natashalg 's review for:

A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid
2.0
dark emotional slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
While the book is beautifully written and the ending is happy - this was too dark for my taste. The oversexualization of Effy made my skin crawl (as it was meant to), her "mental illness" and inability to trust herself/her mind made me anxious (from having struggled with similar situations), and her traumas made me feel hopeless and depressed. I was not in a good head space when reading this, and it is not a book I would advise anyone reading if they're struggling with any of that or have trouble reading about it. I was also confused for like 80% of the book by the setting/lore - nothing is described all that well and I struggled to understand the background of the story. I also felt like the ending was rushed since not much else happened in the book besides two people studying/searching a house. The end was also the only "fantasy" part of the book, the rest is more dark academia. 
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