A Study in Drowning

I loved, loved, loved this book! The atmosphere, dark academia leanings, the mystery, the fairytale elements, relatability, and a non-cringey, slow burn romance. Most especially though it's themes on storytelling and authorship. I'm not sure I can fully articulate how much I loved this but I'll try!
The very beginning felt a bit awkward in the writing, but once Ava Reid hits her stride the writing literally drips with atmospheric lyricism. I FELT this book and was transported every time I opened it to a place that was damp, eerie, haunting and vivid. But it's not just the writing style that captivated me, but also the fact that Reid deals with some pretty unsettling and heavy subjects, while also telling a fantastic story. Sexism, patriarchy, sexual assault, female autonomy, and mental health are weaved in so well that it never feels heavy handed, but just disconcerting enough to make you pay attention and really think about the implications. It is written so seamlessly that it never detracts from the story or enjoyment of it. I really loved the main character Effy. Her struggles are relatable, she is relatable in so many ways and in the end very inspiring. I think that's what I enjoyed the most about this book - it deals with a lot of dark, unpleasant subjects, but Reid manages to build it into something very positive and inspiring. It would be easy to leave it in the mire and bitterness and bleakness, but instead her character Effy rises above that, fights to change her fate and inner struggles with wits, determination and bravery and I think we all could use more encouragement to do the same no matter our circumstances. Reading, books and storytelling have long been a huge source of comfort, encouragement and solace for me and this book hits so close to home on that fine line between our admiration for the flawed people who write those stories, the impact the stories have on our lives and how we navigate the tightrope of the ownership of those stories.
I want to say so much more, about the refreshingly healthy romance and actually likeable and decent love interest, the setting and fairytale aspect, but I'll stop here otherwise this review will be an essay and will leave it to others to discover this treasure of a book!