Rating - 4.25 stars

This was a bit slow for me to get through but this was my first folklore/gothic book I've ever gotten through and I loved slowly digesting each word for what they were. Allison Saft writes these characters and this atmosphere so beautifully yet still bluntly in the best way. I adored Sylvia from the beginning and while Lorelei took me a bit longer to love, I appreciate getting to fully know and understand her as the main character. Every other character were all
written so charming yet you could still see their flaws.

The academic, slow-burn romance was just so beautiful and just the constant "i hate that I love you" was gut-renchingly gorgeous. I would love to just see more of them being happy together <3

The murder mystery aspect of the book seemed like a huge chunk of the book yet looking back on it I feel like it really wasn't the main plot. It overall was a fun mystery and I truly didn't know who did it. The world building itself and the government seemed like a much more interesting part of the story. As well as the friendships between all the characters and how they

I have never read Alison Saft before but I am now dying to explore more of her work! I would totally recommend this book to anyone who enjoys dark or gothic stories or those who love fairytale-esque stories.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this early in exchange for an honest review.

A wonderful gem of a fairytale that is afraid to present the more brutal truths of the world. This story is built upon a complex lattice of worldbuilding that takes the reader a minute to get adjusted to, but they are aided by the incredibly well-rounded characters.

A Dark and Drowning Tide by Allison Saft. Academic Rivalry, dark folklore, sapphic romance.

The cover is beautiful, instantly grabbed my attention.

I rate this 4 stars.

A slow-burn rivals to lovers, Jewish MC, and love letters. No intricate world building.

This was a fast read for me, which made me feel like I was missing something or the ending just wasn’t enough. Lorelei and Sylvia’s dynamic and banter were really enjoying to read. his was more folklorish and less high stakes action that I’m use to in a fantasy. The characters were written well but I wanted there to be more background on what’s connecting each character. Yes, they are academic rivals but show that to me. I felt like I was missing that, told info but not shown.

Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing- Del Rey for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Nothing like a cute little YA fantasy to kick off the new year… I enjoyed this story, but for some reason it took me ages to read. Blame it on life around the holidays because if I had more time I think I would have been more invested.


Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review:)

★★★.75 /5

while this wasn’t the perfect 5-star read i was expecting, i loved the backdrop of saft’s fourth novel – the adventure, murder mystery (on sea, no less!), and atmosphere was wonderfully gothic and encapsulating. as soon as i boarded the Princesszin with the eclectic and distinctive crew of characters, an eerie mist settled in and i could just sense the looming darkness of the journey ahead. the creatures and folktales introduced throughout the story added to the haunting environment (but were also somehow comforting?), plus the yearning and angst in this story?? immaculate + enough to make me BLUSH blush 🤌🤌🤌 just like with previous books, saft does a swoon-worthy job of writing her grumpyxsunshine characters.

there was also a poignant topic of identity and discrimination that i appreciated in this book, as the main character, lorelei, is subjected to bouts of antisemitism both by those around her and by the very folktales that she studies. the hatred she experiences just for being born Jewish (or Yevanisch, this book’s equivalent) culminates in a constant internal conflict over what part of her identity to slough off and what to keep in order to remain “socially acceptable” in her current environment. as a dual-identity reader myself that has dealt with a similar crisis, lorelei’s character resonated deeply and reading through her internal and external dialogue was, at times, terribly relatable and heart-lurching.

now everything was set up perfectly for me to love this book, but there was something that prevented it from clicking 100%: the lack of geopolitical context/world-building. at first glance, geopolitics in a romantasy wouldn’t seem too significant or integral to the story, but as the major plot points and character motivations revolved around said politics, it was difficult to connect to and empathize with any of the other characters in the crew, besides lorelei, without it. however, all that being said, it did not deter me too much from any general enjoyment, merriment, thrill, or tension felt throughout the adventure!

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this arc!

A Dark and Drowning Tide 🖤

Honest ARC Review!

I’m sorry, but I could not get into this. I tried several times to pick it up, but I kept putting it down or reading the same sentence over a over. I felt like it moved slowly and the beginning was a tad boring.

I DNF about 47% through. The characters were well developed, but the storyline wasn’t engaging enough. I liked Lorelei’s snippy attitude and the contrasting dynamic between her and Sylvia. Other than the characters, however, there is little I really LOVED. I liked it, but at the same time, it wasn’t extremely special.

4/10 Recommend.

