This is the continuation of A Study in Drowning. If you have not read the first book, proceed with caution!

This book continues the story of Effy and Preston after they have returned to University after the events of the first novel. This book focuses more on the development of their relationship, and overall focuses more on Preston than the first novel.

Overall I enjoyed this book. At first I wasn’t completely sure if I would because the first novel ties things up relatively well. When Reid announced the sequel I was taken by surprise. I think the important thing to note here is that if you liked the first book, you will like this one. If you did not like the first book, I would not recommend you read this one.

As with the first novel, the atmosphere is stunning. The world that these novels are set in is beautiful and rich with its own folklore. The characters can get a bit frustrating (as in the first book) but I did enjoy getting to know Preston a bit more.

Did I enjoy this? Yes. Do I think it is a necessary read to enhance the enjoyment of the first novel? No.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

“Whatever faults I might have—and I have plenty—just know that I think of you, always. My mind is never empty of you. Not in waking; not even in dreaming.”


I did not think I would be left loving these characters even more than when I turned the last page in A Study in Drowning, but Ava Reid did it, she broke my heart and mended it all over again with her ethereal and emotionally charged writing yet again.

In a Theory of Dreaming we follow Preston and Effy back to their academy to continue their studies; where they must deal with the publics reactions to their controversial article; Effy’s new standing as a the only female in the literary college; and the growing tensions of a country on a brink of war. And even though we get more of Effy, this was very much Preston’s book.

As a fan of Preston, I must admit, I was losing my marbles at the way we get dive deeper into his character. We get to read more about his feelings and mental well-being, but also, about the way this man loves Effy; that alone was a real treat.

I really loved Ava Reid’s descriptive and ethereal writing and how it felt like an exhalation on a cold winter day. Ava dives deeper into the feelings of her characters in a such a raw and vulnerable way that had me wanting to protect Effy and Preston against the cruelty and unjustness of their world— So be ready to go through all the emotions.

Would HIGHLY recommend to anyone who read and enjoyed A Study in Drowning.

Ava Reid has done it again! This was a beautiful follow-up to ASID and it felt so good to be back in Llyr with Preston and Effy.

I felt like this book was much more raw and emotional compared to ASID, but I absolutely loved that! Preston was a character I fell in love with from the very start and getting more of his POV in this book was everything. Seeing his struggle between dreams and reality really puts into perspective that we all are chasing the same thing - peace. But nothing is truly perfect.

Effy is the character that I wanted to grab by the shoulders and hug throughout the entire book. She is such a beautiful character and watching her struggle with mental health was so heartbreaking, but something that really struck me as the reader.

If you loved ASID, I think you will fully enjoy this wonderful sequel to Preston and Effy’s story. Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for this eARC.

When the world feels like too much. Sink beneath the sea. You will find darkness and beautiful sleep.

ATID was magic. Once again Ava wrote beautifully and painfully as the feeling were all to real.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

4.5/5 stars!

Well this book was really made for me because I LOVED A Study in Drowning and after finishing it I literally thought "I wish I got more of a Preston story". And here it is! I really love the style of Ava's writing, and her books are so atmospheric and beautiful. I really loved this one just as much as the first!

A Theory of Dreaming was another wonderful example of Ava Reid's atmospheric and haunting writing. It was a dreamy, trauma-filled novel that left me questioning everything and looking for connections everywhere. I feel that it was a wonderful follow up and ending to the story that began with A Study in Drowning. I love that we got to see so much from Preston's point of view, and the way he navigates the world, his trauma, and his feelings. He is a wonderful character who has swiftly become one of my all time favorites. Thank you to the publisher for sending me and eARC.

Very sad to report that, as much as I loved A Study in Drowning, the sequel did not deliver. We still have Ava Reid's gorgeous, gothic, atmospheric writing which deserves a star on its own, but a plot was nowhere to be found. Truly had to force myself to slog through this.

Going forward, I will be recommending A Study in Drowning to everyone as a standalone. Unfortunately, it should have stayed that way.

