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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
Dark academia meets gothic folklore in the best way
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ 4.5 Stars
Loved this book! I read it in just two sittings—it pulled me in from the very start. The middle dragged a little, which is why it’s not a full 5 stars, but everything else worked so well for me.
The dark academia, gothic vibes were everything. Effy was such a compelling protagonist; I felt so much compassion for her struggles and how the patriarchy stood in her way—especially in the university setting. Preston was such a breath of fresh air compared to the other men in Effy’s life, and I loved watching their relationship slowly grow.
The Welsh-inspired folklore was incredible, and the way the myths Effy believed in turned out to be true was deeply satisfying. I can’t wait to see more of Effy and Preston in the second book, and I’ll definitely be picking up more from Ava Reid in the future!
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
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
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is Ava Reid’s intro into YA. I’m already a fan of her work, and while YA doesn’t hold the same allure for me that it once had, my curiosity got the better of me. I’m glad it did.
It is the story of a girl haunted by nightmares and waking visions of a cruel fairy king seeking to capture her. Her mother and doctors insistence that she is seeing things, that she is only afraid of her own imagination, her delusions, and how it chips away at her trust in herself is a theme mirrored often through the story. Men abusing their power, claiming what is not theirs, anre allowed to do so by the very culture around them. The water they swim in is more treacherous than it may appear.
It reads to me as a commentary on the oft repeated reality of women being dismissed, their talents hidden, their voices stolen and silenced.
How the author handles the effects of the MC’s memories, flashbacks, of her trauma feels relatable. Her shame at having been made a victim, at having not known how to keep herself safe turns on her, making her feel frequently that she is unsafe, that she cannot trust herself to know what and whom is safe and trustworthy, and what is not.
I am eager to read the rest of the series.
It is the story of a girl haunted by nightmares and waking visions of a cruel fairy king seeking to capture her. Her mother and doctors insistence that she is seeing things, that she is only afraid of her own imagination, her delusions, and how it chips away at her trust in herself is a theme mirrored often through the story. Men abusing their power, claiming what is not theirs, anre allowed to do so by the very culture around them. The water they swim in is more treacherous than it may appear.
It reads to me as a commentary on the oft repeated reality of women being dismissed, their talents hidden, their voices stolen and silenced.
How the author handles the effects of the MC’s memories, flashbacks, of her trauma feels relatable. Her shame at having been made a victim, at having not known how to keep herself safe turns on her, making her feel frequently that she is unsafe, that she cannot trust herself to know what and whom is safe and trustworthy, and what is not.
I am eager to read the rest of the series.
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Another story that suffers from: everything I care about is paced too fast and everything I don't care about is paced too slow. I almost think this was told in the wrong media - like being in Effy's head ruined parts of the story for me. I wonder if this would present itself better as a movie? That way they'd be forced to have a bit more showing than telling?
Everything felt pretty spelled out, nothing really came as a surprise to me, but it didn't really feel like it was trying to surprise me either. I didn't figure plot points out using some brilliant detective work, it was all (in my opinion) written plainly enough to figure out long before the characters may have.
Some sections of this book, especially in the first quarter, used similes so often it felt like they were there just about every other sentence. It probably wouldn't bother me usually, but for some reason it really brought me out of the story.
The overarching story is quite similar in a lot of ways to Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia of Faeries. If you loved that book you'll probably at least enjoy this one - and vise versa.
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
"And changing your mind isn't foolish. It just means you've learned something new. Everyone changes their mind sometimes, as they should, or else they're just, I don't know, stubborn and ignorant. Moving water is healthy; stagnant water is sickly. Tainted."
Everything felt pretty spelled out, nothing really came as a surprise to me, but it didn't really feel like it was trying to surprise me either. I didn't figure plot points out using some brilliant detective work, it was all (in my opinion) written plainly enough to figure out long before the characters may have.
Some sections of this book, especially in the first quarter, used similes so often it felt like they were there just about every other sentence. It probably wouldn't bother me usually, but for some reason it really brought me out of the story.
The overarching story is quite similar in a lot of ways to Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia of Faeries. If you loved that book you'll probably at least enjoy this one - and vise versa.
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
"And changing your mind isn't foolish. It just means you've learned something new. Everyone changes their mind sometimes, as they should, or else they're just, I don't know, stubborn and ignorant. Moving water is healthy; stagnant water is sickly. Tainted."
There were parts that I feel were a little disconnected from the rest of the story and I hate that we didn’t get a clear explanation for many things in the beginning. Also I must admit I’m still a little confused on the world building and the war and everything but overall it was a good book and I enjoyed the ending.
Overall this was fine! Loved the setting, the creepy Fairy King and the academic aspect of it.
But for all it's talk of rowan berries and mountain ash, I think towards the end someone says they're growing rowan berries in their window-boxes? How am I supposed to understand that - just the saplings? Because I thought rowan berries were the fruit of mountain ashes, which are... trees.
Anyway, lovely atmospheric YA novel.
But for all it's talk of rowan berries and mountain ash, I think towards the end someone says they're growing rowan berries in their window-boxes? How am I supposed to understand that - just the saplings? Because I thought rowan berries were the fruit of mountain ashes, which are... trees.
Anyway, lovely atmospheric YA novel.