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A review by madswritess
A Dark and Drowning Tide by Allison Saft
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
An enchanting sapphic fantasy filled with a dark, fairytale-esque atmosphere. From the first chapter, Allison Saft's prose is incredibly alluring and captivating. She sets the tone immediately, and I really adored it. The environment is rich with folklore and beautiful imagery that often aligned with nature. The dark fairytale vibes are definitely there. And the tension between the characters—especially Lorelei and Sylvia—is everything. The yearning alone. GO READ THIS BOOK!! Seriously. It's tender and heart-wrenching.
This story has some intriguing and compelling characters, but Lorelei was by far my favorite. She's sharp-witted and often quick to anger. Both her and Sylvia are flawed characters, which makes everything all the more realistic. As the book's protagonist, Lorelei allows the reader a direct lens into her struggles and the prejudices she faces daily; this book tackles it with deftness. Furthermore, the way Lorelei's grief is expressed and handled was done very well.
While the pacing is definitely slower at times, this story is not a high-stakes epic fantasy. You definitely shouldn't go into it expecting an extremely fast-paced story. It's much more melodious. The romance is a slow-burn, and before I knew it I was glued to the pages. It took more time than I wished for me to get there, but it was well worth the wait. Though, I definitely wanted more from the ending. The political scene felt rushed, and Wilhelm's character, throughout, felt somewhat misplaced—a little vague to me. I definitely wanted and expected more from him, as well as a few of the other side characters.
However, if you're looking for a dark academia, sapphic romantasy, definitely check this book out. It's truly enchanting. Thank you NetGalley and Random House for sending me a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This story has some intriguing and compelling characters, but Lorelei was by far my favorite. She's sharp-witted and often quick to anger. Both her and Sylvia are flawed characters, which makes everything all the more realistic. As the book's protagonist, Lorelei allows the reader a direct lens into her struggles and the prejudices she faces daily; this book tackles it with deftness. Furthermore, the way Lorelei's grief is expressed and handled was done very well.
While the pacing is definitely slower at times, this story is not a high-stakes epic fantasy. You definitely shouldn't go into it expecting an extremely fast-paced story. It's much more melodious. The romance is a slow-burn, and before I knew it I was glued to the pages. It took more time than I wished for me to get there, but it was well worth the wait. Though, I definitely wanted more from the ending. The political scene felt rushed, and Wilhelm's character, throughout, felt somewhat misplaced—a little vague to me. I definitely wanted and expected more from him, as well as a few of the other side characters.
However, if you're looking for a dark academia, sapphic romantasy, definitely check this book out. It's truly enchanting. Thank you NetGalley and Random House for sending me a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!