A Study in Drowning

This is a tricky one to accurately rate. I loved it and easily rate it at least 4 stars, but I'm going to have to sit with my thoughts for a bit before deciding if that's where it should stay.

UPDATED REVIEW:
Let me start off by saying I am a sucker for dark academia, books about books, and gothic settings, so this book would have had to try hard to disappoint. I'm glad to say that wasn't the case. The decaying almost-haunted house atop a cliff setting was visceral, the enemies-to-lovers romance was incredibly satisfying, and the themes of institutional sexism in academia, the relationship between author and reader, and space for old-world beliefs in a modern world all worked wonderfully.

That said, I still can't help but feel like something was missing. Almost like a new partner tried cooking your favorite childhood dish and although the meal was absolutely delicious and filling in its own right, you can still tell an ingredient was missing‚ even if you can't tell which.

Perhaps that was the intention. This book is about questioning reality—not knowing who or what to believe—and perhaps that applies not just to the story, but to the author's actual writing as well. The story moves along quickly, almost conveniently, setting up only what needs to happen. As I was reading, I felt like key details were being omitted or perhaps happening just offscreen. I knew there was more—a larger world, a larger story—but I wasn't privy to it. At least not yet. Just like Effy, I had to question whether to believe what I was being told or believe what I knew I was seeing. I'm still questioning it. So, I guess in that regard, the book was successful.

Haunting and beautifully written, this book is something special.

Thanks to HarperCollins/HarperTeen and NetGalley for allowing me to read this digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.