Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Del Rey (2023), 384 pages
Description
Fantasy. Historical Fiction. Young Adult Fiction. HTML: "Achingly atmospheric and beautifully sharp, A Study in Drowning will draw you in from the first page." �??Rory Power, New York Times bestselling author of Wilder Girls Bestselling author Ava Reid makes her YA debut in this dark academic fantasy perfect for fans of Melissa Albert and Elana K. Arnold. 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. Part historical fantasy, part rivals-to-lovers romance, part Gothic mystery, and all haunting, dreamlike atmosphere, Ava Reid's powerful YA debut will lure in readers who loved The Atlas Six, House of Salt and Sorrows, or Girl, Serpen… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member krau0098
Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I got a copy of this on ebook through NetGalley to review.
Thoughts: I ended up really enjoying this. It is a bit of an odd book that deals with dark fae and has a strangely Lovecaftian feel to it as well. I also enjoyed Reid's book "Juniper & Thorn"
Effy is the only female architecture student (she wanted to go into literature but they don't let women do that because women are too flighty). She has had some trouble with her professor abusing her and would love nothing more than to leave the college. She ends up winning a contest to redesign the house of a famous author named Myrddin; an author she really admires. However, when she journeys to the desolate Hiraeth Manor she realizes she's been given an impossible task. The house is literally falling into the sea and the new lord of the manor (Myrddin's son) is strange and seems to want to use Effy in the same way her professor wanted to use her.
The only saving grace is that there is another student there, Preston Héloury, working on his thesis. He draws Effy into a mystery around Myrddin that will upend everything she thinks she knows about the fae and her favorite author.
I ended up enjoying this. The story deals some with dark fae but has more of a Lovecraftian vibe to it at points. You have the sea pounding on the town that Hiraeth Manor is located in and the way it is infusing the walls of the house. The master of the house is slowly descending into madness as well. There are also heavy themes about women being taken advantage of and learning to stand up for themselves. Many of the men in here seek to abuse and take advantage of the women in their lives.
This is beautifully written and easy to read. You can smell and taste the moldy walls of Hiraeth Manor. While I got frustrated with Effy at times, I did sympathize for her. I thought the relationship between Effy and Preston was decently done. Although, the fact that Effy went from an abusive relationship with her professor directly into a relationship with another man who says he will protect her was not ideal. It would have been nice if Effy had learned to stand on her own two feet first.
My Summary (4/5): Overall I enjoyed this. The dark damp depths of Hiraeth Manor were strangely enticing and I enjoyed uncovering Myrddin's secrets. The characters weren't my absolutely favorite but I did enjoy the dark fae and Lovecraftian vibes to this story. This was a good read and I will keep an eye out for future books by Reid. I enjoy the darker tone that her books have.
Thoughts: I ended up really enjoying this. It is a bit of an odd book that deals with dark fae and has a strangely Lovecaftian feel to it as well. I also enjoyed Reid's book "Juniper & Thorn"
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when I read it.Effy is the only female architecture student (she wanted to go into literature but they don't let women do that because women are too flighty). She has had some trouble with her professor abusing her and would love nothing more than to leave the college. She ends up winning a contest to redesign the house of a famous author named Myrddin; an author she really admires. However, when she journeys to the desolate Hiraeth Manor she realizes she's been given an impossible task. The house is literally falling into the sea and the new lord of the manor (Myrddin's son) is strange and seems to want to use Effy in the same way her professor wanted to use her.
The only saving grace is that there is another student there, Preston Héloury, working on his thesis. He draws Effy into a mystery around Myrddin that will upend everything she thinks she knows about the fae and her favorite author.
I ended up enjoying this. The story deals some with dark fae but has more of a Lovecraftian vibe to it at points. You have the sea pounding on the town that Hiraeth Manor is located in and the way it is infusing the walls of the house. The master of the house is slowly descending into madness as well. There are also heavy themes about women being taken advantage of and learning to stand up for themselves. Many of the men in here seek to abuse and take advantage of the women in their lives.
This is beautifully written and easy to read. You can smell and taste the moldy walls of Hiraeth Manor. While I got frustrated with Effy at times, I did sympathize for her. I thought the relationship between Effy and Preston was decently done. Although, the fact that Effy went from an abusive relationship with her professor directly into a relationship with another man who says he will protect her was not ideal. It would have been nice if Effy had learned to stand on her own two feet first.
My Summary (4/5): Overall I enjoyed this. The dark damp depths of Hiraeth Manor were strangely enticing and I enjoyed uncovering Myrddin's secrets. The characters weren't my absolutely favorite but I did enjoy the dark fae and Lovecraftian vibes to this story. This was a good read and I will keep an eye out for future books by Reid. I enjoy the darker tone that her books have.
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LibraryThing member spiritedstardust
What I liked:
Gothic vibes, crumbling manors, tempestuous seas.
The writing style.
Angharad.
The fairy king lore.
What I didn’t like:
Effy - she’s legit racist - and the way she spoke to Preston and the names she called him were gross.
The romance was lacklustre.
Gothic vibes, crumbling manors, tempestuous seas.
The writing style.
Angharad.
The fairy king lore.
What I didn’t like:
Effy - she’s legit racist - and the way she spoke to Preston and the names she called him were gross.
The romance was lacklustre.
LibraryThing member jmchshannon
Ava Reid does not write cheery, fairy tale-esque stories with happily-ever-after endings. Instead, she writes nuanced stories with vivid imagery and dark themes. She makes her heroines and you, the reader, work for every good thing that happens. To persevere through one of her novels is to observe
A Study in Drowning may be Ms. Reid's first novel for young adults, but her approach to the story is the same as with her adult novels. She does not shy away from triggering situations but does so in a way that is not explicit or visceral. Ms. Reid knows that your imagination is better than anything she could write about a character's secrets, and she is more than happy to let your imagination run rampant regarding Effy's secret. When the plot is ready for it, only then she gently hints at the truth. It is an effective method to instill anxiety and darkness with little effort but major results.
A Study in Drowning is, in essence, a coming-of-age story for Effy. By traveling to a remote location, Effy is able to grow beyond the labels attached to her by her fellow students. She breaks the model enclosed around her by her parents and society and learns a few harsh truths along the way.
However much A Study in Drowning is about Effy, the star of the story is the mysterious and decrepit Hiraeth Manor. Everything about this setting is creepy, from the peeling wallpaper to the standing water. In creating this larger-than-life, leaking building, Ms. Reid generates the tension and horror that hallmark her stories. Long after Effy's story reaches its satisfactory conclusion, you will remember the basement full of water and the waterlogged cliffs that peel away from the edge without warning.
Ms. Reid's novels may not be for everyone, but they should get more attention than they do. A Study in Drowning is the perfect novel to introduce yourself to her dark storytelling. In it, Ms. Reid covers more than one triggering topic with a gentleness that belies her stormy setting. She also creates in Effy a character who is much stronger than even she believes. As with her other novels, A Study in Drowning is a poignant but brutal observation of women's roles in society and the bonds women need to break to not just survive but also thrive.
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a rich tapestry of human darkness overcome by human strength. A Study in Drowning may be Ms. Reid's first novel for young adults, but her approach to the story is the same as with her adult novels. She does not shy away from triggering situations but does so in a way that is not explicit or visceral. Ms. Reid knows that your imagination is better than anything she could write about a character's secrets, and she is more than happy to let your imagination run rampant regarding Effy's secret. When the plot is ready for it, only then she gently hints at the truth. It is an effective method to instill anxiety and darkness with little effort but major results.
A Study in Drowning is, in essence, a coming-of-age story for Effy. By traveling to a remote location, Effy is able to grow beyond the labels attached to her by her fellow students. She breaks the model enclosed around her by her parents and society and learns a few harsh truths along the way.
However much A Study in Drowning is about Effy, the star of the story is the mysterious and decrepit Hiraeth Manor. Everything about this setting is creepy, from the peeling wallpaper to the standing water. In creating this larger-than-life, leaking building, Ms. Reid generates the tension and horror that hallmark her stories. Long after Effy's story reaches its satisfactory conclusion, you will remember the basement full of water and the waterlogged cliffs that peel away from the edge without warning.
Ms. Reid's novels may not be for everyone, but they should get more attention than they do. A Study in Drowning is the perfect novel to introduce yourself to her dark storytelling. In it, Ms. Reid covers more than one triggering topic with a gentleness that belies her stormy setting. She also creates in Effy a character who is much stronger than even she believes. As with her other novels, A Study in Drowning is a poignant but brutal observation of women's roles in society and the bonds women need to break to not just survive but also thrive.
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LibraryThing member Carolesrandomlife
This was fabulous! I have loved everything that I have read from this author so far so I went into this book with some pretty high expectations and I am happy to report that I was not disappointed. The writing was gorgeous and the characters were very likable. The story hooked me quickly and I
Effy is a first-year architecture student. She would love to study literature instead but women are not allowed in the program. When she sees the chance to possibly work on designing the home her favorite author’s home she jumps at the chance. Once she arrives, she finds the home is in further disrepair than she imagined and there is another student doing work in the home. Preston is there as a literature student. As they look into things, they discover that they have even more questions than they thought.
I loved the characters in this book. It was obvious early on that Effy had an interesting history and I loved the way that the author gave us that background a little at a time throughout the story. Effy and Preston were a great match and I enjoyed watching them connect over the course of the story. The dark gothic setting was so well-developed that it almost came alive on the page.
I paired the audiobook with a digital copy and thought that Saskia Maarlevald did a phenomenal job with the narration. I have been a fan of her narration work in the past so I was excited to see that she was reading this story. She did a wonderful job with the various character voices which helped to bring the story to life. I am certain that her narration added to my enjoyment of this story. Overall, I thought that this was a wonderful book that will be going on my keeper shelf and I would not hesitate to recommend this book to others.
I received a digital review copy of this book from Harper Teen.
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couldn’t wait to see what would happen to Effy and Preston.Effy is a first-year architecture student. She would love to study literature instead but women are not allowed in the program. When she sees the chance to possibly work on designing the home her favorite author’s home she jumps at the chance. Once she arrives, she finds the home is in further disrepair than she imagined and there is another student doing work in the home. Preston is there as a literature student. As they look into things, they discover that they have even more questions than they thought.
I loved the characters in this book. It was obvious early on that Effy had an interesting history and I loved the way that the author gave us that background a little at a time throughout the story. Effy and Preston were a great match and I enjoyed watching them connect over the course of the story. The dark gothic setting was so well-developed that it almost came alive on the page.
I paired the audiobook with a digital copy and thought that Saskia Maarlevald did a phenomenal job with the narration. I have been a fan of her narration work in the past so I was excited to see that she was reading this story. She did a wonderful job with the various character voices which helped to bring the story to life. I am certain that her narration added to my enjoyment of this story. Overall, I thought that this was a wonderful book that will be going on my keeper shelf and I would not hesitate to recommend this book to others.
I received a digital review copy of this book from Harper Teen.
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LibraryThing member sennebec
This one drills very far into the creepy and is set in an interesting world. Effy has a very tangled history, one that she's not always certain about. Was she abandoned and then not? Does she see the Fairy King, or is he a hallucination? One thing is certain, the strange book, her tattered copy of
When the late author's widow offers students at the university a chance to design plans for the renovation of the family manse in a remote southern town, there's no way she can ignore it.
Once selected and discovering that a snobbish literature student from her school is also at the house, ostensibly to research the late author's papers, things get prickly, then ultra-strange, then murky, and more.
Read the book to discover all the complexity that's between the covers. I guarantee you'll get lost in a most satisfying way.
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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. Thwarted in her attempt to become the first female to be accepted into the literature program, she's muddling along in the school of architecture.When the late author's widow offers students at the university a chance to design plans for the renovation of the family manse in a remote southern town, there's no way she can ignore it.
Once selected and discovering that a snobbish literature student from her school is also at the house, ostensibly to research the late author's papers, things get prickly, then ultra-strange, then murky, and more.
Read the book to discover all the complexity that's between the covers. I guarantee you'll get lost in a most satisfying way.
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LibraryThing member Black-Lilly
Ms Reid and I won't become friends anymore I fear.
Seeing this book in the monthly book box I was not really thrilled as I didn't really like the Wolf and the Huntsman, but I thought, let's give her a chance, this is after all her third book now, and she might have grown as a writer and might have
Simple sentence structure, occasional interlaced with big words (that feels like as if they were looked up just for this sentence) followed by a more "traditional" writing style, and once again, passages that are way too over descriptive. Which would not be so bad, if other parts of the story that might needed than more in depth are completely forgotten. (Did they ever eat anything at the house? Or did they only ever had coffee?)
Or for the nonsensical part, why do two grown ups need the permission of their host to leave?
I think my biggest issue is the lack of character development, which was already pretty flawed in the Wolf. Instead of having a path of how Preston and Effy get to know each other better, it is they meet and boom "hey let's write this very very important thesis together, doesn't matter that I have no idea if you can write, but when I saw you for the first time, I knew I wanted to do it only with you!' "Oh Preston, kiss me!"
On the plus side, I liked the surrealism of the decaying house, sadly Ms Reid could have done so much more with it but she drowned herself in unnecessary details just to get to a certain word counts (or so it seems) while on the other hand glossing over events that could have given the story more depth.
Seeing this book in the monthly book box I was not really thrilled as I didn't really like the Wolf and the Huntsman, but I thought, let's give her a chance, this is after all her third book now, and she might have grown as a writer and might have
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gotten those things I considered major flaws in her debut under control. Sadly, she hasn't. If I thought the Wolf book suffered from plot holes and nonsensical plot lines at least her writing style was not objectionable (at least I don't remember that I was annoyed by it), now we have a story not necessarily with plot holes but still with a lot of nonsensical parts, topped with a writing style that is all over the place. Simple sentence structure, occasional interlaced with big words (that feels like as if they were looked up just for this sentence) followed by a more "traditional" writing style, and once again, passages that are way too over descriptive. Which would not be so bad, if other parts of the story that might needed than more in depth are completely forgotten. (Did they ever eat anything at the house? Or did they only ever had coffee?)
Or for the nonsensical part, why do two grown ups need the permission of their host to leave?
I think my biggest issue is the lack of character development, which was already pretty flawed in the Wolf. Instead of having a path of how Preston and Effy get to know each other better, it is they meet and boom "hey let's write this very very important thesis together, doesn't matter that I have no idea if you can write, but when I saw you for the first time, I knew I wanted to do it only with you!' "Oh Preston, kiss me!"
On the plus side, I liked the surrealism of the decaying house, sadly Ms Reid could have done so much more with it but she drowned herself in unnecessary details just to get to a certain word counts (or so it seems) while on the other hand glossing over events that could have given the story more depth.
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Awards
Golden Poppy Book Award (Winner — Young Adult — 2024)
NPR: Books We Love (2023)
Language
Original language
English
Physical description
384 p.; 8.74 inches
ISBN
1529150507 / 9781529150506
Local notes
Effy - a young architecture student, and Preston - a stodgy literature scholar, investigate an author's legacy and uncover sinister secrets in a crumbling old manor house.
Waterstones exclusive with decorative green sprayed page edges.
Waterstones exclusive with decorative green sprayed page edges.