This book was such a beautiful continuation of A Study in Drowning. I was so excited to get to come back and spend some time with Effy and Preston in this gorgeous world. The way this story explored what happens when the institutions around us and the lies they try to keep in order to control the world as they want it to be was so relevant to so much going in the world right now.

I really loved the growth we got to see Effy experience in this book while at the same time we saw her struggle so much with trying to cope with her new reality and the new challenges she is facing. At the same time Preston had his own struggles in this book and I absolutely loved getting his POV. We got to learn so much about him and see Effy and Preston in their truest forms. We see them struggle, we see them doubt themselves, love each other, suffer for each other and we see them power thru it all. Their story was so poignantly beautiful. Truly this was such a gorgeous conclusion to this story and will forever have a special place in my heart.

As I close the pages of this book, I find myself utterly awestruck by its beauty and depth. What if the ultimate answer to our lives lies in the simple, profound belief in love? Imagine if we chose to stop waiting for someone to rescue us and instead took a courageous stand for ourselves. What if everything you believed, every bit of faith, crumbled before your eyes, forcing you to confront truths you had intentionally ignored? In her sequel, A Theory of Dreaming, Reid challenges you to confront these very questions. This book was so good, and I can’t help but feel a sense of sadness as I awaken from this dream and return to reality. Reid sends us on a journey of heartache and discovery, revealing that faith cannot be constructed upon a crumbling foundation. When the base is built on deception, it allows an elite few to erect barriers, deploy power, and justify acts of hate under the guise of “faith”. Readers who appreciate classic literature will undoubtedly be drawn to this writing style. With its slower pacing and flourished prose. However, be mindful of its sensitive topics. This is more than just a read; it’s an invitation to rethink our deepest beliefs.

A Theory of Dreaming picks up following the conclusion of A Study in Drowning as Effy and Preston are dealing with challenges from the paper they wrote. This book felt very much in the same vein as A Study in Drowning with the atmospheric nature and importance in discovering the true nature of writing by a popular literary figure in their world. I felt that Reid did really well navigating the political landscape and difficult themes in this book especially how Reid navigated Effy’s struggles and Preston’s challenges with Argentian as the conflict intensifies. I did struggle, though, with the different plot lines feeling really disjointed. They’re meaningful and important to the story, but they didn’t always feel like they were part of the same story. I also struggled with the pacing and how slow the story seemed to progress. I do think most readers that enjoyed A Study in Drowning will enjoy A Theory of Dreaming as well.

A beautiful follow up to A Study in Drowning. Like ASID, this novel took me a little bit of time to get invested in and orient myself, but once it got going, I was hooked. I loved the dual POV third person format, and it was so lovely getting to go inside Preston’s head and see his love for Effy. There were so many beautiful quotes and gorgeous prose as always with Reid.

The plot in this one is pretty intense. There are a lot of moments that had me confused with the various history and lore, but there are also many issues explored in this alternate world with political and social implications that feel very relevant to today. I think Reid does a great job continuing the story of these characters that we fall in love with in A Study in Drowning and keeping the same ethereal atmosphere, with a little bit more real world problems at stake.

"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."

An enchanting sequel set in the same luscious dark academia world that is brimming with mystery. The gothic atmosphere and immersive writing will have you captivated from page one.

The characters once again feel entirely relatable and genuine. It was a pleasure getting to know both Effy and Preston on a deeper level while they both navigate through their individual struggles. Preston's story continues on with the same level of prejudice he faced in ASID, while Effy faces new challenges with her mental health. I also enjoyed getting more of the back story when it came to the war, which was lacking in A Study in Drowning.

"It's always a tragedy when young men die in an old man's war."

Since the characters struggles were the main focus, romance did take a back seat when comparing to ASID. Although I appreciate the other elements, I just wish the same attention to the romantic details had been applied to this story as well. Although I don't think a sequel was completely necessary, I did still enjoy the ending to their story.

I recommend if you enjoyed A Study in Drowning and/or eerie mystery vibes, political intrigue, academic settings, and authentic/emotional characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an eARC.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC.

Words can’t describe how much I was anticipating this book. I read book one, A Study in Drowning, cover to cover in a single sitting barely moving for food and water. It did not disappoint at all - 5 star's, 2 thumbs up, highly recommend, insert anything I could say to convince you to read this.

If you haven’t read the first book yet then stop what you are doing go read it and come back to tell me how right I was that it is amazing. If you read book one then let me just say you won’t be disappointed.

More Preston and his blushing love for Effy?!? Sign me up! I am such a fan of Reid’s writing- there is so much depth and complexity to the themes she explores. Nationalism, xenophobia, and sexism (continued from book 1) are central to this story and man does that feel extra relevant. I love the dark academia vibes and the rainy, gothic atmosphere of this duet. Great conclusion to the story!

A theory of Dreaming is the conclusion to the Study in Drowning duology. I enjoyed this book just as much as the first and I thought it was a great conclusion to the story!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for a review!

I am genuinely upset that I didn’t love this book more. I loved A Study in Drowning. This one just didn’t connect with me like the first one did. I felt like there were a lot of parts that just weren’t important to the story and actually took me out of it multiple times.

The sequel to A Study In Drowning, we dive in with Effy and Preston, back at school, readjusting to life after their discoveries in Hiraeth. Things aren’t easy upon their return and with the dual POV we’re able to follow both of them as they not only navigate their own difficulties but hide them from one another.