2/5 Stars ⭐️⭐️
1/5 Spice 🌶️
4/5 Comprehensible ✍🏽✍🏽✍🏽✍🏽
Predictability - DNF

💋 Read on, my loves 💋

A Dark and Drowning Tide was one of my most anticipated reads of 2024.
Fairytales, sapphic romance, and murder mystery? It's a checklist of some of my favorite things.
Unfortunately, it felt like those were three separate stories forced together rather than combining into one harmonious tale.
That's not to say there weren't parts of the book that I absolutely loved; there were. The prose and overall story was dark and atmospheric and hit all of the notes I wanted it to. The first two chapters were so fantastic that I wanted to melt into them. I tried to read them slowly to savor them, to let the words roll over me and pull me under. The lovely writing is truly present throughout the entire story.

However. It's not long after the first few chapters that things truly started to feel fractured and disjointed. It quickly becomes murder mystery on one side, and fantasy on the other, and my goodness they just did not mesh. Lorelei is the outcast of the group. She loathes almost all of them and they loathe her, and now she is thrust into the leadership position of trying to navigate a dangerous expedition while simultaneously trying to solve her mentor's murder. With that in mind, when she begins questioning the people in this group about their life and intentions, they open up to her like a flower on a spring day. Sure there may be scoffing and attitude, but nearly every person is willing to talk to her about their history after excluding her for the years that they have known her. At some point the fantasy aspects begin to show up, and these odd life spilling interviews continue to happen in places where people should be discussing how to stay alive, not gossiping like they're back at court. And that's what it felt like, the conversations and plotting felt like a book taking place at a safe warm castle, and yet the setting was dangerous and fantastic and it went unmentioned. Even with these conversations happening, somehow most of the characters ended up feeling very flat and one note, perhaps because they have zero history with Lorelei. It seems as if they never even shared a room prior to this expedition, even though the story says they've worked together for years.

As for the fantasy aspects. Again, I loved the idea of what was happening. Higher education to study the folklore and magic in your kingdom? So cool. I loved absolutely loved, loveeeed, the Jewish folklore and the tales that were told within the story. There were many times when something is happening and there is a tale that is added that is relevant to what is happening. It might seem disjointed to some readers, but I personally love the way they're added as part of the story.

On the other hand, the fantasy aspects that were happening in real time in the story felt glossed over most of the time. There was so much time spent plotting and politicking, and later romancing, in the midst of the fantasy action that the fantasy aspects seemed like almost an afterthought at times. It was more like blurry background, not a forefront of the story. There will be readers that who enjoy less focus on the fantasy aspects, for me it wasn't what I was expecting given the folklore tales and how much of the plot is based on them searching for something from those folktales.

One of the things that I really looked forward to was the sapphic academic rivals to lovers trope. I loved the tall dark and brooding, and the over-the-top ray of bubbly moonlight. I even love the oblivious to love trope, and it fit in the story. Again though, I was just frustrated reading a lot of Lorelei's internal thoughts. She talks about how awful Sylvia is and how much she's hated her over the years but there's zero examples of a single time she was ever awful to her or how their mentor "pitted them against each other." They've known each other for years and we see flashbacks of Lorelei's past, so I don't understand why we wouldn't be shown examples of them clashing so it was more believable. Later on, after much brooding and nearly all negative thoughts toward Sylvia, Lorelei is thinking about how many times she's fantasized about being with Sylvia and when I tell you that was out of the blue, I mean it. Seriously, there's zero indication that she would have had those thoughts because even once she realizes she like-likes Sylvia, she still shuts her thoughts down before they get too sweet. If you tell me they have history, and there are these prior sexy thoughts, why not show them so it's believable?

Basically, I understand the people that are singing praises from the rooftops. I absolutely think that A Dark and Drowning Tide will find its audience and be well loved. At the same time, I also see where the less than glowing thoughts are coming from because it fell short for me as well. With that said, I will still be picking up more books by Allison Saft because she does have a way with words and I look forward to what she writes in the future.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House for the ARC.

DNF @ 35% - I unfortunately could not connect to the characters and could not follow the storyline. I appreciated the gothic atmosphere and the dense and illustrative verbiage but I think the worldbuilding was so vast I couldn't anchor myself to something likable to be motivated enough to be patient and learn what was going on.

Thank you to the author and Netgalley for providing an arc. I am voluntarily providing a review.

**There are mild spoilers...**

The rollercoaster this book had me on was ridiculous. The beginning was a little slow for me, but all I can say is STICK WITH IT!! Because honestly I think that it was just an immense amount of world building that I wasn't used too. This is one of my first true fantasy books, but a few chapters in you get rocking and rolling. The world was beautiful, immense, and ABSOLUTELY TERRIFYING. The fact that everything you thought was a little fairytale to make children wary, was real.....excuse meeeee! I would be petrified to step outside in this world, but...ugh...it would be the most amazing adventure.