Many thanks to the author, Netgalley, and HarperCollins for this eARC!

I actually didn't read ASID until my ARC request for ATOD was approved, but I fell in love with it. Though, ASID's ending felt so satisfying, I was a bit worried when I started ATOD. My worry wasn't misplaced. This felt aimless, meandering through 300 pages of an expanded world that made less and less sense the more it was explained. While I enjoyed Preston's development, this book felt like a character assassination of Effy. Her entire arc in ASID was about her finding her agency and self-confidence and fighting for what she deserved, and she almost immediately fell into a depressive, self-flaggellating pit in ATOD. I was honestly getting annoyed with every chapter from her POV. Her arc in ATOD served nothing, not even herself, not even Preston.

More than the boring parts or character assassination, the nonsensical politics of ATOD bothered me the most. In ASID, the politics of her world-building were only teased and referenced when necessary for the characters or circumstances and it was all shallow enough that nothing was trying to be done. But just like Fable, I don't think Ava Reid has a mind for politics, much less geopolitics. The world-building runs in circles, suggesting Llyr and Argant were once one country and culture, but that they're at war now because "they've always been at war." The belief in the Sleepers is regarded as Southern superstition and hillbillyish, but every soldier in the Llyrian military is fighting under those beliefs and immediately folds when the authenticity of that religion is called into question. Even worse, political actions happen just for plot reasons. Those plot reasons seem to be "to make Effy and Preston look like the bad guys." Then, the end is wrapped up into a nice little bow with a ceasefire and the suggestion of eternal peace in the future. Maybe Reid should just stick to the folklore and gothicism she's really good at.

Nobody does atmosphere quite like Ava Reid. I enjoyed A Theory of Dreaming overall, but there were definitely parts that I thought were a slog. However, for the vibes alone and how the story unravels, I think this is a worthwhile read. If you enjoyed A Study in Drowning I think this is a solid follow up. I loved the first book and I thought this was okay. Perhaps not a necessary continuation of the story, but I did like the depth that it added to the world overall.

This book is a beautiful sequel to A Study in Drowning. Honestly, I may like this one more than the first - which I also rated 5 stars. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC. This is definitely in my top favorite books now.

4 ✨ for A Theory in Dreaming, the sequel I didn’t even know I needed. Apparently true love really does conquer all.

Somehow this book manages to be both dark and creepy, yet ethereal and stunning at the same time. Effy and Preston are both faced with so many difficult struggles within the waking world; my heart aches for them. When the lines of reality begin to blur and Preston finds himself caught between the allure of dreaming and the pain of physical existence, he has an important decision to make.

Things I enjoyed about this novel: beautiful prose, whimsical darkness, academia setting, unconditional love, and the messy emotions/feelings/actions of human beings. If you enjoyed A Study in Drowning, I think you’ll be delighted by A Theory in Dreaming.

Thank you to HarperCollins Children’s Books and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy.

Who thought A Study in Drowning would have a sequel? I was so excited when I found this title on NetGalley and immediately requested. I adored A Study in Drowning and was especially attracted to whimsical atmosphere. Ava Reid's writing gives the water (a main part of the first book) life, making the ocean dark yet luring. Unfortunately, I was not as engaged reading the sequel, the writing was much less atmospheric (maybe because there is no more water in this book).

There are a lot of things happening in the second book - Effy and Preston's relationship, the war between Llyr and Argant, Preston's past, more work from other writers, etc., because of this, I feel a little overwhelmed and didn't learn any of those things deeply.Like the author mentioned in her introduction to A Theory of Dreaming, the sequel touches upon Preston's background much more than the first book. It also is much more of a dark academia setting. While A Study in Drowning focuses on water, the sequel focuses on dreams. Preston created his own palace in his dreams, it reminds me of the movie Inception. Effy and Preston's interactions in this book are also not really pushing the plot, they seem to have less chemistry in this book.

Thank you to HarperCollins Children’s Books & NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book! I voluntarily read this book, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I know there are many out there who will enjoy this book simply because of the fact that they're getting to spend more time with these characters from book one, but I am just not one of them.

