A Theory of Dreaming is a haunting, cerebral follow-up that trades some of ASID’s ethereal, romantic magic for something rawer, more grounded—and, in many ways, more resonant. While the magic remains, it's now a metaphor for escapism, identity, and power.

This is Preston’s book, and what a journey it is. His slow unraveling—driven by dreams, grief, and rage—felt layered and deeply human. We also get to see Effy grapple with what it means to exist without the safety of her dreams or the comfort of her stories. Their relationship in this installment felt richer, more complicated, and ultimately more real. I loved getting to know Preston in a deeper way.

There is still rich academic worldbuilding and atmospheric prose, with added lore about the Sleepers, Argantian myth, and the power of literature itself. Ava Reid continues to impress with her signature epigraphs and intertextual style.

Themes of nationalism, xenophobia, and mental health are handled with nuance. The book asks bold questions about who controls stories—and what happens when belief becomes weaponized. Despite the slower pacing and a plot that sometimes takes a backseat to introspection, I was emotionally invested throughout.

A worthy, layered conclusion to Preston and Effy’s story.

Huge thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was really good !
I love this world, and was excited to see it continue.
My only comment is that the story was a bit confusing to understand. It might just have been me. I was a little confused about the war, and overall what was really going on with Preston's dreams/other world. I believe that was just me and hopefully those questions can be answered by the author later on.
I love this series and world !

A Theory of Dreaming picks up right where A Study in Drowning left off—with Effy and Preston back in Carl-Isel, reeling from the fallout of their discoveries about Angharad’s true authorship.

But this isn’t a triumphant return. Between reporters digging into Effy’s past, backlash over her being admitted to the once men-only literature college, and prejudice against Preston for his Argantian heritage, it seems there’s no real escape for either scholar. Yet both find secret escapes of their own—retreats that begin as refuge but slowly twist into something much darker. If they can’t find their way out, they risk losing everything they’ve worked for—and themselves.

This sequel is much more introspective than its predecessor and very character-driven, with Preston sharing the limelight—if not quietly stealing it. His struggles with xenophobia added new emotional weight to a story that’s still deeply rooted in themes of feminism and mental health, especially the way those two are so often intertwined in Effy’s story. She’s still constantly gaslit, underestimated, and dismissed—and watching her continue to fight against that was both heartbreaking and powerful.

But maybe the most quietly devastating part of this book is its exploration of history—specifically, how governments and institutions twist and reshape the truth to serve their own narratives. As Preston and Effy uncover more of what really happened in Llyr, Reid doesn’t just ask what it means to find the truth—she asks what happens next. What do you do with it once it’s laid bare? When the official story is a lie, how do you move forward? How do you live with it?

These are questions that feel incredibly relevant right now, an they really sunk their teeth in while reading. Although I did enjoy A Study of Drowning, this is definitely a case where, for me, the sequel was just… better.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I loved A Study in Drowning and could not wait to return to this world, Reid’s writing, and of course check in on Preston and Effy with this sequel! I am so sad to say I was immensely disappointed in this one. The things that made me fall in love with Book 1 were missing entirely in Book 2: the ethereal and gothic vibes that transplanted me into this world, a strong FMC standing up for herself and (in doing so) women everywhere, a mystery to be solved etc…

I just could not, for the life of me, figure out the plot of this story. I cannot comprehend the magic nor how Preston came to have it and why. Everything resolved so quickly and conveniently, and our characters that we loved for their intelligence, humor, strength, and drive in book 1 were different characters entirely. While I can appreciate the way Reid portrayed the mental health journey of these two characters, and I understand the choice to show what might happen when one’s beliefs and foundations have been completely shaken, I just felt like for a final book in a Duology this was not the note their journey should have ended on.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC!!

Please note, my review is incredibly specific to both my preferences as a reader, but also my mental state.
I am DNF-ing 'A Theory of Dreaming'. This is not because the book is bad in any estimation of the word. However, I am emotionally not in a place to manage reading the remainder of the sequel.

'A Theory of Dreaming' continues to touch on a series of large culturally relevant issues between sexual assault, racism, religious fanaticism, and privilege. This is without the underlying components of mental health issues such as depression, self esteem/confidence, anxiety and PTSD. That being said, the book is heavy. I believe this is intentional, the reader becomes waterlogged with the weight of each of these issues further soaking their dress. While I believe a narrative of these issues is greatly needed (and the masterful stroke of Reid's literary style), I require more silver linings to keep me motivated through the story. We're at the precipice where we see Preston and Effy about to fall back into a deep hole, of which they've only escaped the previous oubliette. There is rarely any joy, celebration, victory, much less comfort or rest for our characters. I wish there had been more celebration of the small moments to help reinforce why we're following this arduous journey with Preston and Effy. I need there is to be positive reinforcement to keep me engaged and committed to these two.

