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A Study in Drowning

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Brought to you by Penguin.

THE SUNDAY TIMES AND NO. 1 NYT BESTSELLING NOVEL, FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE WOLF AND THE WOODSMAN

Effy has always believed in fairy tales. She's had no choice. Since childhood, she's been haunted by visions of the Fairy King. She's found solace only in the pages of Angharad - a beloved epic about a mortal girl who falls in love with the Fairy King, and then destroys him.

Effy's tattered copy is all that's keeping her afloat through her stifling first term her prestigious architecture college. So when the late author's family announces a contest to design his house, Effy fells certain this is her destiny.

But Hiraeth Manor is an impossible task: a musty, decrepit estate on the brink of crumbling into a hungry sea. And when Effy arrives, she finds she isn't the only one who's made a temporary home there. Preston Héloury, a stodgy young literature scholar, is studying Myrddin's papers and is determined to prove her favourite author is a fraud.

As the two rival students investigate the reclusive author's legacy, piecing together clues through his letters, books, and diaries, they discover that the house's foundation isn't the only thing that can't be trusted. There are dark forces, both mortal and magical, conspiring against them - and the truth may bring them both to ruin.

'A love letter to stories - and to everyone silenced or forgotten in their retelling.' Allison Saft, author of A Far Wilder Magic

Sunday Times bestseller, September 2023
New York Times bestseller, November 2023

©2023 Ava Reid (P)2023 Penguin Audio

 Dark Fantasy Fantasy Fiction Historical Magic Royalty

Critic reviews

A love letter to stories - and to everyone silenced or forgotten in their retelling.
A wonderfully written, tense and moving novel that offers its audience an endlessly readable mix of historical fiction, gothic mystery and fantasy romance that will draw you in again and again.
As merciless as a rising tide and as beguiling as a fairy's bargain.
A Study in Drowning is a stunning book in every way. From one phenomenal book to another, Ava Reid is an author I am obsessed with . . . A masterclass in pacing, characterisation and tension, with a beautiful meditation on stories and who gets to have an authorial voice.
A spell-binding mix of magic, myth, and mystery.
Reid wields lyricism, dark academia, and fairy-core elements to eloquently imbue the narrative with originality and depth that ferries themes surrounding grief, gender, and the value of folklore.
A lyrical examination of stories told, cherished myths, and an unravelling of truths held dear. Darkly romantic and unsettlingly eerie.
A dark and gripping feminist tale.
Lyrical, incisive, and tragically beautiful, this book will haunt your dreams. Reid delivers in every way - from the atmospheric house by the sea to the achingly hopeful romance to the examination of power, gender, and control, A Study in Drowning ruins and rebuilds you.
Full of myth and superstition, and heavy rains that fall upon crumbling old houses. A rewarding, romatic read, with much to chew on.
All stars
Most relevant
The story was engaging and original (a bit predictable in places though) - and as a Welsh person it makes me soo happy to see quality stories inspired by Welsh mythology. My main grievance was with the pronunciation of Welsh words and names. Overall the performance was great, the narrator really has a lovely voice and set a good pace, but as a Welsh speaker the terrible pronunciation really took me out of the story, and just generally annoyed me. Is it really so difficult to a) hire a Welsh speaker, or b) at least find a Welsh-speaking consultant to aid the narrator? This isn't the first audiobook with the same issues and it's a bit culturally insensitive, frankly. Also, Preston sometimes had a strong Scottish accent which randomly dissapears and reappears throughout the story - sometimes it wasn't clear which character was speaking because of the inconsistency.
Otherwise I felt like the ending was a bit drawn out, but overall I enjoyed the story. Pity about the pronunciation errors.

Interesting re-imagining of a Welsh Myth

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I loved this book top to tail. It felt immersive. The story is lovely and pertinent. When it was over, it felt too fleeting.

Sucks you right in

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Otherwise an excellent story, beautifully written & sensitively told. Very memorable. An author to watch.

*Check for trigger warnings*

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- the performance was great! And I found the narrators voice really soothing it was also crystal clear which character was speaking at any given time
- the plot was not as good as expected based on the hype… I found it pretty predictable in places

A bit predictable in places

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The vibe of the story was enjoyable, I will definitely read more from this author

The vibe

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