Allison Saft’s novel, "A Dark and Drowning Tide", is a truly captivating blend of sapphic romance and enthralling fantasy that really dives deep into themes like love, identity, and justice within an incredibly well-imagined world. The storyline revolves around Lorelei Kaskel, who is a rather sharp-tongued folklorist with a real knack for sarcasm and an unyielding drive to prove herself. On this thrilling expedition to locate a legendary magical spring that the king believes will solidify his reign over the tumultuous kingdom of Brunnestaad, Lorelei’s adventure takes quite a dark twist when her mentor ends up murdered aboard their ship. With every remaining crew member as potential suspects, Lorelei must tread carefully on this dangerous path to uncover the truth and secure the spring while grappling with the looming threat of a coup.

Saft’s writing style is so fluid and evocative that it paints such vivid imagery of the story’s lush setting without bogging down readers with too much detail. In fact, for me, one of A Dark and Drowning Tide’s greatest strengths lies in its world-building. Saft intricately weaves folklore throughout the narrative which enriches the story significantly while offering deeper insights into each character’s motivations and behaviors. This seamless integration of folklore not only adds layers upon layers to this already rich world but also sheds light on themes like racial segregation and identity through Lorelei’s experiences.

Speaking of Lorelei, she is such an immensely complex character. Initially coming off as somewhat petulant, she reveals her true self gradually as you read. Haunted by past traumas and confined by societal expectations, her vulnerabilities become more apparent as the story goes by, making her journey towards self-acceptance profoundly compelling.
The trope where a character feels utterly unlovable yet discovers passionate transformative love is handled exceptionally well here in this book. Sylvia von Wolff, who happens to be Lorelei’s academic rival and represents everything Lorelei both envies and admires, really adds a whole new layer of emotional depth to the narrative. Their slow-burn romance is not just tender but also incredibly fiery, capturing that magical essence of how two characters who seem completely opposite can actually find balance and completeness in each other. The dynamic between Lorelei and Sylvia stands out as one of the novel’s highlights. Their evolving relationship, marked by academic rivalry and unspoken longing, gradually transforms into a profound mutual affection. Sylvia’s idealism and unwavering loyalty contrast sharply with Lorelei’s guarded nature, yet together they form a powerful duo that complements each other beautifully. Saft masterfully builds their romance step by step, making the culmination of their feelings feel both inevitable and deeply satisfying.

The final chapters of "A Dark and Drowning Tide" are basically a testament to Saft’s skillful storytelling abilities. The resolution of plot lines along with the epilogue provide such a sense of closure and completeness, offering an end to the characters’ arcs that feels totally satisfying. The ending between Lorelei and Sylvia is especially poignant, providing what feels like a fairy-tale conclusion that is both hopeful and deserved.

In short, "A Dark and Drowning Tide" is an absolutely remarkable novel combining lush world-building, intricate character development, along with deeply emotional romance elements. Allison Saft has delivered something enchanting yet thought-provoking, a beautiful exploration of love alongside identity within this fantastical setting. This book should definitely be on your must-read list if you’re into fantasy romance or appreciate narratives crafted with depth alongside heart!

This captivating tale of magic, academic rivalries, murder, magical spirits, conquest, oppression, and romance was really compelling and unusual. With some fascinating characters, some intricate and intriguing world building, and some characters facing some tricky situations where you really just can’t win, this book was a really enjoyable read and I’d certainly be interested in reading more set in this world.

Lorelei Kaskel, a sharp-tongued folklorist, is forced into a dangerous quest after her mentor is killed while on a magical trip in this beautiful sapphic fantasy romance. Lorelei is tasked with locating a legendary spring that has the ability to tip the scales of power. To do this, she must avoid dangerous spells and solve the murder's riddle. Lorelei, forced to work alongside the stunningly attractive Sylvia von Wolff, her academic adversary, struggles with developing affections and sinister secrets that have the potential to destroy all she holds dear. This story, which is richly intertwined with magic and tradition, blends romance and adventure in a stunningly created setting. Ideal for scholars who enjoy dark fantasy.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 - such a fabulous story and the writing style is so elegantly written that I devoured this book.


Thank you so much to NetGalley, Allison Saft and Del Rey for the opportunity to read this book as an ARC. It was everything I didn’t know I needed.

Saft’s writing style is absolutely magical, enchanting and engaging. The fluidity of her writing makes the story flow so smoothly and kept me interested throughout the whole story. I was so attached to her characters and the plot twists were so beautifully written and had me clinging to the edge of my seat.

