Thank you Netgalley, Del Rey and Allison Saft for allowing me to read an arc of A Dark and Drowning Tide in exchange for my honest review..

This one hurts a little. As soon as I read the synopsis for this book I knew I had to get my hands on it as soon as I could. I loved the way Allison Saft weaved folklore into the plot, often using these stories to mirror what was happening to the characters on the page. Those were some of my favorite moments.

However, I just wanted more. I wanted more backstory to better understand the characters and their motives (which is a huge part of the plot and we only get crumbs). I wanted more action, more tension, just more! I would have loved to see the plot of this book fleshed out into more than one volume, I feel like it would have given it more time with flush out some of the pacing issues.

I was engrossed in the book and did manage to get teary eyed in a few moments between Lorelei and Slyvia but I just wanted more!

I’ll definitely be checking out Allison’s other work as I was truly engrossed in the book when I was reading it and enjoyed her writing style very much.

Was not for me sadly, I think I’ll give the audiobook a go, but this was not it for me. Maybe I don’t like academia much these days.

Despite having two other books by Allison Saft on my TBR, both of which are already published, this ARC of A Dark and Drowning Tide is the first of her books that I've read. (Also, quick shout to NetGalley, Del Rey, and Allison Saft for making it possible for me to read this book before its publication!!) I am even more anticipatory of when I can read her other books now that I've gotten a taste of her work.

A Dark and Drowning Tide is many things--full of a cast of incredibly interesting characters, a peek into a world that is both like ours and also so different, a story that left me gasping, groaning, and grinning in turn--but what it is not is a disappointment. It took me a bit of time to get into this book (fanfiction related hyperfixations will almost always come out on top when I'm trying to decide what to read during my lunch break no matter how excited I am about the other book I'm planning to read), but by the time I finally sat down and made myself read the first chapter, I was hooked. I finished about half the book that day and the other half the next. Part of what drew me in was that cast of characters I mentioned before--not only are Lorelei and Sylvia intriguing (both as individuals and in their interactions with each other), but so are the group of other characters that surround them. Each is rich in backstory and detail, and, though we only scratch at their true depths, I found myself as attached to some of them as I did our main characters.

The thing that most firmly drew me into this book was the world in which it is set. There are familiar parts to this world--Lorelei's religion is a clear allusion to Judaism, and the empire in which our characters live gave me some pretty strong vibes of Austria-Hungary--and other parts are unfamiliar in their fantastical nature. (Vanishing islands that only appear at a certain time in the moon's cycle, the ability to control water magically, the wildeleute...) Seeing these things interplay was a joy within itself. And then there are the folktales. As a folklorist, Lorelei is full of them, and she's constantly bringing them up in her mind. I truly believe some of the best ways to understand people are through their folklore, and the folktales Lorelei tells in her own mind are wonderful windows into the world in which she lives. It is also so much fun to see what bits of the folktales are from folktales we have in our own world, and which ones are changed to fit the world in which the characters live.

I highly enjoyed A Dark and Drowning Tide. I can almost guarantee that this is a book I will be buying a print copy of when it releases so that I can have it on my shelf and return to it whenever I want. If you enjoy folkloric fantasy, dark academia, mystery, and sapphic love stories, then this book is definitely for you. If you can't get your hands on an ARC, make sure you watch out for it in libraries and bookstores this September. Or get ahead of the game and preorder it now!

This was beautiful, I had a very good time in this magical book. I like the way it was written. It was done good. I like the characters also.

The folklore in this book was absolutely beautiful and the gothic dark atmosphere built into the fantasy of this world was even better. I truly loved every second of this, and I love Allison Saft’s writing style even more. The way she describes everything helps immerse you into the world/story more than you could possibly imagine and it keeps you wanting more and more. The worldbuilding was amazing, and confusing at first but once I reread some parts I understood everything. The magic system in this book was fun to read and experience also.
Lorelei and Sylvia are the main characters in this story and I love both of them immensely. Lorelei is a folklorist and Sylvia is her academic rival. Their romance that unfolded throughout the story was wonderful to read and I loved the yearning they had for each other at certain points. They both also had good character development and I was never disappointed with either of their actions. Everything made sense for both characters.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballentine for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I had such an incredible time reading this book!! The last novel I picked up from this author was their debut Down Comes the Night, and while I enjoyed and was frustrated by that one in equal measure, I could tell that this was an author that I really, really wanted to read more of, especially as their writing and craft matured. And oh man did A Dark and Drowning Tide prove me right!!!

