A review by sassafrasscommon
A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid

adventurous dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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

4.5

Man, I DEVOURED this book. I got it in the mail last night, read till 12:30 am, then went right back to it upon waking. I was absolutely hooked from the first chapter. The way the tension, mystery, and the blurring lines between reality and fantasy built up was delicious. The characters were lovable from the get go. Effy was insanely relatable and I loved seeing a character who was soft and uncertain, yet not remotely passive. Preston was simply adorable and I love how his partnership and eventual romance with Effy was incredibly natural. The only thing holding me back from a five star rating, which I'm still in debate over, is that the pacing of the later middle half is a bit slow and there are just some aspects of the story I would have liked to see developed a little more. The storytelling and world building was a bit simplistic and predictable, the climax was short lived, and the narrative was a bit heavy handed, but that's not necessarily a negative. If anything, I think the younger target audience might appreciate that more, especially with such heavy subject matter. Regardless of those details, I absolutely loved the story and it is one of my favorites of the year. The descriptions of nature and the oceanside setting made me yearn for a dreary autumn. I haven't read a book so quickly and hungrily in months. I'm grateful to Ava Reid for this story. I think myself and many others needed it.
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