In this installment we see Effy and Preston dealing with the aftermath of their discoveries from the first book. Effy is having to learn how to deal with the real world without the "cushion" of blaming magic when life becomes too much. Preston is learning to accept that magic is real by almost literally being thrown into it by way of dreaming, and trying to find a way to not let it overcome his real life.

Pros:
- Much more of a dark academia vibe that I was expecting from the first book
- We get a lot more of Preston and his journey in this story

Cons: (for me)
- Very little meaningful interaction between Effy and Preston. Nothing that would make the reader believe that their relationship is growing and strengthening.
- So much secret-keeping between the two MMCs
- A lot of the same plot ideas revisited from the first book
- The character growth was hardly shown. Most of what we get to see is both of them sinking deeper and deeper, then the growth/healing is really just glossed over at the end. (Preston's get shown a little, but still not what I would have liked to see.)

Again - if you LOVED the first book you'll still probably very much enjoy this one. I was only lukewarm about the first book and thought the second one would save the duology for me but that just wasn't the case here.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for providing me an ARC for one of my most anticipated reads of 2025!

A Study of Drowning was one of my favorite books because of its atmosphere and this continued with A Theory of Dreaming. Although I wouldn't say this was a sequel I was dying for - I didn't even know there was one on the table until very recently!- , I still enjoyed it overall. We get to know more about Effy and Preston after the truth they uncovered in the first book, the backlash they receive because of it and their coping mechanisms which while they aren't great make them more real. Preston's sunken palace gave me Piranessi by Susanna Clarke vibes all the time which I found interesting. I feel like I missed something with the value and the meaning behind the palace for Preston but I still managed to enjoy the ride. I did, however, feel like the book didn't have a clear purpose or plot we were getting towards but more like it was written to get to know the characters better after the aftermath of the first book, and there are aspects of Preston's and Effy's relationship that I didn't enjoy, particularly Preston caring for Effy like she is a glass doll. While I understand his concern, I still found it a little suffocating for my liking.

To end this review, here is my favorite quote of the book:
"whatever faults I might have - and I have plenty - just know that I think of you, always. My mind is never empty of you. Not in waking; not even in dreaming."

5/5

A Theory of Dreaming is a sequel that throws you back into the onslaught of the storm but does not lose hope in its eventual passing. No amount of this sequel feels overwrought, its dialogue and thematically rich commentary on a nation stand strong in today’s political landscape. Connecting the power of story in building the ideology of a nation utilized as fuel for propaganda and war, Reid highlights its scars and its lasting legacy. Ava Reid balances this with the continued love story between Preston and Effy as they chafe against the constraints of their world and their place within it. A Theory of Dreaming proves that there is still more to surmount but that love is the reason we can continue to navigate this waking world – and that sometimes we must be the ones to save ourselves. For Preston and Effy that is acknowledging just how much they need each other all over again. The undertow to this duology being Effy and Preston finding love and livelihood even as they confront fascism and violence is life-affirming as it is a form of resistance. It's been a long time since I’ve been surprised by Ava Reid’s brilliance (it is their natural state after all) and this sequel is not only brilliant it is vitally necessary. Consider me in awe of Ava Reid from now until the end of time.

My full review is published now on my blog.

This is the second book in the series so if you haven’t read the first, please do this is worth the read and will not disappoint. The special editions are amazing looking as well, but this author is wonderful.

I really appreciate this second book even though i have doubts

The first book is one of my fav book, and well i think this book is okay but not as good as the first one

It picks off right after the events of the first book.

In this book we get to know more about the conflict between Llyr and Argant. The book also mainly focused on Preston's POV even tho Effy's POV is also present.

If you like the romance from the first book, this book has such cute moments between the leads.

This book mainly sets in their college. Tho there's the dream realm that i think it's a nice concept but i feel like the book didn't explore it that much which is a shame.