The story follows Lorelei through her academic career as a folklorist as she sets off on an important expedition alongside her mentor and her peers. Their expedition takes them on a huge adventure to find a fabled spring that is rumoured to be the source of powerful magic.
However whilst on the ship to find the spring a murder occurs leading to an investigation into the death and the murderer who has to be still on the sailing ship.

Can they find out who is responsible before someone else is murdered and will they still be able to find the magical spring?

The world building in this story was amazing and the introduction to the characters prior to setting off on the expedition made it easier to follow the story once the characters had boarded the ship and the plot twists occurred. There is two different aspects occurring in this story. The academic side of the story was so much fun and very interesting and mixed with the fantasy and deaths made for a thrilling and entertaining story. I had so much fun reading this.

The expedition allowed for many different settings within the fantasy world and introduced us to many different locations, characters, creatures and experiences.

The characters on the expedition were all very different in personalities allowing for a lot of tension and drama between the characters. There were definitely characters that I liked a lot and a few I absolutely hated but that makes for such a good story.

Some romance was introduced within this story with my favourite trope of enemies to lovers developing throughout the book. However this definitely is more of a background theme and does not over shadow the story line.

I absolutely loved this story and the many different aspects introduced throughout the book. I love Allison Saft’s writing style and her stories. She is definitely an author I will be picking up in the future and I am so excited for her to create more amazing stories.

I have sadly DNF'd this book. I didn't get on with the writing style and the world building didn't really work for me. I'd like to give it a go again in the future though as it might have just been bad timing.

Thank you Netgalley and Daphne Press for the review copy!

thank you to netgalley for this arc!!

this book was incredible! i loved the characters, setting, and storylines.

the different religions in the book were all very interesting. i liked how they were based on real religions, yet also slightly different. the setting was also really well done. a fantasy world with magic creatures and places to explore, which i wish i could go to.

Lorelie as a main character was amazing. she sticks out from the others, with a different religion, and the only non noble. she’s determined to prove herself, and get her dream job. she also knows that if anything goes wrong she’ll be the scapegoat, so when there’s a murder she needs to find the real culprit.

i also loved Sylvia, she’s so intriguing. the romance between them is especially good, with the one sided rivalry and one who always had feelings.

i loved the murder mystery plot and guessing who the culprit was, and it was done brilliantly and in a way that kept me guessing.

overall i highly recommend it!!

I devoured this book, it took me completely by surprise and I absolutely loved it!

I fear I cannot do this story justice in a review so here's what you can expect and a few of my feelings thrown in!

~ Locked room murder mystery,
~ Enchanting folktales
~ A magical expedition,
~ Political intrigue,
~ Rivals to much more,
~ Sarcastic, cutting banter,
~ Top notch world building
~ Found family....goes wrong,
~ Edge of the seat drama.

It read like a beautiful, harmonious song!

'Because life is as bitter as it is sweet.'

I went in quite blind to this book, very few expectations and I haven't previously read any of Saft's work.

I found the book very well written. Saft's descriptive language made for some very interesting prose and overall the story was easy to follow.

I don't know quite how to explain the pace of this book, so much was happening and some of the backstory was really heavily dumped into the dialogue that it was hard to keep up but at the same time the overall writing to me was quite slow.It was difficult for me to enjoy because of that. I was both bored and overwhelmed simultaneously.

I loved the angst between Lorelei and Sylvia, through the whole story I could feel this building tension that I was very excited to come to ahead. Because of this I very much enjoyed where these two characters ended in the book!
However I didn't feel super connected to any of the characters. Some books I can immerse myself in a group of characters and some, like this, I find myself just watching them.

My favourite thing about this book was the dark and tense atmosphere. To put it plainly I really enjoyed the vibes! The folklore, fantasy world that was created was really interesting and I loved the premise of our main characters going on an expedition, it was a really great set up for a good story to be told. And that's what it was a good story to enjoy.

