A Study in Drowning: The Ever-Raging Sea

After a long and stressful exam season, I was looking forward to starting my summer with a fun, lighthearted story. My friends and I decided to go to our local bookstore, and while I was looking around at the endless shelves of books, one of them caught my eye. The cover was dark, almost depressing, with imagery that seemed inconsistent: floating book pages, an intricate desk cluttered with seemingly random objects, and desk legs submerged beneath a vast ocean. But what captivated me most was the girl on the cover. She glowed faintly as she stared into a gloomy sky, and I couldn’t stop wondering: how did all of these elements connect? I immediately added the novel to my already overflowing pile of books and started it the next day. Now, let’s dive in together and explore A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid.

Unlike the lighthearted story I set out to find, this book was nothing I anticipated. Most books in the “Young Adult” section, while fun to read, rarely tackle deeper and more impactful topics. However, Reid successfully incorporated themes of feminism and empowerment while highlighting themes of misconduct and sexual assault, all without detracting from the overall story. The book’s characters all had shades of gray, but developed very well throughout the story; I was particularly happy to see the main character, Effy, slowly transition from a weak, traumatized, and used girl into a stronger and more confident woman who fights for her rights.I also deeply appreciated Reid’s portrayal of mental health; it was raw, unflinching, and emotionally powerful.  

However, my favorite part of the story was Reid’s writing style; it was imaginative and easy to visualize, from the mundane and unkempt house of “Hiraeth Manor” to the raging sea to the dark and dreary bars. The atmosphere created was perfect for the story, and positively contributed to setting the mood of a dark-academian narrative. As I mentioned previously, however, the question bothered me from the start: how did everything on the cover fit? As I continued to read, everything started to fit together. By the end, the cover felt like a perfect reflection of the novel’s central themes: the dangers lurking beneath the surface, the pursuit of knowledge, and the ever-present sense of unease.

Unfortunately, while everything else was beautifully crafted, I felt that the actual story itself was lacking. It seemed as though the author focused so much on atmosphere, themes, and character development that the plot was somewhat neglected. As a result, the pacing felt uneven: too slow in some sections and rushed in others, particularly during the climax. This made the ending feel a bit unsatisfying and less impactful than it could have been. Additionally, while the writing was a key strength in shaping the book’s tone and atmosphere, it occasionally felt overly repetitive, seeming as though it was trying too hard to be descriptive. 

A Study in Drowning, despite its occasional pacing issues, is a beautifully written and emotionally rich novel that draws readers into a haunting world of myth, memory, and quiet resilience. Reid’s lyrical prose, vivid imagery, and exploration of trauma, power, and identity make this book a compelling experience; one that lingers more in atmosphere and introspection than in plot. I recommend this book to readers who aren’t necessarily looking for a fast-paced or tightly structured story, but instead want to immerse themselves in a dark, descriptive world that leaves them thinking long after it ends.