I do think it's important for prospective readers to know that while there are strong romance elements in the book, it is first and foremost a fantasy novel, despite marketing putting it forth as a fantasy romance novel. (It very much is not.)

This story seems to be set in a world loosely inspired by the consolidation of German states under Wilhelm of Prussia (mid to late 1800s), which makes for an incredibly fun setting; I've not come across any recent fiction set in that time period, and by lifting qualities from the real historical world to put into this fantasy one, the author is able to create and explore some really interesting ideas. There also feel like some glancing nods to the Brothers Grimm (who were doing fieldwork during this time period), but not in a way that would draw any strong parallels (at least in my opinion).

The world-building is incredibly solid: meticulous politics, mysterious fae creatures, and grounded invented folklore abound. All combine with great character writing to guide us through a world that feels fully-realized, and that I would honestly love to spend more time in. Even though the world is a secondary fantasy world, the author does very well in exploring themes of prejudice; while the world is not sexist or heteronormative, it is strongly antisemitic and xenophobic. Working with these themes within a fantasy context allows both author and reader flexibility to think and dwell upon these issues in a compelling way.

I also really loved the characters. All six in our main cast are deeply developed and wonderfully complex. We struggle with pulling apart the strings of their actions and motivations as much as Lorelei does, but completely alongside her, since we are able to understand their character as much as she does.

Overall, an incredibly fantastic reading experience. I stayed up into the wee hours of the morning because I could not wait to find out how the story unfolded. I will absolutely be pre-ordering a copy, and I will be recommending my library does the same. Cannot wait to hear what my friends think when it comes out!!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Allison Saft can do no wrong. This is another masterpiece and I fell in love with this one from the beginning. It’s fantastic. The story, the characters, the plot all blend seamlessly. I can’t recommend this one enough!

If I were to characterize A Dark and Drowning Tide with a single song, it would be “Dress” by Taylor Swift. Allison Saft’s adult debut is a sapphic romantasy filled with secret moments, pining, and anticipation. Sylvia and Lorelai’s romance will draw you under the current of its depths, leaving you breathless.

The romance between Sylvia and Lorelai is the heartbeat of the story, alive, and pulsating along with the reader’s suspense.

Surprisingly, the romance is a subplot to the first half of the novel, subsequently taking a backseat to the murder mystery narrative. However, it is essential to the story itself. A Dark and Drowning Tide is a slowburn, but their longing builds and builds, leading to an electrifying culmination.

The novel is very much a dark academia book with gothic vibes. Mix in fantasy, and a bit of real-life historical inspiration and you have an immersive tale. Despite a lack of advertising, there is an element of political intrigue to the story. The logistics of the political elements are partially off-page, but relevant to the resolution of the “whodunnit.”

To me, Lorelai and Sylvia’s romance is exemplary of rivals to lovers and gives off a I can’t stand you… how you make me undone vibe. One could also appropriately coin their relationship as enemies to lovers as well.

One of my favorite aspects of the romance within A Dark and Drowning Tide are the “screw-it” moments where Sylvia and Lorelai are unguarded and unabashed. While there is only one spicy scene in the book, there are sacred moments between the two that showcase lust and angst between the two.

Additionally, there were a few aspects of the novel that I found myself struggling a bit with, hence the 4-star rating. The names of the characters were quite fantastical, of which I love the concept. However, it’s execution was lacking. The book could have benefited from pronunciation guide to allow me to fully immerse myself in the story. I ended up giving the character’s nicknames and referring to them by the first letter of their name. It’s a bit disheartening because I imagine the names would be pronounced beautifully.

Another quick sidenote, will Alison Saft please give us a spin-off with Ludwig? That’s mostly a joke, but I would be very interested in reading about his adventures! For anyone who has read The Last Hours series by Cassandra Clare, Ludwig reminds me of the character Christopher Lightwood. He’s a bit of a science nerd, with glasses. Who wouldn’t want a book of a wholesome character acting on his scientific exploration and hear him gush about it?

All in all, A Dark and Drowning Tide was one of the best books I have read this year. It was incredibly immersive and beautifully crafted. I will most definitely be nominating this book for LibraryReads and will be making sure our library secures a copy.

Thank you to NetGalley, and Del Rey for this advanced reader copy.

•eARC Review•
A Dark and Downing Tide by Allison Saft
Rating: ★ ★ ★ .5

This is a wonderful dark and gothic inspired folk tale. This one was a little slow to start but really picked up after the first third or so. From there it’s captivating with mystery, murder, grief, romance, a whole lot of rivalry, and adventure.

Thank you so much Allison Saft, NetGalley, and Random House Publishing Group-Ballentine for this ARC read!

Oh this was a banger. It was a little slow at the beginning, but once it hit about 40% of the way through, I literally could not put it down. If gothic sapphic vibes are your weakness, this is for you

rating: 2.25/5

to be completely honest, my rating might not be fair—i don’t think i’d mind this book as much as i did if i hadn’t been so excited for it. while i struggle to find much good to say about it, there isn’t much that i strongly disliked either.

allison saft is an incredible writer, so of course the writing itself is good. the prose is clear and easy to follow, while still having such a lovely lyrical quality to it. it’s full of descriptive imagery, and while the world building could be clunky at times, i think she still created a very complete and thoroughly explained world. she created a world with strong bones and a lot of potential—but to me that potential was never fulfilled.

something i love about allison saft books is they always feel a bit cosy—usually the stakes aren’t world-endingly high, there are no chosen ones, and the setting is pretty contained. well, the plot in this one was all over the place. this is both a murder mystery and a standard quest story, but it seemed as if the story couldn’t decide which it wanted to be the primary focus, so instead neither plot line received proper treatment. there are supposed to be severe political stakes to the quest and political intricacies between the main cast of characters, but with how all over the place this is, none of that really comes across. the plot twists were underwhelming and predictable, and while the story itself wasn’t predictable (again, because it could not decide what it wanted to be), nothing was surprising or shocking either.

the characters too are all completely underdeveloped, with the tentative exception of lorelei solely because you’re in her mind. lorelei is a deeply unreliable narrator, which i appreciated, but she’d say conflicting things within the space of a page or two, which grew frustrating quickly. had she never thought of silvia in this way, or had she thought of her this way a thousand times? your guess is as good as mine, since she says both two pages apart. while i like a good unlikable main character, lorelei’s constant melodrama was grating—but i did like that silvia actually calls her on it regularly. it’s refreshing to see this melodrama portrayed as a flaw instead of as poetic, if that makes sense?

but the other characters were one dimensional and flat, even silvia, who was at least a bit better developed than the others. their personalities are reduced to one thing, and while you’re told their motivations, you’re neither told nor shown enough to really care about them. this makes all the reveals and twists very anticlimactic, and the interpersonal relationships very dry (an absolute tragedy, because some of them had SUCH good set-up and so much potential).

and, of course, the underdeveloped characters really affected the romance. it’s obvious who the romance will be between, so if you look there’s plenty that’s meant to further the romance between silvia and lorelei. but there’s no chemistry there, and besides a handful of out of the blue lines, there’s no indication of any real romantic feelings between the two. the romance was ultimately just unbelievable and hard to root for, because it was all so shallow. i won’t even get started on the love confessions, but those were probably some of me least favorite scenes in the whole book.

I will start off with the Absolutely stunning cover on this book, it’s what first drew me to the book. I would buy it just for that reason alone to add to my library.

Truly a good gothic fairy tale that is perfect for this upcoming spooky season. This book is expected to drop September 17, 2024

What I loved about it:

Murder mystery

Gothic fairytale

Adult fantasy inspired by German folklore

Slow burn 🔥 Academic rivals ⚔️ to lovers (smart mouth, quick witted MC)

Academic expedition through a Sentient Forest 🌳 winds up with a death and a case of who done it amongst the 6 very different adventurers on a mission. All trying to find the source of all magic that has only been spoken about in folktales.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballentine for granting me an ARC to this book in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, I have to mark this as DNF at about 1/3rd of the way through. It's not a bad book, and I feel bad that my rating has to effect the total, but it's just not for me. I like the concept, but I felt like the world building was a bit too clunky--a lot of information is dumped on the readers, and the way characters are introduced makes it difficult to remember all of them. I might check out an audio book version, since it might be easier for me to absorb the information if I'm listening to it, but my 'to read' list is too long and my patience is too thin to read any more of this book right now.

There is so much here: Mystery, magic, romance, adventure, political intrigue, academic rivalry, racism and classism, grief and healing. All these different themes and elements come together in a healthy balance and make A Dark and Drowning Tide a really good read. I love the different folk tales woven throughout the story. They strengthen the characterization of Lorelei, the main character, as she is a folklorist and recalls the folk tales of her people the Yeva (an analogue for Jewish people). The tales also enhance the world building in a unique way and support different points in the plot.

Most of the characters were really well fleshed out which isn't easy to manage with six characters. I had a hard time between Heike and Adleheid but otherwise the cast is very strong with clear motives and they were easy to get attached to. Some characters who seemed one dimensional at first showed different parts of themselves that made them all somewhat dynamic.

