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A Study in Drowning

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A Study in Drowning

Written by: Ava Reid
Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld
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About this listen

An instant Indie and #1 New York Times bestseller!

“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 listeners who loved The Atlas Six, House of Salt and Sorrows, or Girl, Serpent, Thorn.

©2023 Ava Reid (P)2023 HarperCollins Publishers
Fantasy Fiction Science Fiction & Fantasy Magic Royalty

What the critics say

"Saskia Maarleveld's brisk narration sweeps listeners into an atmospheric setting that blends fantasy and reality. Maarleveld portrays the dissatisfaction and resentment of literature-loving Effy Sayre, whose gender is holding her back at architecture school.... Maarleveld animates all the characters, whether human or fairy. Most notable is her portrayal of Effy's caring fellow student, Preston, who partners with her in a literature project involving mysteries about the past. Maarleveld builds their attraction as it blossoms into romance." (AudioFIle)

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I love how most of the book is a mystery that could take place in our own world, in the 40s or 50s. In the end the story is heart wrenching and amazingly real feeling, even if it is a fantasy. Can’t recommend it enough.

Fantastic journey

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I didn't hate this book necessarily, but I did question early on just how many times Effy would cry by the end of it. Right away I was hooked by the intrigue of her treatment at the university and her connection to Angharad...but I kept asking 'girl, why we crying rn' quite a bit. I found myself frustrated with the author repeatedly reminding me that at all times Effy is choking back tears, and the constant use of metaphors related to drowning. After a certain point it looses its impact. Performance wise, the audiobook is fine, but it did annoy me that at the height of action the narrator gave no sense of urgency or danger. And worse yet, the resolution feels lazy. All in all, it sort of felt like this book came from 2013 Tumblr. Rich in gloomy aesthetic and atmosphere, and centered on a Very Pretty Yet Tragic(TM) protagonist that the depressed girlies can project themselves onto.

for the depressed tumblr girlies of 2013

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