Lorelei is one of the most frustrating people I have ever met, she perfectly prickly but when you got to that warm super protected center...i fell in love. Then we met Sylvia, and I swooned!!! She was what I would imagine a Fae Princess would be, she was enchanting and I would kill to have her by my side on adventures. I ended up absolutely enamored with Lorelei and Sylvia, when I got to a couple of scenes.....I....was.....ecstatic. I would beg on my knees for some of the scenes in Sylvia's point of view, because They are perfect and my roman empire.

The mystery, pining, magic, politics, characters and tales within A Dark and Drowning Tide ensnared me. Allison Saft entwined the dark and light of this world beautifully, and OMG the plot twist and ending.....I am still not over them. I want more, pretty please! I want more adventures at the Vanishing Isle, the night while Ludwig was alone, and behind the scenes with Johann and Adelaide. Allison you wrote them all to where there are certain ones I can't decide if I hate or if I love them despite their flaws, I am crying! I can not wait to have a physical copy of this on my shelves so I can re-read it repeatedly. Thank you for the journey through this world, I will never forget it.

**Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this copy in exchange for my honest review.**

before i start the review let me preface the following information:
thank you to netgalley for sending me an e-arc of this book for exchange of an honest review.
this was my introduction to allison saft along with my anticipated read of the year and my god, it didn't disappoint. saft is a very talented author and it shows in her writing in this fantasy. i loved how all the folklore creatures were incorporated into this fantasy. the banter was amazing, i related to lorelei a little too much. she was perfect for sylvia.

I really liked this one! It started a bit slow for me, but once the team actually sets out on their expedition, the pace picks up substantially and I really enjoyed it. It was the sort of book I just couldn't put down, I was so eager to see what would happen next. The sapphic rivals to lovers romance is wonderful, Lorelei is a great protagonist that eschews many of the common "fantasy heroine" tropes, and I thought that the whodunnit vibe was great. The plot really keeps you on your toes as you try to figure out who the true villain is and what will happen next. I also really enjoyed Saft's writing style, and the fact that early characters and themes pop up again towards the end in very satisfying ways.

Before I get into my critiques, I just want to emphasize that I really enjoyed this book. I would definitely recommend it to fans of magical fantasy or the rivals-to-lovers trope.

I will say that I thought the ending was a bit rushed and abrupt. After the antagonist is defeated, we're given a quick summary of what happens after, but we don't actually get to see it happen... we just jump ahead to the team back at home, which I feel skips over what could have been some very interesting scenes. I'm sure Saft felt describing these scenes in detail would've been unnecessary, but I personally would have liked to see more of that journey home rather than just skipping it entirely. Likewise, I would've liked to see more detail about Lorelei's experiences once she returned home... some big things happen, but it's just sort of summarized and glossed over like a sort of epilogue.

I was also a little torn on how the politics were handled. Government corruption, the forced unification and suppression of different cultures, violent antisemitism, and similar issues were all major themes in the story, but I'm not sure that they were wrapped up in a satisfying way. This is probably meant to make the story more realistic -- not every problem is solved, there's no perfect ending, etc. It's just not my cup of tea in a fantasy story.

"A Dark and Drowning Tide" by Allison Saft is a captivating journey into a world woven with intricate storytelling and rich character development. Saft's skillful prose breathes life into a tale of suspense and fantasy, keeping readers on the edge of their seats. The seamless blend of mystery and magic creates a unique narrative that lingers in the mind long after the final page. A must-read for those seeking a spellbinding escape into a beautifully crafted realm.

Firstly, I would like to thank Netgalley and the Publisher for receiving an arc on this book.

I am leaving an honest review of this novel.

I wish I could have loved this as much as others, but it was very enjoyable to read. This is a slow burn, Sapphic, academic rivals story. Twisted with folklore and magic, this story brings you through a murder mystery, an enchanted journey, and an unfit king trying to harness more power. While all the characters of this story are trying to prove themselves. Lorelei pushes herself more than any of the other nobles that embark on this journey of what could end them all together. Especially when their mentor is murdered, and the murderer wasn't found. While all these major events are happening, Lorelei and her rival, Sylvia, have tension building all along this journey to gain justice for not only their mentor, but for those who were wronged by the king. This story is full of highs and lows, adventure, and love.