Mainly the problem with this book is... it feels like this book wanted to tackled a lot of topic (such as politics, fantasy, romance) but turns out half baked...

Overall if you're craving extra content from the first book, you can read this book

“𝘚𝘰𝘣𝘴 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘴, 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘭𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘴. 𝘏𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘱𝘵 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴. 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢 𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴, 𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵, 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦.”

This book broke me and put me back together. Ava’s writing always delivers! Such beautiful prose and such heartbreaking characters! I really savored this one and I’m so glad I did.

It was so fun to go back into this world of fairytales and folklore. One of the intriguing things about this duology is that the characters (and the reader) are constantly grappling with what is and isn’t real. The entire setting also feels very dreamlike.

Although both Effy and Preston are struggling in their own ways after ASID, I loved getting to see more of Preston’s perspective this time around. I also loved getting to see more of Preston and Effy’s relationship and how incredibly sweet Preston is with Effy.

This second book definitely grapples with some darker themes and I feel like it adds to the tone and intensity of the story. I was intrigued by the journal entries Effy finds and how the journal coincides with her own struggles as a woman in a male dominated field.

I don’t want to say too much more about the story so as not to spoil anything, but I really enjoyed this and if you loved ASID, you will love this conclusion to the duology. I can’t wait to read what she writes next and can’t wait to grab the physical copy!

I adored A Study in Drowning. It was so beautiful and magical. It was a love letter to stories and books. With this, I felt like I was trudging through A Theory of Dreaming. I didn't feel as connected to Effy and Preston this time around. It felt like there were a lot of inconsistencies overall. Ava Reid's writing is beautiful, as always. She's an excellent writer. I felt that ATOD was a bit longer than needed and felt that it could have been a novella. It didn't feel like it fit in with A Study in Drowning. There were times when I felt that the plot was a bit lost. Overall, it was nice to be back in the world with Effy and Preston again. I look forward to reading more of Ava Reid's writing.

Thank you so much to Harper Collins and NetGalley for the eARC!

WE ARE BACK on the soggy, sad train that is the Study in Drowning duology with the spotlight on Preston in this sequel. Preston, deliciously infuriating cynic that he is, can't get over the fact that his dreams are real, yet doesn't question that he magic LASIK-ed himself to have 20/20 vision. He essentially dreams himself into a Piranesi-esque palace dedicated to the beautiful baby angel princess that is ~Effy~ which his mentor, Master Gosse, weirdly wants to break into. 
Effy is dealing the with the repercussions and PTSD of a devil Fairy King literally grooming her from when she was a child, while the people that were supposed to be taking care of her made her feel like a nuisance for taking up space...  She is struggling with the belief that she is broken and that she cannot trust her own thoughts, coupled with being judged by others as this unhinged, amoral woman, all while trying to to be a voice for women that have been unheard for decades. No wonder this girl is going off the rails popping pills that I do not know where she is getting from. Seriously her <s>drug pusher </s> psychiatrist should re-examine that Hippocratic Oath, because what the actual eff. 

Effy and Preston's relationship was beyond frustrating for me as 90% of their conflicts could’ve been solved if they just had an honest conversation . Their mental health's implications on their personal identity and on their relationship was so relatable, but as a third party observer you just want to shake them out of their dangerous thought patterns. Preston is the epitome of functional anxiety, taking on the role of caretaker for so many of the people around him at the cost of his mental sanity. He is constantly worrying about Effy and taking care of Effy and making sure nothing happens to her while simultaneously keeping things from her (hence conflict). 
This is a story about grief, childhood trauma, misogyny and about what happens after the fairytale ending. Ava Reid's writing is beautiful and lyrical as always. I love how the pieces of this puzzle from multiple stories across multiple cultures came together in the search for the truth. I loved how the story of Antonia Arden shadowed and supplemented the main story of Effy and Preston. Certain details seemed glossed over in the end and the main conflict wrapped up too quickly for me to feel fully satisfied.  I truly was here for Effy and Preston and the vibes so this wasn't a huge detriment in my opinion. 
<i>Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.</i>