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A review by artmuseam
A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
this book had everything i love in a romantasy: magic, academia, two misunderstood people who fell in love, and historical fantasy. i would say this was honestly pretty good for a ya debut novel, but i think the ending was very predictable, which made this book fall short. the pacing and world building was really well done throughout the beginning and middle parts, and i loved the slow but steady unraveling of the mystery. the ending ended up being exactly what i predicted, though, which left me feeling slightly disappointed. i wanted some sort of shocking plot twist after such a large buildup happening from the start, but i think the author decided to leave plot extravagance away from the focus. still, it was an enjoyable read and i loved the aesthetic and deep metaphors behind the story. 3.75/5 stars
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail