conclusion, a very beautiful book with a powerful message: the invisibility of women in academic circles and of the victim of a toxic relationship and abuse. Ava Reid always manages to write beautiful stories that deal with dark and serious subjects.
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
vagrantheather'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
5.0
Some readers may roll their eyes at how much crying and feeling helpless the MC does. I found it fitting and loved reading her empowerment / development of a spine.
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual assault, and Gaslighting
Minor: Bullying, Xenophobia, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
bailey_walk's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
miraclesnow'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
4.5
The themes were well explored and I loved the mystical element, it feels like a very well explored modern-day breakdown of the perils and detractions of the past and Byronic stories. The prose is truly what absorbed me into the tale, and what made me yearn for an ephemeral place that didn’t even truly exist in this book.
The only thing that holds the book back is my lack of interest in the romance, which was darling but not my style to read. Overall, a wonderful one & done read.
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Bullying, Genocide, Xenophobia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Abandonment
Minor: Animal death, Cursing, and Panic attacks/disorders