A Study In Drowning by Ava Reid | Book Review

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A Study In Drowning by Ava Reid
Series: A Study in Drowning #1
Published by Harper Collins on November 5, 2024
Genres: YA Fantasy, Dark Academia
Pages: 432
Format: Hardback
Source: Purchased

Content Warnings: Sexual Harassment, Sexual Assault, Misogyny, Violence, Drug Use, Abuse, Mental Illness, Death, Sexism, Racism
Rating:

Effy Sayre has always believed in fairy tales. Haunted by visions of the Fairy King since childhood, she’s had no choice. Her tattered copy of Angharad—Emrys Myrddin’s epic about a mortal girl who falls in love with the Fairy King, then destroys him—is the only thing keeping her afloat. So when Myrddin’s family announces a contest to redesign the late author’s estate, Effy feels certain it’s her destiny. But musty, decrepit Hiraeth Manor is an impossible task, and its residents are far from welcoming. Including Preston Héloury, a stodgy young literature scholar determined to expose Myrddin as a fraud. As the two rivals piece together clues about Myrddin’s legacy, dark forces, both mortal and magical, conspire against them—and the truth may bring them both to ruin.

2025 certainly feels like my dark academia era as I continue to dive deeper into the genre. I ate A Study in Drowning up, and while there were certainly some issues, I deeply enjoyed Reid's storytelling. The best way to describe A Study in Drowning is a dark academia version of Crimson Peak. If you loved the film Crimson Peak, you'll love this story. The dark and decrepit house is haunted by an otherworldly presence while the once wealthy owners seek to save it, potentially through nefarious means. The Fairy King haunts Hiraeth Manor in such a way that it often feels like you are slipping into madness with Effy. I loved every minute in Hiraeth Manor.

Apart from loving the vibes, I appreciated Reid's portrayal of trauma, particularly that of Effy. Not only is she dealing with misogyny, but she is also trying to prove herself in a world that thinks she slept her way to the top and that, because she is pretty, she is asking for it. There are multiple times Effy is put into a situation she did not ask for simply because she is a beautiful young girl/woman. While it absolutely broke my heart what Effy suffered, it's a story we both share; one I know many women unfortunately share. Effy consistently proves everyone wrong, and I loved every minute of it.

Despite how strong and noteworthy Effy is, she is not without her flaws. You would think a character who is constantly belittled and underestimated would not be prejudiced, but here we are. I mean, this isn't an uncommon trope, as it's incredibly common in real life. White women, despite experiencing prejudice, will still center white supremacy, and that's exactly what Effy does. Preston, while white, is half Argantian. Argant and Llyr are rival nations, not just politically but culturally as well. Llyrians strongly believe their "Storytellers," known as Sleepers, magically protect Llyr. Llyrians believe themselves to be more intelligent, rational, and superior in every way to Argantians and, unfortunately, Effy sings this tune loudly. 

The conflict between these two nations is underdeveloped, which actually didn't bother me because both nations seemed to have reached somewhat of a stalemate. The prejudices still existed, but much of the battling was fading, and the war was fading from the public mindset. Because it was fading, our main characters didn't expound on it, allowing more pressing matters, even if trivial, to be the main focus.

What I did not like was Effy's disregard for intersectionality and her constant pestering of Preston. She uses racist stereotypes and insults, despite Preston being in a similar situation to hers. The disparaging doesn't end until she falls in love with him, but she never addresses her prejudice nor grows as a person. This reeks of, "I have a black friend, so I can't be racist." Because she fell in love with a half-Argantian man, suddenly she can't be racist. Yeah, that's not how that works, and it made me uncomfortable. I am hoping this is addressed in the next book, which is set to release later this year.

A Study in Drowning is certainly not for everyone. Many other reviewers have mentioned they were bored or couldn't connect with the characters. I can definitely see why that would be the case, but I still found the eerie setting, mystery, looming destruction, and the characters to be enthralling.