A Study in Drowning
BLURB
FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE WOLF AND THE WOODSMAN AND JUNIPER AND THORN
'A love letter to stories - and to everyone silenced or forgotten in their retelling.' Allison Saft, author of A Far Wilder Magic.
Effy has always believed in fairy tales. She's had no choice. Since childhood, she's been haunted by visions of the Fairy King. She's found solace only in the pages of Angharad - a beloved epic about a mortal girl who falls in love with the Fairy King, and then destroys him.
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.
But Hiraeth Manor is an impossible task: a musty, decrepit estate on the brink of crumbling into a hungry sea. And when Effy arrives, she finds she isn't the only one who's made a temporary home there. Preston Héloury, a stodgy young literature scholar, is studying Myrddin's papers and is determined to prove her favourite author is a fraud.
As the two rival students investigate the reclusive author's legacy, piecing together clues through his letters, books, and diaries, they discover that the house's foundation isn't the only thing that can't be trusted. There are dark forces, both mortal and magical, conspiring against them - and the truth may bring them both to ruin.
'A love letter to stories - and to everyone silenced or forgotten in their retelling.' Allison Saft, author of A Far Wilder Magic.
Effy has always believed in fairy tales. She's had no choice. Since childhood, she's been haunted by visions of the Fairy King. She's found solace only in the pages of Angharad - a beloved epic about a mortal girl who falls in love with the Fairy King, and then destroys him.
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.
But Hiraeth Manor is an impossible task: a musty, decrepit estate on the brink of crumbling into a hungry sea. And when Effy arrives, she finds she isn't the only one who's made a temporary home there. Preston Héloury, a stodgy young literature scholar, is studying Myrddin's papers and is determined to prove her favourite author is a fraud.
As the two rival students investigate the reclusive author's legacy, piecing together clues through his letters, books, and diaries, they discover that the house's foundation isn't the only thing that can't be trusted. There are dark forces, both mortal and magical, conspiring against them - and the truth may bring them both to ruin.
REVIEW
A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid was a very highly anticipated read for me. I’d seen SO much buzz for it on Bookstagram/BookTok that I even rushed out to purchase the special sprayed edge edition. Unfortunately, the book didn't quite live up to my high expectations. 😩
It wasn’t a total flop, however, so let’s start with the bits I did appreciate.
The concept and the setting were both incredibly enticing; kind of gothic, dark academia vibes - perfectly suited for this time of year. 🍂
The author's writing style was beautiful - she loves a good simile.
However, my disappointment stemmed from the characters who felt somewhat two-dimensional. Their actions seemed unrealistic; lots of under-reactions to things and carrying on like something totally weird didn’t just happen. And what tiny smidge of romance there was was also totally underwhelming.
So if not character driven, was it plot driven? No. Not for me, anyway. The plot was essentially: who wrote a book. There was more to it than that obviously but I don’t want to give spoilers and honestly that was 80% of the plot.
In the end, while A Study in Drowning had its merits, it fell way short of being the 5-star, amazing read I’d been led to expect. It's clear that Ava Reid possesses writing talent, but the overall execution left me wanting more depth and unpredictability in the story.
0 Comentarios