I enjoyed this enough that l'd maybe revisit in the future but certainly not for a while. Not my favourite read from recent months but a good book nonetheless.
3.5/5 ⭐️

Release Date: 17th September 2024

Thankyou @netgalley /@daphne.press for allowing me to read this arc 🫶🏼

DNF at 46%

Unfortunately I was incredibly underwhelmed by this book
I’d heard very mixed reviews from people but had high hopes anyway
Our FMC was not likeable at all and I didn’t enjoy being in her head. I found her to be a miserable and bitter character for all that I read
I also didn’t enjoy the many tangents that we kept getting throughout, which didn’t seem to fit into the story other than to explain some reference to the reader that Lorelai has made and it slowed down the story and made it unenjoyable

This sapphic romantasy murder mystery is the adult debut novel from YA author Allison Saft.
We follow an ill fated expedition to find a magical spring, which brings together a group of courtly nobles, plus an outcast folklorist. The mind behind the expedition is mysteriously murdered and it's up to our folklorist to figure out who is responsible and why, as well as appease the King by searching out the magical spring in ever more perilous conditions.
This book was a lot of fun, I don't usually go in for romantasy but the whodunnit aspect and the lore of the world kept me hooked and the romance elements didn't overpower the story. We've got magical creatures, magical powers, rich folklore and political wheeling and dealing, as well as a slow (ish) burn enemies to lovers romance.
I had a great time reading this, definitely great as a palate cleanser book and for a lighthearted read.

Quest fantasy meest murder mystery meets German folklore meets dark academia meets sapphic rivals to lovers romance in Allison Saft's A Dark and Drowning Tide. And if that all sounds like a bit much, I would say you are absolutely right.

While I was immediately enamoured with the lush atmosphere and dark whimsy of this story, there was something about the storytelling that kept me at an emotional distance. With the protagonist being a folklorist, the entire narrative is littered with references to in-world lore and mythology, which I simultaneously loved and found terribly distracting from the main narrative. See, there is truly no denying that Saft has one hell of a rich imagination and can create a mesmerising world that is exploding with unique creatures and entrancing landscapes, yet I personally need a bit more to fully settle into a story.

A Dark and Drowning Tide gets off to quite a hectic start, and I unfortunately felt like we never got the time to fully get invested in the limited cast of characters. The protagonist Lorelei and her love interest Sylvia were the only two people with some true complexity and emotional depth, but the rest of the academics on the expedition felt like nothing more than their names/roles/functions to me. And while I can be fine with less developed side characters if the rest of the story shines, it becomes more of a problem when a core part of the story is a closed circle murder mystery; I simply didn't feel like I knew or cared for any of these people, nor did I find their lacklustre reactions to the death of their mentor to be believable, which not only lowered the tension but also severely hindered my enjoyment and investment in this story.

That said, the second half of the story focused more in on the interpersonal relationships, especially between Lorelei and Sylvia, and I found myself slowly becoming more intrigued and amused. Their romance is admittedly quite shallow, yet I can't deny that I was eating up the teasing banter and sloooow-burn sapphic between these two sharp-tongued rivals. Moreover, there were some hard-hitting themes of colonialism, cultural genocide, corruption, and trauma woven into their personal experiences, which added some deeper layers to the narrative that I welcomed with open arms.

While A Dark and Drowning Tide is made up of elements that I all adore in isolation, it unfortunately didn't quite come together in such a limited pagecount for me; there is truly nothing bad about this story, it's just aggressively fine to me. Still, I think Saft's writing and imagination is unbelievably magical, so I would recommend giving this a shot if you are intrigued by the premise and love the sound of a fantasy story that is exploding with German folklore.

Thank you to NetGalley and Daphne Press for providing me with an eARC in exhange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. A Dark and Drowning Tide is scheduled for release on 17 September, 2024.

Sapphic, dark academic, and a touch folkloric? This book promised some of my favourites, and Allison Saft delivered.
Things I loved:
- the characters feel so real. Lorelai - angry and bitter and isolating. Sylvia - full of wonder, but also a veteran from the war trying to cope. the romance? sweet and sharp, with a twist.
- tropes: enemies to lovers. dark academia. faeries. found family. chosen one. underdog wins. mentor is unwise.
- descriptions and fantasy world, eg: the scent of amber, of things dying.
This was an amazing read, and while it wasn't perfect, it's worth sinking into if you like sapphic academic rivals to lovers against a rich, immersive mythological background.

This book has been on my to-read list on Goodreads for quite some time, and wow. IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT.

⚢ Sapphic romance
📖 Academic rivals to lovers
📚 Dark academia vibes
✡️ Jewish folklore
🔎 Murder mystery
⚔️ Adventuring party
🖊️ Complex character designs and relationships

I've been sitting for ages trying to figure out where to start with this review. This book was incredible and addictive; I honestly could not put it down.

