A review by warlocksarecool21
A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective tense medium-paced
  • 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

I absolutely adored this book omg 😭😭😭. Ava Reid is such a talented writer, her prose is so beautiful and atmospheric. The Gothic element of that wretched house was haunting and suspenseful and it was peak Gothic fantasy imo. 
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 πŸ’žπŸ’žπŸ’ž he and Effy were everything to me. I highly recommend this book and I will eagerly read anything Ava Reid writes. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings