A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid Summary

A Study in Drowning follows Effy Sayre, the only female architecture student at her university, who wins a competition to redesign the crumbling estate of her favorite deceased author, Emrys Myrddin. At the remote Hiraeth Manor, she encounters Preston Heloury, a scholar investigating whether Myrddin was a fraud, and must navigate blurring lines between reality and folklore while uncovering dark secrets about the author and seeking justice for women wronged by powerful men.

A Study in Drowning is ideal for readers who enjoy gothic fantasy with feminist themes, dark academia aesthetics, and romance elements. This book appeals to fans of atmospheric storytelling that explores trauma, sexism in academia, and folklore mythology. Young adult and adult readers interested in stories about female resilience, literary mysteries, and the intersection of reality and fantasy will find this particularly compelling, though potential readers should note it contains discussions of sexual abuse and trauma.

A Study in Drowning is worth reading for its atmospheric prose, compelling exploration of feminist themes, and unique blend of gothic horror with romance. The New York Times bestseller has been praised as "scary, ominous, intense, moving, bold, and one of the best reads" by reviewers. Ava Reid's rich sensory details create an immersive experience that examines trauma, patriarchal power structures, and women's agency. However, readers sensitive to themes of sexual abuse should approach with awareness of these content warnings.

Ava Reid is a New York Times bestselling author born in Manhattan in 1996, who writes gothic fantasy for young adult and adult audiences. She holds a degree in political science from Barnard College and has published The Wolf and the Woodsman, Juniper & Thorn, Lady Macbeth, and A Study in Drowning, which became her bestselling debut in the YA category. Reid's work is heavily influenced by gothic literature, folklore, and authors like Kelly Link and Shirley Jackson, focusing on themes of exclusion and women's roles in patriarchal societies.

A Study in Drowning explores feminist resistance against patriarchal academia, trauma and healing from sexual abuse, and the power of storytelling and literary legacy. The novel examines how women navigate hostile environments, the blurring boundaries between myth and reality, and the search for truth and justice. Additional themes include identity and self-perception, the symbolism of water representing both danger and transformation, and the importance of romantic and platonic relationships in overcoming adversity.

Effy Sayre is an eighteen-year-old architecture student and the only woman in her department, struggling with hallucinations of the Fairy King since childhood and facing academic failure after rumors spread about her involvement with a professor. She finds solace in the works of poet Emrys Myrddin, particularly his poem Angharad, which she can recite entirely. Despite her passion for literature being denied due to her gender, Effy wins the competition to redesign Myrddin's estate, where she must confront her nightmares, trauma, and uncover dangerous truths.

Preston Heloury is an Argentinean literature scholar who initially antagonizes Effy because he was accepted into the literature program that rejected her solely based on gender. At Hiraeth Manor, Preston conducts a secret investigation to prove Emrys Myrddin is a fraud by examining inconsistencies in his signatures and questioning how an uneducated fisherman's son could write epic masterpieces. Despite their initial conflict, Effy and Preston team up to uncover the truth about Myrddin and the manor, developing a romantic relationship in Ava Reid's first true foray into romance writing.

Hiraeth Manor is the crumbling, remote estate of deceased author Emrys Myrddin, located in a dangerous part of the country and severely damaged by flooding and drowning. The dilapidated house features secret passages, iron doors, and gothic architecture while being constantly threatened by the unforgiving sea knocking at its door. The manor serves as both the setting for Effy's redesign project and a place where reality and fantasy blur, with increasing supernatural occurrences involving the Fairy King, Myrddin's eccentric son Ianto, and an ill widow locked in her room.

A Study in Drowning directly confronts systemic sexism in academia through Effy's experiences as the only female architecture student facing rejection from literature programs, sexual harassment from professors, and constant undermining of her abilities. The novel explores how patriarchal power structures enable abuse and silence women's voices, while also examining trauma survivors' struggles when perpetrators hold positions of authority. Ava Reid uses the investigation of Myrddin's legacy to reveal how women's contributions are erased or attributed to men, ultimately delivering a story about reclaiming agency and seeking justice.

A Study in Drowning is a young adult gothic fantasy with elements of romance, horror, and dark academia. The novel blends atmospheric storytelling with folklore and mythology, creating what Ava Reid describes as her first true romance and YA work after two adult fantasy novels. The book combines gothic literature traditions with feminist themes, featuring Reid's signature style of interweaving myth with real-world struggles, making it appeal to readers across fantasy, horror, and literary fiction genres.

Some readers find Effy's character comes across as whiny despite her justified complaints about sexism and trauma, with certain instances making her seem younger than her eighteen years. Critics note that while her responses to sexual harassment are understandable and relatable, the frequency of complaints occasionally detracts from narrative momentum. However, most reviews remain overwhelmingly positive, praising the book's atmospheric prose, thematic depth, and handling of difficult subjects, with these character criticisms representing minority perspectives rather than widespread consensus.

A Study in Drowning marks Ava Reid's departure into young adult fiction and true romance, following her adult fantasy novels The Wolf and the Woodsman and Juniper & Thorn. While all her works explore feminist themes, folklore influences, and gothic atmospheres, A Study in Drowning features lighter horror elements compared to Juniper & Thorn's intense gothic horror. The novel maintains Reid's signature atmospheric prose and examination of women's roles in patriarchal societies but offers more accessible YA storytelling and a central romantic relationship, demonstrating her versatility across age categories and romance integration.