Firstly, what was so refreshing was that the fantasy world created by Saft was devoid of homophobia. It was never a part of a single character's narrative or development, and same-sex relationships were spoken of just as hetero relationships would be.

This ultimately leaned into ensuring that the oppression experienced by Lorelei's people was a key focus of the book's plot. I am astonished at the way that Saft wove the complex real-life history of Jewish oppression into a fantasy world without it feeling inauthentic or out of place. Lorelei's battle to come to terms with her experiences and their impacts on her self-image and mistrust of all others is a central part of her development. It's done so well that rather than her suddenly being ok, you can see the cracks in her self-protective shell form with each new experience until the shell falls away. I can only imagine what this development could be like for someone who identifies with Lorelei or is Jewish. There are other incredible reviews by other readers who discuss this, so please check them out!

The Jewish folklore and creatures woven into this world were terrific as a mythology/folklore enthusiast. I love this new genre of books, taking real-world folklore/mythology and weaving it into fantasy worlds. PLEASE KEEP THEM COMING.

The romance is slow-burning, and the characters are not suddenly in love but instead show a build-up of yearning, devotion, and desire for each other. This is no easy feat, and it is done incredibly well. No character is perfect, and they all have justifications for their actions that are not simply black or white to the reader. The complexity of their beliefs and emotions left me feeling like no one was ultimately the 'good or bad guy'. It was mature in that way and reflective of human nature.

I am by no means a literature expert - I just love good books - but I hope this might convince you to read it.

This gothic, sapphic murder mystery is perfect for your autumn tbr, but it’s so, so much more than that too. The gothic fairytale paired with sinister creatures creates a spooky atmosphere, whilst the academic rivals to lovers storyline fills the book with undeniable tension and yearning.

The biggest theme throughout this book however, is Lorelei’s experience with anti-semitism in both the fairytales she’s spent years studying and in her real life. We learn through Lorelei’s narration how this has shaped her character and see the depths behind her guarded and often cold exterior. I was instantly endeared to her and her journey to claim her own power and place in this world.

I was gripped from the start of this book and the mix of whimsical and gothic elements with darker themes made it a thought-provoking read that’s going to stick with me for a while.

I have a fraught relationship with Allison Saft's novels. I adored A Far Wilder Magic but DNF'd A Fragile Enchantment, so I was a little cautious going into A Dark and Drowning Tide, and this one fell in the middle for me. This was such a dark, atmospheric read with its landscapes, folktales, and magical creatures. I enjoyed the expedition element and the different members of the team, and I command Saft for writing a book so jam-packed with action and different threads of plot. I loved Sylvia's character with her whimsical optimism and hopeful eagerness, she was the heart of this book for me. I also liked seeing Lorelei grapple with her painful past and slowly let go of her guilt.

I think the main source of my discontent is that the promotion of the book set my expectations quite high and I felt misled by the premise. The academic rivalry is not at all present on-page, we're just told that Sylvia and Lorelei were competing for the position of expedition leader for years. I'm uncertain why that was even relevant as they both ended up going on the expedition, because they were clearly both important for their fields of expertise. The murder mystery element is again not very important in the grand scheme of things, and the romance between Lorelei and Sylvia was a little zero-to-a-hundred for me. In addition, Lorelei is straight-up mean to Sylvia for the majority of the book, even after she confesses her feelings to herself and Sylvia. Since the story is focalized through Lorelei, I have no idea why Sylvia put up with this treatment and fell in love with her regardless.

I also felt frustrated because there was so much history between the other five members of the expedition (and the king) that we only heard a fraction of, and their personalities and motivations were also left quite vague. I would have loved multiple points of view to round out the character-building a little more, because I was left wanting. The history of the country and its people also felt a little glossed over to me, I was often confused about relationships and power structures. Other reviewers mentioned the annoying lack of a map and I agree wholeheartedly. Since the geography of this country is so crucial not only for the story but also in connection with the political machinations in the plot, it's an oversight not to include a visual guide for readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book.

The tone is set before you turn to the first page—tales told by murky water, deceptively deep. You are invited to drown in it, and you want to.

In a land at war, a king sends his unwilling right-hand woman on a mission to find the Ursprung—a source of magic strong enough to ensure his success in a unified kingdom.

The right-hand woman brings along Lorelei—a folklorist despised by most—and the Rhuhiburg Five—a group of educated twenty-somethings who love and hate each other. But not everyone is willing to risk losing their identity in a nation becoming one, and soon the expedition's leader is found dead.

