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planners_and_pages 's review for:
A Study in Drowning
by Ava Reid
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I had seen this book first mentioned in one of @PeruseProject 's vlog on Youtube, and I really appreciated the warning of how dark this book actually is. Totally not just a dark fae academia vibe at all! It allowed me to go into this book knowing the trigger warnings and reading the book for what it is rather than what I thought it would be. So, if you haven't read this, please check the trigger warnings! Also, I think the gothic, haunted house vibes with the domineering, creepy men almost reminded of Silvia Moreno's "Mexican Gothic" so if you know about how dark that book is, then this one is quite similar!
Now onto my actual review...
I really enjoyed the gothic, dark academia vibes of this book with the inclusion of dark fae fantasy as well. The poetic writing and appreciation of literature/ storytelling and the importance of believing stories really stuck with me. Not only does Ava Reid emphasize the importance of stories, but she ties it into the importance of believing women and supporting women's lived experiences and believing their trauma.
I love when books center around story-telling because it is such a personal artform that connects people and I love how Ava Reid writes about how stories can be like lighthouses. Sometimes we find stories that just call to us and who we are or what we are going through and they help us get through life, and I think Ava Reid really drew on that sentiment in her own writing. Despite the dark themes, I saw the purpose of Reid's writing as a way to tell women "I see you and I believe you and I am with you and we will fight through this together" and I just really appreciated seeing that in a YA book because there's always someone out there needs that message. <3
Now onto my actual review...
I really enjoyed the gothic, dark academia vibes of this book with the inclusion of dark fae fantasy as well. The poetic writing and appreciation of literature/ storytelling and the importance of believing stories really stuck with me. Not only does Ava Reid emphasize the importance of stories, but she ties it into the importance of believing women and supporting women's lived experiences and believing their trauma.
I love when books center around story-telling because it is such a personal artform that connects people and I love how Ava Reid writes about how stories can be like lighthouses. Sometimes we find stories that just call to us and who we are or what we are going through and they help us get through life, and I think Ava Reid really drew on that sentiment in her own writing. Despite the dark themes, I saw the purpose of Reid's writing as a way to tell women "I see you and I believe you and I am with you and we will fight through this together" and I just really appreciated seeing that in a YA book because there's always someone out there needs that message. <3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment