The atmosphere of the book is truly immersive, with evocative descriptions of a dreary manor enveloped in water and rot. The academic vibes are a highlight, especially the scenes where Effy and Preston analyze literature and search for clues. The story incorporates a dark academia setting, with a focus on literature and a unique motif of the Fairy King, which adds to the intrigue. Reid handles sensitive topics such as sexual assault, abuse, sexism, and mental health with care, resulting in a poignant portrayal of Effy’s experiences. The plot, while intriguing at times, felt too rushed towards the end and lacked depth in some areas, if I’m being honest. Effy, a victim of prejudice, struggles with her own prejudices, particularly towards Preston, which can be off-putting most of the time. Despite the blurb mentioning academic rivals, Preston is actually quite patient and accommodating with Effy’s hostile demeanor, if I had to choose a character I would say I liked him the best. Effy occasionally comes across as immature, childish, and egoistic, which can make her a less endearing character at times. Despite having experienced traumas and difficulties, I struggled to connect with the protagonist, Effy, throughout the book. Her character traits and actions made it challenging for me to fully enjoy the story. While the plotline was engaging, it was Effy’s portrayal as the main character that hindered my ability to fully appreciate the book.

A Study in Drowning Dieses Buch hat mein Herz. Die Geschichte ist voller versteckter Magie, Mythen und Geheimnissen und unsere Protagonistin Effy steckt mittendrin. Allerdings nimmt sie keiner Ernst. Nicht ihre Professoren, ihre Mutter oder ihr Doktor. Alle sehen in ihr nur ein schwaches, verrücktes Mädchen mit einem Trauma, was sie kaputt gemacht zu haben scheint. Allerdings ist sie nichts davon. Sie ist mutig, stark und schlau. Im Buch geht es auch um Themen wie Feminismus, Vorurteile und um ganz viele Geheimnisse. Das Setting ist ein heruntergekommenes Anwesen, Hiraeth, welches direkt an die Klippen des wilden Ozeans grenzt und Effy soll im Rahmen ihres Architektur-Studiums einen neuen Entwurf für das Anwesen erstellen. In Hiraeth trifft sie außerdem auf den Literaturstudenten Preston und gemeinsam wollen sie herausfinden, was wirklich hinter der Fassade von Hiraeth steht. Ich war einfach total überrascht, wieviele wichtige Themen in diesem Buch angesprochen werden, weil ich von einem Jugendbuch garnicht sowas erwartet habe. Ich kann das Buch wirklich total weiterempfehlen.

Guess who finished their first book of this year, it's me and even more exciting it is one that has been on my shelf for two years at this point. I loved the dark moody atmosphere in this book, there wasn't really any magic just mystical creatures that not many believe in. The book really touches on inequality between men and woman, you really see how men don't care about them in a human way but rather like an object by the way most talked to the mfc, Effie. The entire book is based on how she wants to study literature but isn't allowed to since women aren't taken seriously and seen as a distraction for men (and sleeping there way through college instead of doing the work), which is why she settels for studying architecture instead. It really showed the unfairness of being born a woman and seeing it as a punishment from the gods. The mmc, Preston is so reasonable and listens to everything Effie has to say and even when he didn't believe some points he tried to understand. Especially in comparison to other men he is very careful and caring not initiating any physical touch/asking for her consent and reminding her of it multiple times. Such a fast read with a message every woman has lived, even if the ending was a bit sudden AND there was a spice scene (not explicit) at the worst time possible I definitely recommend it!

Beautiful atmosphere and very interesting and thorough world building. I liked the book as a whole, even though it is a bit anticlimactic and predictable at points. I’m excited for the sequel!

Loved this, it's the perfect book for fall! I especially loved Effy's character growth, but Preston's development was equally great. They also had a very wholesome relationship and had great chemistry. The plot went into a direction that I really enjoyed. There weren't many fantasy elements but I didn't feel like it was lacking anything. I just loved going along on Effy's and Preston's journey figuring out this (kind of?) mystery. The only things I didn't like were the first few pages, where I was just very bored, and I also did guess part of the ending. Loved it, recommend!!