A Study in Drowning

If monsters exist, then so do the women who conquer them. In Ava Reid's captivating YA dark academic fantasy, reminiscent of The Hazel Wood and A Deadly Education, we are introduced to a world where Effy, a believer in fairy tales out of necessity, confronts her deepest fears. Since her early years, she’s been tormented by visions of the Fairy King, finding refuge only in Angharad, a cherished tale of a mortal girl who loves and ultimately destroys the Fairy King. Effy clings to her worn copy as she navigates the challenges of her first year at a prestigious architecture college.Her chance to escape becomes real when a competition to design the late author’s house is announced by his family. Effy is convinced it's her calling. However, Hiraeth Manor proves to be a daunting challenge—a dilapidated estate teetering on the edge of a relentless sea. Upon her arrival, Effy discovers she isn’t alone. Preston Héloury, a rigid young literature scholar, is also residing there, immersing himself in Myrddin's papers and determined to expose the author as a fraud.As Effy and Preston delve into the author's secluded world, uncovering secrets hidden in letters, books, and diaries, they realize that not only the manor's foundations are unreliable. There are ominous, both human and supernatural, forces working against them, threatening to obliterate everything they hold dear as they inch closer to the truth.