One piece of criticism I have for the series is that the reader doesn't have the courtship between the two characters. In fact, I feel pity for these two young kids that really haven't been given any advantages and are continually having to navigate a world steeped in prejudice against them, whether for being too beautiful, too smart, or for being born on the wrong side of the country.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book took me longer to get into than A Study in Drowning, but I ended up enjoying it in the end. Once I hit the halfway mark, I was sucked in! Ava Reid has such a way of weaving fantasy into reality that is just enchanting. The emotional themes in this book hit harder than the first book, so that was a really interesting aspect. I liked the mystery better in the first book, but this book was still riveting, engrossing, enchanting. If you loved the first book, you should absolutely read this one.

A theory in mental illness and misogyny/xenophobia. I didn't enjoy this book anywhere near as much as A Theory in Drowning - there didn't seem to be any main storyline running through it the main characters were both just struggling with internal problems - grief and depression among others, while 99% of the people around them hate them based on nothing more than their gender or country of origin.

My main complaint about the first book was that although the main premise was that Effy was tormented with visions of the Fairy King after becoming obsessed with a book by an author. Given the prominence of this there just wasn't anywhere near enough magic/fairy/fantasy for me.

In this book it's even more of a stretch to call it a fantasy - except for some reason now Preston has magical dreams that can affect the waking/real world.

This just feels more like a sequel that wasn't needed on reading.

A Study in Drowning was a 5 star read for me, but I unfortunately didn't enjoy A Theory of Dreaming quite as much. I did still love Effy and Preston, who I think are very loveable characters, but I didn't feel as pulled into the story. I truly do appreciate all the attention to detail that went into this story - creating such an intricate literary history for a fictional story is undeniably impressive. And I did think it was interesting to read about, but overall, the vibes just weren't as strong as in the first book and I didn't really see the need for this sequel - I could have easily done without it.

Absolutely loved this! 5 Stars! Ava hit it out of the park again. If you love A Study in Drowning, you're absolutely going to love this one as well!

"I think of you, always. My mind is never empty of you. Not in waking; not even in dreaming”

When I first heard Ava Reid would be writing a sequel to A Study in Drowning, a much beloved book for me, I have to admit I was a little fearful. A Study in Drowning was perfection to me and a book I felt stood just fine on its own with no need for a sequel. I have never been more happy to be wrong in all my life! A Theory in Dreaming takes us back to the country of Llyr and even more importantly Effy and Preston who have just started to feel the after effects of challenging the life's work of lauded hero and poet Myrrdin. With the war with neighboring country, and Preston's homeland, Argant coming to a head tensions rise as machinations of both political and magical rip through their lives. Delving into this book I was quickly reminded that Ava has such a way with words. Her settings are poignant and haunting and steeped in a dreary atmosphere. Her depictions of grief and loss are staggeringly honest, her writings and depictions of mental health, intrusive thoughts, and the ache that comes with loving someone to the point of pain were so masterfully penned I could feel the true depth of Preston's fears and and Effy's insecurities as if they were my own. Preston and his anxiety over Effy, his fervent need for her safety to the point of his own madness that is at the same time draped in his soft love for her is some of the most real depiction of love and romance I have ever read because truly what is love if not the fear of loss. They truly are my two idiots in love who have both placed the weight of the world and of each other on their own shoulders unwilling to burden the one they love most with the load of their fears both real and imagined. This world is haunting in its folklore, scarily familiar in its governments nationalism, censorship, and xenophobia, and it feels grounded in a skewed sort of reality so much it hurts. I have so much I could say about this book its points on misogyny in academia still stand tall, its clear depictions of trauma and ptsd, its careful handling of grief and so much more made this a sequel that more than lives up to its predecessor. 5⭐️

Thank you to netgalley and harper collins for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for honest review!!

I enjoyed it. I mean it got a little boring and maybe a bit dense in some places, but overall I had a fun time. I still definitely did enjoy A Study in Drowning more, but I still had fun with it.

Ava Reid is THE auto buy author for me. This book was riveting and haunting and I'll take every little scrap of Preston and Effy that is published.

A Theory of Dreaming by Ava Reid picks up where book one left off with Effy and Preston. While the first book mostly followed Effy, this book explores Preston’s character more.

I loved A Study in Drowning. It was one of my favorite books when it came out but I didn’t think it needed a sequel. I read that the author didn’t originally write it to have a sequel and I fear that this second book feels unnecessary. I love Reid’s writing and will read anything they write. The writing in this book is dreamy and feels like a fairy tale. But the story itself was hard to get through. Effy felt like she was barely there which I didn’t enjoy because I connected with her so much in the first book.

I think people who really want to know answers to things that happened at the end of book one will enjoy this but people who are content with the way the first book ended may find this sequel unnecessary.

Ava Reid creates a thoughtful story with beautiful and haunting prose that will stick with me for a long time. I loved A Study in Drowning, it spoke to me in ways I can't even begin to explain. I didn't know if I could love A Theory of Dreaming as much, and was afraid it wouldn't live up to the place A Study in Drowning lives. I am happy to report that it very much did. This will be a duology I will return to time and time again. I truly felt seen in this book.



