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sashas_booknook 's review for:
A Study in Drowning
by Ava Reid
I had an enjoyable time reading this novel! It had been on my tbr for ages and I’m glad I got to finally pick it up.
Let’s start with the characters. I adored Effy. She was honestly such a perfect main character. Not in that she was perfect herself, but that her flaws and vulnerabilities made her so relatable and realistic. I truly saw myself in her and the way she was written by Reid was just amazing. She was so human and real and raw and I loved every part of her. Her growth throughout the book was also incredible to see. She went from meal and timid to strong and able to voice her opinion. She fought, and was continuing to so, for what she believed in and what was fair. She was characterised so well by the author and it felt like you formed a friendship with Effy. You knew her so intimately and got to delve into her exact thoughts and feelings of what she was experiencing. Those are the best kinds of characters I believe. I loved how you never quite knew if what she believed was happening, was actually real. And that just speaks to the way the author built her character and played with the line between fantasy and reality. Preston was another great character. We didn’t see as much of him as we did Effy, but through their connection we got to understand him as a person. He was also vulnerable and realistic and through a common understanding of their experiences, a beautiful bond was formed between them. He grew significantly throughout the novel as well, from an arrogant, critical male to one who could admit when he was wrong and supported Effy with her endeavours. He may not have believed what Effy saw or knew, but he at least listened and supported her. He empowered her to be strong and to always fight for what’s right. He provided Effy with a strong backbone to lean on when she needed it. He was amazing.
Reid knows how to write a good story. She captures the interest of the reader through the fantastical elements of the plot and keeps them hooked through her amazing characterisation. She writes so beautifully and whimsically, and I really came to like the way she writes. She also builds up tension not only between the characters, but in the story itself. I had guessed what was going to happen, but it didn’t bother me because we were given so much more from the author that surprised you. It was a really unique story and I loved the way Reid engaged the readers in the story. The only thing I found that let me down slightly was that some bits were incredibly slow and honestly sometimes boring. It wasn’t until halfway that I was really engaged and interested, and felt the author could have done a little more to make it more interesting in the beginning. There just needed to be something early on to get the reader’s attention. This would engage readers more and allow for a better overall reading experience.
Overall, this book is one I did end up enjoying, but will warn everyone who read it to be open-minded and understand that it’s set at a slower pace than most fantasy books.
Let’s start with the characters. I adored Effy. She was honestly such a perfect main character. Not in that she was perfect herself, but that her flaws and vulnerabilities made her so relatable and realistic. I truly saw myself in her and the way she was written by Reid was just amazing. She was so human and real and raw and I loved every part of her. Her growth throughout the book was also incredible to see. She went from meal and timid to strong and able to voice her opinion. She fought, and was continuing to so, for what she believed in and what was fair. She was characterised so well by the author and it felt like you formed a friendship with Effy. You knew her so intimately and got to delve into her exact thoughts and feelings of what she was experiencing. Those are the best kinds of characters I believe. I loved how you never quite knew if what she believed was happening, was actually real. And that just speaks to the way the author built her character and played with the line between fantasy and reality. Preston was another great character. We didn’t see as much of him as we did Effy, but through their connection we got to understand him as a person. He was also vulnerable and realistic and through a common understanding of their experiences, a beautiful bond was formed between them. He grew significantly throughout the novel as well, from an arrogant, critical male to one who could admit when he was wrong and supported Effy with her endeavours. He may not have believed what Effy saw or knew, but he at least listened and supported her. He empowered her to be strong and to always fight for what’s right. He provided Effy with a strong backbone to lean on when she needed it. He was amazing.
Reid knows how to write a good story. She captures the interest of the reader through the fantastical elements of the plot and keeps them hooked through her amazing characterisation. She writes so beautifully and whimsically, and I really came to like the way she writes. She also builds up tension not only between the characters, but in the story itself. I had guessed what was going to happen, but it didn’t bother me because we were given so much more from the author that surprised you. It was a really unique story and I loved the way Reid engaged the readers in the story. The only thing I found that let me down slightly was that some bits were incredibly slow and honestly sometimes boring. It wasn’t until halfway that I was really engaged and interested, and felt the author could have done a little more to make it more interesting in the beginning. There just needed to be something early on to get the reader’s attention. This would engage readers more and allow for a better overall reading experience.
Overall, this book is one I did end up enjoying, but will warn everyone who read it to be open-minded and understand that it’s set at a slower pace than most fantasy books.