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A review by mariebrunelm
A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

At first I was a little weary because - oh no, another book with an invented world where sexism is rampant. But I quickly understood that not to worry, Ava Reid has our back. And what better feeling than reading a book you have a very good feeling will be a new favourite, and it turning out to be a new favourite indeed ???
This novel puts the “academia” back into “dark academia”. I feel like some DA books of late have been mostly about academic rivalry, which is all well and good, but my catnip is also academic research and finding out secret knowledge. Bonus point if it’s literature or language-related. Hence why Alphabet of Thorn by Patricia McKillip was a huge favourite before I heard about Dark Academia (read Alphabet of Thorn).
Back to ASID. This book was both painful and extremely healing. Were there a few too many similes? Perhaps. Did I guess one of the plot twists a little too soon for my liking? Also perhaps. Did that tamper my enjoyment of the book? Not today, Satan. I inhaled this novel. It was everything I’d hoped and more. It’s dark and twisted but also holds a lot of tenderness. It kicks patriarchy in the bottom while discussing what it means and how insidious it can be. I would give my life for Effy and I loved how she and Preston discussed their biases and prejudices.
Last but not least, although it unsettled me a little bit at first, I loved that the atmosphere in this book was a lot more second-half-of-the-20th century than it was 19th-century. It was very refreshing and although not profoundly important, it was a pleasant surprise.
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