This is my second novel by Allison Saft, and with both of them, I’ve been prepared to dive into the water and let the flood drag me with it. Actually reading has felt a bit more like walking alongside it, and though I enjoy a stroll down the river, I wanted to feel engulfed by it. This could very well be an issue with me taking a couple of weeks with both ‘Down Comes The Night’ and ‘A Dark and Drowning Tide’—when I read more by Saft, I will make sure I have time for her.

I’m just going to have to also mention Lorelei and Sylvia’s dynamic. A long history of prejudice can mean becoming unpleasant—hate me for this, instead of who I am—or it can mean wanting people to love you—will you forgive what I come from if I’m good enough? And then they fall in love? I’m so obsessed.

I don’t feel ready to let this cast of characters go. By no means did this story feel rushed, and it’s refreshing to have an author give you it all at once, but Saft makes me crave the longing that comes with waiting for the next installment. I want to hold on. I think I would lose my mind a bit if she ever wrote a duology.

Until I find time to read this story again, staring at absolutely stunning fan art every other day will have to suffice.


Thank you to Daphne Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you to the Publisher and netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Folklorist Lorelei has always dreamed of becoming a naturalist, which would allow her to escape the Yevanverte and to travel the world. The Yevanverte is the part of Brunnestaad where she and all Yeva have to live. They live as second class citizens in a kingdom that fairly recently conquered all the neighbouring kingdoms. Lorelei sees her chance with an expedition to find a coveted magic spring for their king. But when one of their members gets murdered, Lorelei must team up with her rival to find out who did it before their return.

This book was one of my most anticipated books of the year and I'm so glad to say that it did not disappoint. I loved this from page 1.

I often have trouble imagining faces and surroundings but the writing was so lush and easy to read that this wasn't an issue at all. The writing and atmosphere reminded me of A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid, which I enjoyed very much as well.

I found the world super interesting and would love to read more books set in this world in the future. The plot moved at a good pace in my opinion and I got to love the two main characters.

I also really loved all the tales that Lorelei has collected during her years. Over the course of the book we got to read a couple of these tales and this is one of my favourite things in books.

“Back in the days when wishes still held power”

All in all I really loved this and I will definitely buy myself a copy when it’s out!

As i was reading a dark and drowning tide i realized it wasn’t that heavy on the magic and folklore, although i did enjoy the amount that it had, it was more like a mystery. I can’t say i enjoyed the characters, especially the secondary ones, i felt like at the most part most of them weren’t that likable and it kept me from enjoying the book.
Thank you netgalley for the arc!

Gorgeously written and utterly atmospheric, Allison Saft’s folklore infused, adult fantasy debut felt like the sapphic, dark academia twin to Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries and I loved every mystery-ladened second!

Saft’s vividly detailed descriptions of the world and the creatures who inhabit it were phenomenal, and I adored all of the magical (and often deadly) creatures (ie: nixies, alps, wildeleutes & lindworms) that we got to encounter, however brief. I do wish we had a companion novel detailing each creature as some of them (like the Alp) were super fascinating.

The murder mystery aspect, and introspective, character driven elements were also really good and managed to propel the plot in such a deliciously satisfying manner-which had me on tenterhooks the entire time.

I do want to note that this is a single POV story, told from the perspective of Lorelai, our surly, sharp- tongued protagonist who I found thoroughly compulsive. Her perspective was complex and rife with emotion, but did mean every character was a suspect whose motivations we had to work out. Which, admittedly, did help to keep the mystery (and high stakes intensity of the team’s political machinations) at the forefront of the story.

Though a little prickly at first, I ended up really loving Lorelai, whose tragic past experiences and guardedness have allowed her (and her heart) to remain protected from the world. But her academic rivalry with the sunshiny Sylvia Von Wolff, who soo easily managed to break down her walls (and get under her skin) really helped to showcase a slightly softer more, selfless side of Lorelai that I found quite endearing.

Their slow burn romance was good too and I chuckled quite a few times at how oblivious they both could be —despite the blatant yearning and long stares they threw at one another.

Overall, a satisfyingly magical read that messy, political intrigue addicts, folklore fiends and sapphic fantasy lovers should definitely consider adding to their TBRs this autumn. But do check the TWs.

Also, a huge thank you to Blackcrow PR and Daphne Press for the proof.

An easy enough fantasy story with characters in their twenties, that nevertheless reads quite young. German inspired folklore, which also means random german names and titles.