A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid is a YA fantasy following an eighteen-year-old girl on her quest to prove herself in a world that seems bent on holding her down.
Effy Sayre has loved fairytales her whole life, but her misfortune at being born female keeps her from being able to follow her passion for them, instead going to school for architecture. When she learns of a request that her favorite author’s home be remodeled following his passing, she jumps at the opportunity to be the architect on the project. But Hiraeth Manor is a larger undertaking than the young woman could have imagined, with the unforgiving sea knocking at its door. Things are made more difficult still when she learns that a student of the school of literature (the one that wouldn’t take Effy because she was a girl) is already in residence and working on a scheme to discount her favorite author’s legacy. As they each investigate the legendary writer and his work, the lines between fantasy and reality begin to blur, and the truth threatens to tear their understanding of the world apart.
The female main character faces sexism and sexualization from many of the men around her throughout the novel. (As a trigger warning, there are implications of sexual assault.) These issues are rightly viewed as wrong within her point of view, and she complains about them often. As I, myself, have also faced sexist and sexual comments from peers and others, I understand her responses. I also understand her complaints when it comes to her family situation. However, at times the character came across as whiny, at least in my reading. She has every right to complain, but certain instances made me feel like she was written younger than she was meant to be.
The plot is well thought out and the world is fascinating and well-written. I took a little bit to become fully invested in the story, but when the stakes kicked up so did my interest. There was a bit of predictability and some spots where the pacing felt off, but the writing and character growth (and the small bit of romance) made those issues less pertinent to me. I also loved the underlying layer of sanity and madness that ran throughout the novel.
Books about books are some of my favorite kinds. I love following characters that have as much appreciation for the written word and the things it can do as I do, and this story and the political system within it has exactly that. I believe that anyone who trusts in the power of a good story and enjoys fantasy could find something to enjoy about this book.
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