The story revolves around young Effy Sayre, who is delicate and dealing with hallucinations of the Fairy King since her childhood. She is the only woman student in the architecture department, even though she dreamed of focusing her studies on literature: she can recite the entire words of Emrys Myrddin's Angharad. She is socially outcasted after rumors about her involvement with her adviser professor. She is so close to getting dropped from the faculty, failing from classes, and her neglectful, alcoholic mother has no intention of doing anything with her. Her favorite author, Myrddin's death, also affected her deeply. The book he has written is the only thing that can empower her to fight against her nighttime terrors. My final critique is that the ending felt a bit awkward. The issue of the Faerie King is resolved way too easily, especially given everything he represents and what a significant figure he was in Effy’s life. The mystery was glaringly obvious from the second it was introduced. Which is fine. This is a YA novel and I can accept some level of in-world explanation for Effy and Preston’s ignorance. But it was really strange how the story walked the reader through each individual element of the reveal in one sit-down conversation. That amount of hand-holding for the reader was completely unnecessary as the mystery was extremely simple and it made the ending feel stilted and unnatural. fernandan on Reading The Wheel of Time: Taim Tells Lies and Rand Shares His Plan in Winter’s Heart (Part 3) 4 hours ago

A Study in Drowning follows the Dark Academia route of offering a critique upon certain aspects of academic institutions. As a subgenre, it supports your theme of women silenced by history well. Had you always planned to pair the two, or had this story started as a different beast entirely?

It’s never not infuriating to read about how these famous intellectual men espoused progressive values while wretchedly mistreating their wives. And it is almost impossible to talk about the archetypal “tortured male genius” without talking about the real women who they themselves tortured. But stories were devious things, things with agendas. They could cheat and steal and lie to your face. They could crumble away under your feet.”

The ending got tears in my eyes and do you know? I’m so, so happy this book exists. It’s not devoid of flaws, but the way it made me feel? Perfect, and I already know I’ll reread it. Recommended.When she applied with her project to redesign Myrddin's estate, Hiraeth Manor, which resides in a very dangerous part of the country, she didn't expect to be chosen for this impossible task. But she gets an invitation telling her that all of her expenses will be covered for six weeks, including her travel fees. this was the downfall of this book. The romance didn’t gave what it was supposed to gave. Their rivalry banter was so bland or i’m just so stupid to understand it idk. But I didn’t feel the chemistry. Or the romance between them until i was like 84% into the book 🤡 i was very disappointed. Thus, Myrddin became a fictional amalgam of several real-life authors, all of whom had complex relationships with the women in their lives. The comparison to the Welsh poet Dylan Thomas is perhaps the most apparent, but there are shades of Scott Fitzgerald and Percy Shelley in him as well. I entered into A Study in Drowning expecting a fantasy novel based on folklore and mid 20th century England/ Wales, happening in a dark academia setting with a bit of mystery to move story forward.

Literal and metaphorical drowning is, of course, the main theme of A Study in Drowning , and the notion of a sunken land was always central to the story I wanted to tell. There are the socio-political and economic connotations that harken to real-world climate change: the idea that the most deprived people suffer the most when nature takes an unnatural course. There is the deep sense of grief, of loss, of disconnect and severance: the feeling that Effy is trapped in an unreal reality, unmoored from her fellow humans, akin to living in this ruined city beneath the waves. However, there is also another theme of bigotry and prejudice that runs throughout the book that was not handled well at all and left me feeling very uncomfortable and unable to rate this book higher. Effie the fmc references the conflict between her country of Llyr and the neighboring country of Argant early in the book in and it's repeatedly emphasized that she feels extreme animosity for this other race of people. A Study in Drowning is, not an exaggeration, a masterpiece. I’ve been an Ava Reid fan since The Wolf and the Woodsman but their newest instalment has made it extremely obviously that she will forever be one of my favourite authors. Their ability to meld together folklore, tender romance, a truly gripping plot and a nuanced portrayal of trauma and recovery is absolutely masterful. A Study in Drowning hit me right in the stomach, drawing up feelings around growing up as a girl trying to proof herself, of wishing to take up space, and of navigating the dangerous waters of who to trust— including yourself.

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Effy's tattered copy is all that's keeping her afloat through her stifling first term at her prestigious architecture college. So when the late author's family announces a contest to design his house, Effy feels certain this is her destiny. Effy experiences a transformation in this book. What character strengths does Effy show that make her growth possible? How is she courageous? What helps her persevere? What about her integrity? Otherwise, the romance is more substantial than the one in Juniper & Thorn, but another big problem for me is that Preston just seems so vague and lifeless - I never really felt a true sense of what made him distinct or complex or interesting as a character at all. He’s a cynic who loves talking about his academic theories and he is kind and respectful to Effy when literally every other man in the book is a lascivious slobbering monster. There is one scene where he tells Effy about his father’s death, and that’s pretty much the most significant spotlight moment that he gets throughout the book.

We ask that the proposed structure—HIRAETH MANOR—be large enough to house the surviving Myrddin family, as well as the extensive collection of books, manuscripts, and letters that Myrddin leaves behind.this book is perfect to read during fall. i'd recommend it to anyone that is looking for an atmospheric and immersive read that touches on some heavier subjects while also having loveable characters and an engaging plot/mystery.