Trigger warnings: This book does talk about death, murder, grief, detailed gore, and antisemitism (This is a Jewish folklore story).

I'm left with a hint of wanting more at the end of the story, particularly from the geopolitics of this world - I finished the book thinking, "surely we can't leave things here???" If Saft ever decided to write a sequel, I think that this story is primed for one; but I also recognize that that isn't really her style. This isn't a book where every wrong will be righted, every bad person punished, every social injustice neatly eliminated by the end of the novel. It's a story about people surviving and finding a way to be happy the best they can in a hostile, imperfect world.

A wonderful read! A Dark and Drowning Tide took me to an enchanted world with wild and imaginative creatures and magic whose power source is water. Beautiful and mystical, this book gave me all those cozy spooky kinda vibes and I loved it. The world building is well done and it’s easy to slip into this alternate universe and escape reality.

We are introduced to our two leading ladies Lorelei and Sylvia from the jump with tension and fireworks between the two. Soon the cast is widened with a group of academic nobles who are lifelong friends. They join the ladies on a quest to find the source of magic’s power in their world. But no sooner have they left than the ladies’ mentor, Professor Ziegler, is done in and all signs point to it being a crime committed within their circle. The murder has to be solved, the quest has to be undertaken regardless, and hopefully, along the way, no more of the friends (Enemies? Rivals? Lovers?) will meet a grisly end! There are lots of surprising twists and turns and it’s a ride I surely enjoyed.

I only gave this a 4 simply because some small things didn’t track for me and that annoys me for days on end after I’ve read a book. There’s a historical vibe (think steam powered ships, travel by horseback, no modern devices), but then very atypical modern thinking. Like relationships for example, what kings and queens make strategic and political marriages back then without prioritizing the ability to make heirs? Love the progressive thinking but it doesn’t ring true so it felt off. I’d rather see 2 ladies stand against the odds in that kind of situation and fight for their relationship. There was so much ignorance and racism regarding Lorelei’s Jewish-adjacent ethnicity but none about lesbianism? It doesn’t track Just for there to be random extreme modernism and age old ignorance at the same time in a historical world, even a fantasy one. Also, there was a few things with King Wilhelm’s character that didn’t flow right. He is a good man, then a power hungry manipulator, and then somehow easy enough to be manipulated when the plot needs to be advanced. He could have been a richer and more useful character to thicken the storyline.

But honestly, those things are small and kind of immaterial to the overall story, so the book truly does work and work well for 99% of it. I hope Saft gives us more stories in this world she’s created! It’s a world I’m not ready to let go of!

Thank you to Random House who provided this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Lorelei is not the most warm and fuzzy narrator, but the author builds a world I am interesting in returning to for future adventures. The world is essentially a fantasy version of late 19th century Germany, including the attempts to create a united German state and long standing discrimination against Jews, but in a world where men and women are equally likely to serve as soldiers, marry the king, lead an important expedition, or win the princess's heart.

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: The pace of A Dark and Drowning Tide alternated between slow and medium.

POV: A Dark and Drowning Tide is told from Lorelei’s 3rd person POV.

Trigger/Content Warning: A Dark and Drowning Tide has trigger and content warnings. If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading the book. They are:

Death
Murder
Antisemitism
Eugenics
Colonization
Grief
Loss of Sibling
Blood & Gore
Violence
Dead Body
Injury Detail
Drowning
Drugging
Fire
Vomit
Alcohol Consumption
Sexual Content: There are sexual situations in A Dark and Drowning Tide. They are not graphic.

Language: There is mild swearing in A Dark and Drowning Tide. There is also language used that could be considered offensive to people.

Setting: A Dark and Drowning Tide is set in Brunnestaad, Albe, Ebul, and The Vanishing Isle.

Age Range: I recommend A Dark and Drowning Tide to anyone over 21.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

Lorelei is a folklorist who is the cohead of an expedition to find a fabled spring for the king of her wartorn country. As the expedition starts, her beloved mentor is killed, leaving her in charge. That enrages other party members until they are reminded why they are there. Lorelei is desperate to find the spring before her fellow expedition members make good on their threats to kill her. But she soon discovers there is more to the expedition than finding the spring. And that includes the tentative partnership with Sylvia von Wolff. Can Lorelei find the spring before they decide to kill her? Will she be able to prove herself to the king?

Main Characters:

Lorelei Kaskel (folklorist)—Lorelei was a tough character to like. She presented as very defensive and had an acid tongue on her. But, as the book went on, I began to see why Lorelei was the way she was. The hatred that she dealt with from certain party members was awful. She was on edge the entire time. However, her character started softening when Ludwig got cursed, and I liked her by the end of the book.