We meet up with Preston and Effy after they have returned to University and are facing criticism and critiques from their peers,and the people of Llyr as a whole after they have challenged the authenticity of one of the nation's treasured Sleepers. We get to see how they deal with the stressors of being back and the expectations placed on them by others, themselves, and how our identities can inform how others view us and how we view ourselves.



What stood out to me most, is how Ava Ried tackles challenging subjects, particularly the topic of how we manage the hard stuff when other hard stuff keeps happening. She captures the very human quality to how we are sometimes able to pick ourselves up and how sometimes no matter how much we want to we are unable to... this book spoke to me in so many ways and whispered in others. While different from A Study in Drowning, still very poignant.



Absolutely recommend picking this one up, especially if you loved the first, if you love whimsical prose, deep meanings, and characters that speak to you. Thank you to the publisher for providing an advanced readers copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley & HarperCollins for providing the arc!

**2.5-3 stars** I was so excited to get an arc for this one after I enjoyed “A Study in Drowning” but I am conflicted with this one.

*DISCLAIMER* There will be spoilers in this review for the first book so if you haven’t yet, go read that before picking this up.

Picking up from the first novel, after Effy defeats the fairy king, we follow her adjust to life in academia as the first woman in history to enroll in the literature college. Effy teams up with Preston on their thesis about the history of the national beloved fairytale, Angharad. Naturally, being the only woman in the program comes with its challenges, and public pressure begins to affect her. Meanwhile, Preston, now a TA for his advisor, begins dreaming of a palace beneath the sea—a world where he is king. As the dreams become increasingly vivid and consuming, his main desire is to protect Effy. When a war between Llyr and Argant erupts, Effy’s internal struggles deepen, and Preston becomes increasingly unable to distinguish reality from his dream world.

There is only one word to truly describe Ava Reid’s writing: LUSH. Reading her work is always a sensory experience and I love how it perfectly blends the atmospheric prose and gothic genre. Dreamy, immersive, and so well-crafted. I loved the dark academia setting and was thrilled we got to read and learn more about Preston. Effy and Preston’s little romance was sweet and cute to read.

That said, I wanted to love this more but sadly I do think ASID works better off as a standalone. While I appreciated the careful exploration of Effy’s complex character development, the sequel lacked urgency, clear stakes, and a compelling goal. Effy began to lose her charm—which I understand is part of her journey—but by the 43% mark, I found myself losing interest because not much was happening. Then, around 72%, things finally began to pick up, and I thought it might be setting up for a third book. But shortly after, it seemed to wrap up definitively (though who knows?).

I gave this book 3-stars purely for the writing and Preston. The story itself? I’m unsure what to rate. It wasn’t concrete or high stakes enough to fully immerse me. If you miss the world of ASID and you want some cute snippets of Effy and Preston’s relationship, then sure read this. But if you’re expecting a fully fleshed out–MUST READ–sequel, maybe skip this.

No words and when I say no words I mean no words can define the way I loved this book. The book was absolutely amazing and I was hooked from the very first to the very end. Give me more of it please.

AVA REID??
i'm so happy i got this arc and was able to finish the duology
such a satisfying ending and just as good as the first book, which is often hard to do for duologies (i feel like)
not perfect, but still super enjoyable!!

This was beautiful! Ava’s writing is always so consistent and the story flows easily, there was no questioning that this book picked up immediately from book 1. The POV of Preston added so much to this story. It felt like I was reading with more cynicism and idealism that Preston has but with the same tone and bits of like fairy tale aspects that Effy has in her POV. The heavy themes in this book are written so well, everything felt as raw and real as anything you would deal with in real life and in Ava’s writing style it’s an extra layer of devastating (but in the best way). I think this was the perfect continuation of Effy and Preston’s story!

Thank you NetGalley, Ava Reid, and Harper Collin’s for gifting me this eARC!

What an absolutely perfect sequel. So often, I feel like sequels have to create so many unnecessary new conflicts rather than just building on the ones that were established in the former book(s), but this one did not do that at all. The two books are so seamless that it felt like I took a six month long pause in a book before picking it up and continuing it.

The character growth in Preston was what really sold this book for me. I feel like we got the growth of Effy in book one and I wanted to see Preston flourish, and this is where we got it. There was a wonderful balance of academia, magic, politics, and racial inequalities that made the book really topical for today’s climate while keeping an heir of magic and whimsy that makes it feel like we will be able to get through all that is being tossed at us right now.

While I hadn't expected a sequel to "A Study in Drowning", I couldn't be more happy that we got one! The narrative shifts between Effy and Preston is a well-done structure, handing the story back and forth between them and really giving the reader the chance to know both of their thoughts and emotional states very well which deepens the connection to both of these characters. This is a much more atmospheric and character driven book, as opposed to a plot driven book, so if you like a strong plot this isn't the book for you; I greatly enjoyed it though!