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A review by mkdila
A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
3.5
From the start, I really enjoyed this book! I love the academic setting, the rivalry between our main characters that turns to yearning, and the rotting mysterious cliffside manor is a favorite trope of mine.
The men in this book are infuriating (except sweet Preston), and really paint a picture of the culture in Llyr and Argent. The political intrigue and religious beliefs in these cultures were also a very fun aspect of this story for me! The world building had high fantasy vibes for me, while not being truly high fantasy.
I do wish I could give it a higher rating, but it really let me down with the climax of the book. I am not normally someone who guesses twists/endings of books, but i saw this one coming a mile away, and the stakes seemed so high but we vanquished so easily that it didn't feel rewarding.
With all of that being said, despite my gripes with the ending of this book, I will still be looking forward to the sequel next year, and keeping it to read on a cozy day.
The men in this book are infuriating (except sweet Preston), and really paint a picture of the culture in Llyr and Argent. The political intrigue and religious beliefs in these cultures were also a very fun aspect of this story for me! The world building had high fantasy vibes for me, while not being truly high fantasy.
I do wish I could give it a higher rating, but it really let me down with the climax of the book. I am not normally someone who guesses twists/endings of books, but i saw this one coming a mile away, and the stakes seemed so high but we vanquished so easily that it didn't feel rewarding.
With all of that being said, despite my gripes with the ending of this book, I will still be looking forward to the sequel next year, and keeping it to read on a cozy day.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Misogyny, and Sexism
Moderate: Sexual assault