I love how the magic and world building leans into the Fae influence. The strange, unpredictability of the magic really helped keep things engaging. All in all this was a solid read.

A dark and drawing tide follows Lorelei and Sylvia Who are academic rivals. I guess they’re competing for some position. Under the mentor. I saw three of them set out on an expedition. The mentor is murdered. Which begins a mystery of who done it and are the rest of them at risk? Headed down the river on a boat through a forest where anything could happen. With the most likely going to find magical creatures. Plus, there’s a sapphic romance. I truly wanted to love this book, but unfortunately, I found it very difficult to get into to stay hooked into the story. I feel that the summary of this book explains more than I could actually get out of the story itself. Leaving me with a reading experience that there’s something wrong with me that I didn’t understand more about the plot why the characters are going on an expedition what they’re looking for what the end goal is. The story itself feels more meandering I lose the purpose for reading the story.. I do think there’s a beautiful lyrical writing style the characters are interesting. The rival academics is most interesting concepts for a main character that can’t say that I’ve seen that. Except in Wilder magic also by Allison Saft.. The author has a very distinct style its soft, cozy and atmospheric. So all this booked didn’t necessarily work for me I could see why it works for so many others.

Allison Saft always has great descriptive imagery and I felt as though I was inside a movie at times which is great! With that said, I just don’t think this genre is for me. There is a lot of folklore that you have to weed through that doesn’t necessarily seem important to the plot. Additionally, there was a lot of German phrases/words thrown in (understandable) but I did a lot of googling to figure out what everything meant as a non-German reader.
All in all, I think this is a very niche YA novel and some readers will really enjoy it!

I enjoyed this! I found the story magical and alluring! The writing itself was exactly what I love and I can’t wait to read more by the author.

3.5/5
Due to its advertisement as an academic rivals to lovers book, I was a little wary to begin this one as I feel like those novels have been disappointing me lately. However, I was pleasantly surprised and found myself completely engrossed in this novel the moment I began reading it. While the magic system isn’t exactly unique, Saft explains it beautifully and truly trusts her readers to not need unnecessary over explanations. I also loved the fact that the plot of this book was just as, if not more, important than the romance. While the romance is beautifully tense and aggravating throughout the entirety of the novel, the plot doesn’t suffer due to it. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a more gothic fantasy or a well done rivals to lovers trope!

3.5.

A dark and drowning tide follows one of our main characters, Lorelei, as she journeys on a mission to prove her worth. All goes very much askew when her mentor and expedition leader gets murdered.

I honestly felt that the pacing of Ziegler’s death was too soon. The way the characters also reacted to this threw me off, especially since I thought we’d be getting more insight to this. Speaking of the characters, I felt as thigh we learned too much of them in a short amount of time. This left me questioning who was who at times.

The pacing of this novel was honestly way too slow for me, hence me taking almost two months to complete it. I felt like at some parts the story was completely dragging.

The world building wasn’t heavy, but I felt that there was enough to help me understand some of the points the author was making. I did enjoy the fantasy elements, and when the characters did use their magic. The romance was also very fun and very slowburn. I wish we did get to see more of them when they did confess their love.

Thank you to Allison Saft, Del Rey, and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lorelei Kaskel is on an expedition with six other individuals in pursuit of a legendary spring. However, it all starts to unravel when Lorelei's mentor is murdered on their way to the location. This leaves Lorelei on board with five other individuals who each have their own motive for murdering the professor. The only person she knows who did not commit the murder is her academic rival, Sylvia von Wolff. The two team up together to solve the mystery.

However, the murderer of Professor Ziegler is not the only danger present. As Sylvia and Lorelei venture into the woods, they find the forest is filled with dangerous creatures seeking blood. There's also a thread of political unrest as a coup rises in the background. There's also the danger that Sylvia and Lorelei present to each other as they grow closer and their feelings threaten to obscure the purpose of the mission. As they venture deeper, Sylvia and Lorelei discover Professor Zeigler's secret agenda, which could drastically change everything they know.

Saft has created an intriguing dark academia atmosphere and paired it nicely with an inauspicious murder. Sylvia and Lorelei's academic rivalry builds tension as the two are forced to work together to survive the expedition and carry out the wishes of their professor. This only adds to the gloomy atmosphere, but by the end, each character has grown to see each other in a new light. Their respective backgrounds and beliefs add to the world itself and create a unique set of obstacles that Sylvia and Lorelei must face together no longer as foes, but as something else entirely.

This book is well worth it if you're looking for a dark academia title, but want a splash of adventure and to venture beyond the walls of the school. This sets a new precedent for this type of story and I hope we continue to see others like it.