Sylvia von Wolff (naturalist)—I liked Sylvia but found her almost too naive. She acknowledged her friends’ faults, but at the same time, she protected them. I got very frustrated with her during the last half of the book. Even in danger, she still believed that her friends would do no harm. But, she did rise to the occasion during the critical battle scene.

Johann zu Wittelsbach (medic)—II couldn’t stand Johann, but at the same time, I pitied him. He was molded into what he was by his abusive father. In some parts of the book, the author conveyed that a part of him hated what he became. His death was one of the more gruesome ones in the book.

Heike van der Kaas (astronomer and navigator)—Heike came across as someone you didn’t want to mess with. But, as the book went on, she mellowed out. I figured out that she was all bark and no bite.

Adelheid de Mohl (thaumatologist)—Besides Ludwig, she was the kindest on the boat to Lorelei. So, when things went sideways, I was shocked at her role.

Ludwig von Meyer (botanist)—I liked him and wished he had more page time. But, the author took him out fairly early in the book.

My review:

A Dark and Drowning Tide is a wonderfully dark fantasy lesbian romance. When I read the synopsis on NetGalley, I knew I needed to read this book. So, I wished for it and was thrilled when I got the email that my wish was granted.

The main storyline of A Dark and Drowning Tide centers entirely on Lorelei and the journey to find the Ursprung. This storyline was wonderfully written. Lorelei and the team have to make trips that are intense and strange. They have to contend with dragons, mermaid-like creatures, forests that move, curses, and other obstacles. Those obstacles also include what they feel towards each other, whether hate or love.

The fantasy angle of the book was perfect. I enjoyed reading about how the magic works in this work, the different magical beings portrayed, and the various lands that they traveled through. I enjoyed that the magic wasn’t all sunshine and roses but had a darker element.

The romance angle was all right. It may be overshadowed by everything else that is going on in the book. It also seemed forced in some sections. But, overall, I enjoyed seeing Lorelei and Sylvia fall in love.

The mystery angle was interesting. I thought I had figured out who killed Ziegler. I wasn’t wrong; there was more to that than what the author initially let on. I was shocked when Lorelei figured it out in the middle of the book.

The end of A Dark and Drowning Tide was heartbreaking but enlightening. I liked that there was a HEA for Lorelei and Sylvia. The last chapters, detailing life after the expedition, were what I thought they would be. I was surprised by what was asked and the reaction it got.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey, NetGalley, and Allison Saft for allowing me to read this ARC of A Dark and Drowning Tide. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

WONDERFUUUUL book. I am SO excited for this to hit shelves because it is SO great! I will recommend it to every friend i have. A wonderful sapphic gothic tale, very compelling and hard to put down!

I will be an Allison Saft fan to the bitter end, and her adult debut absolutely cemented her in my top favourite authors of all time. Richly layered and emotionally devastating in the best kind of way, A Dark and Drowning Tide is a beautifully realised story of an acerbic folklorist and a stubbornly optimistic naturalist as they join an expedition to find the source of all magic, all while battling a myriad of creatures, a gripping murder plot, and their own rapidly growing feelings. Utter perfection!

Alongside Allison’s particular brand of stunning prose and vivid atmosphere, I genuinely adored the characters, Lorelei in particular. Her level of snark is truly something to aspire to. I really enjoyed seeing her come out of her shell and learn to trust (and love!) as she began to explore her own talents and open herself up to love. I always have a soft spot for a grumpy character learning to accept affection and care, and Lorelei just fit that to a tee. The romance between her and Sylvia was so heart wrenching and moving, and I enjoyed how their dynamic shifted and grew the closer they got.

The plot was fast moving and wonderfully fleshed out, fit with a whole host of side characters both funny and infuriating. Like all of Allison’s books, the themes around identity and the political landscape were extremely well done. Overall, this has the making of being a top read of the year for me (and it’s only January 2nd!) and I will forever scream from the rooftops how much I love Allison Saft’s work.

Academic rivals must work together when their mentor is murdered on an expedition. Filled with tension, high stakes, and wonderfully done banter, this was an amazing adult debut for Allison Saft. I loved this book, and cannot wait until its release when I can get a physical copy for myself. I don’t often say this, but I wish this was the first in a series! My one complaint is that the Magic system felt inconsistent and at times confusing. However, this did not take away from the experience of reading this book. Overall, this was a great way to end my 2023 reading journey and I am excited to see what the author does in the future.