A Study in Drowning

Surprisingly good! I was wary of the whole dark academia billing, as I dislike TikTok trends/aesthetics/what-have-you, but it was very enjoyable! I'm not a huge fan of fairy myth or romance, but both elements worked out well. One of the few romantic subplots I've actually enjoyed is in this book! The characters fit well together, and had a healthy relationship. The prose is deliciously descriptive, but not overbearing. I also enjoyed the in-world quotes that preceded each chapter.

Issues:

I couldn't decide on a rough time period that the book is based on, so details like television, the common use of cars, and women wearing pants in a misogynistic society threw me off. I was thinking the world building was 1920s-30s-ish, but I'm getting a 50s, maybe even 60s impression now. I really don't know. It doesn't matter much.

Lastly, Preston is just a bit too perfect. Sure, he's arrogant, but no-one ever treats their partners well all the time. I wish that wasn't the case in books or real life, but, considering the goings-on of the story, he should have at least one minor mistake interacting with Effy. On the flip side, she does make mistakes relationship-wise, making her portrayal stick out less in a book of messed-up people.