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tarahific 's review for:
A Study in Drowning
by Ava Reid
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What this story says through its characters and metaphors about the power of stories, who gets to tell them, and who tends to be believed resonated with me in a deep and haunting way.
The DEPTH of this book, the layers of lessons and social commentary, the absolutely gorgeous prose, the realest and rawest representation I've ever read in fiction of mental illness (anxiety and PTSD)... I'm truly floored by this book. I went in not knowing much more than it was YA fantasy. I don't think the synopsis can really capture all there is to this book, but I would recommend checking the trigger warnings before starting. Possible spoiler but more of a TW:Effy is a SA survivor and her processing of the trauma is a constant story thread throughout the book. It is extremely well done and I believe it will make many survivors feel seen, but it could absolutely be triggering as well, so proceed with caution.
Effy is a wonderful representation of how complex women are, even when men try to whittle us down to a one-dimentional archetype that's easy for them to swallow. Effy is sensitive & strong, afraid & brave, ignorant & intelligent, superstitious & academic, wonderful & flawed. Instead of the "I'm not like other girls" trope we get a FMC who really is representative of many girls. She is ordinary & extraordinary. Through Effy's stories—both her more internal story of processing her traumas and mental illnesses and her external story/the plot—Reid explores many deep concepts like sexism & misogyny, r*pe culture, trauma, mental illness, the intersection of gender & ableism/sanism, nationalism & propoganda, etc. Reid does not tell the reader her commentary outright; she shows not tells us through her characters, which is what I yearn for as a reader, but I guess that means some people will miss it. I am beside myself that people think this book is "boring", because my mind was full of electricity with the connections within the book and between the book and our current world.
I truly think that anyone who didn't like this book on account of not liking Effy does not have the lived experience of being cast off as a "mad woman" for being emotional and surviving through trauma. I've never felt the need to defend a character the way I feel the need to defend Effy. I think she is to so many girls the way Angharad is to her in the book: a representation of their story that no one else has truly believed or listened to.
The writing is both genuinely good and gorgoeus. It gives you an immersive, dark & atmospheric experience, especially if you listen to the audiobook (I did a hybrid read). The metaphors in the book are STRONG and weave through the whole story. I particularly loved the continued metaphor of "drowning" for multiple concepts; very poetic. The pace is on the slower side, but as someone who usually takes off stars for this, I at no point felt like things should be moving faster; the pace fit the story. The pace of the rivals-to-lovers arc was one of the best I've read recently. I appreciated that they were true rivals to begin with and developed as characters through working together; it felt authentic.
The DEPTH of this book, the layers of lessons and social commentary, the absolutely gorgeous prose, the realest and rawest representation I've ever read in fiction of mental illness (anxiety and PTSD)... I'm truly floored by this book. I went in not knowing much more than it was YA fantasy. I don't think the synopsis can really capture all there is to this book, but I would recommend checking the trigger warnings before starting. Possible spoiler but more of a TW:
Effy is a wonderful representation of how complex women are, even when men try to whittle us down to a one-dimentional archetype that's easy for them to swallow. Effy is sensitive & strong, afraid & brave, ignorant & intelligent, superstitious & academic, wonderful & flawed. Instead of the "I'm not like other girls" trope we get a FMC who really is representative of many girls. She is ordinary & extraordinary. Through Effy's stories—both her more internal story of processing her traumas and mental illnesses and her external story/the plot—Reid explores many deep concepts like sexism & misogyny, r*pe culture, trauma, mental illness, the intersection of gender & ableism/sanism, nationalism & propoganda, etc. Reid does not tell the reader her commentary outright; she shows not tells us through her characters, which is what I yearn for as a reader, but I guess that means some people will miss it. I am beside myself that people think this book is "boring", because my mind was full of electricity with the connections within the book and between the book and our current world.
I truly think that anyone who didn't like this book on account of not liking Effy does not have the lived experience of being cast off as a "mad woman" for being emotional and surviving through trauma. I've never felt the need to defend a character the way I feel the need to defend Effy. I think she is to so many girls the way Angharad is to her in the book: a representation of their story that no one else has truly believed or listened to.
The writing is both genuinely good and gorgoeus. It gives you an immersive, dark & atmospheric experience, especially if you listen to the audiobook (I did a hybrid read). The metaphors in the book are STRONG and weave through the whole story. I particularly loved the continued metaphor of "drowning" for multiple concepts; very poetic. The pace is on the slower side, but as someone who usually takes off stars for this, I at no point felt like things should be moving faster; the pace fit the story. The pace of the rivals-to-lovers arc was one of the best I've read recently. I appreciated that they were true rivals to begin with and developed as characters through working together; it felt authentic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Sexism, Sexual assault
Moderate: Ableism, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, War