I thought this story following Preston vs. Effy was a nice take. While Effy isn’t completely removed from the story, Preston is clearly the focus. The book is filled with a lot of political elements I think are relevant to today’s political climate. I really enjoyed the complexity of this one and suggest the series as a whole.

A Theory of Dreaming is a beautifully written and introspective follow up to the ethereal and haunting A Study in Drowning.

Preston and Effy have returned from Hiraeth, and while whole, they are definitely changed. They want to share the truth they learned about Angharad, but many in Llyr are against them and especially resistant to hearing any criticism of Myrddin’s legacy from a woman and an Argantian. Effy and Preston must fight for the future they want, even as forces continue to tear them apart.

This was such a unique and beautiful tale. I left ASID feeling a little unmoored, like the line between fantasy and reality was blurred, and I feel much the same way after reading A Theory of Dreaming. I was pleasantly surprised to see that Ava Reid wrote a sequel for ASID, as I thought the open ending of ASID left much to interpretation, and was glad to see more to Preston and Effy's story. I loved having more POV chapters from Preston, too, as this book focuses a bit more on him and his relationship to Effy, and to himself as he wrestles with shifting between reality and his dreams. This book also tackles a lot of big issues - xenophobia, misogyny, ethics in academics, nationalism, and other social issues, making this book a bit deeper and darker than ASID, and also a bit more anchored in our real world concerns. A Theory of Dreaming is a lovely and enchanting follow up to A Study in Drowning, and I felt that it wrapped up Effy and Preston's story nicely.

As a side note, I received my Deluxe Edition copy in the mail today, and it is gorgeous!! The two books look perfect together!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

REVIEW: A Theory of Dreaming by Ava Reid

4.5/5

"My mind is never empty of you. Not in waking, not even in dreaming."
I absolutely love Ava Reid and their writing. A Theory of Dreaming picks up right where A Study in Drowning left and follows the lives of Effy and Preston as they navigate the consequences of the events in the previous book. The story is in dual POV, unlike ASID which I thought added so much to the story. We explore Preston's mental health as much as Effy's and I thought that was a great expansion of his character. Speaking of, I thought this book was a lot more character focused as opposed to a central mystery guiding it (as in ASID) which I thought was a great way of approaching a sequel. Yes we do learn a lot more about the Sleepers and there is a great plot guiding the book, but we also really understand Effy and especially Preston as characters. I thought it was an important book to write. One of my favorite genres of books is where a standalone gets a sequel, but that can just as easily go wrong or feel redundant. This book was NOT one of those. Ava, as always, has incredible writing, lyrical without being pretentious. She builds the atmosphere so perfectly I instantly got sucked in. Ava Reid has really become a go to author for me. 
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

a beautiful follow up to one of my favorite reads of 2023. i liked the focus on the politics of the academic world in this.

After the academic discovery from A Study in Drowning upended everything the Llyrians knew about their beloved author, Effy and Preston had to face the repercussions. Being the only woman in the literature college and the only Argantian in the school, Effy and Preston faced an onslaught of harassment. Everyone in the country is waiting for the two of them to fail.

Preston's dreams start seeping into reality, and Effy's dreams have left along with the Fairy King. Together, can the two of them navigate this new world?

Transporting you to the wintery depression that is wartime dark academia, A Theory of Dreaming is the sequel that we needed after A Study in Drowning. The bleak, cold atmosphere of this book that made the story even more dreamlike and haunting. The writing was so beautiful and made me feel like I was immersed in the university and Preston's dreamy palace.

The two main characters dealt with their emotions very differently. I thought that Effy's depression as a reaction to everything that happened/is happening to her (spoiler free) was so raw and tangible. I think portraying experiences like hers in fiction is so important as it shouldn't be something that is easily overcome, especially when so many people go through it. Effy's despair contrasted so well with Preston's rage, and having the narration flip between the two of them was an exciting way to read. We got to see both sides. Just excellently done.

While Effy had more of a lead in the first book, Preston takes the lead in this sequel, and I'm happy for it. His character has so much depth and I'm glad that we got to explore that.

Such an incredible duology, Ava Reid once again hit it out of the park!! 5/5 stars, I'm so lucky I got to read this one early. Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC!

I love Reid's writing forever, it's so gorgeous and I found myself highlighting several lines as I went. In this book, though, while the writing was lovely, I still couldn't tell you much about what actually happened. This book was literally about a lot of sleeping and even the actual dreaming aspect was odd and vague. Even as everything wrapped up at the end, I couldn't really tell you why and how. So, while the prose and maybe even some aspects of the emotions were beautiful, plot-wise this book really lacked.

A stunning sequel to one of my favorite books of all time. Ava's prose is unlike any other that I've read. So eloquent and poetic I wish I could ingrain this entire book into my veins.

Ava has a power to capture the most minute emotions in a way it deserves, from Effy's struggles now being a part of the Literature department to Preston's own personal struggles. I'm rooting for every one of these characters and am so excited I don't have to leave this world yet with An Archive of Romance.

A Theory of Dreaming is another case of Ava Reid being a master at writing atmospheric books. Just like A Study in Drowning, the world is rich with a dark academia atmosphere, though for me this one fell a little short. It took until about half way through the book for me to feel like anything was really happening, and even when stuff did start happening, it felt like it was rushed and not fully fleshed out. That being said, I still enjoyed this book, and will be reading more of Ava Reids books, I just felt that this one fell short of its predecessor.

“It’s always a tragedy when young men die in an old man’s war.”

“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.”

“.. a romance. Can one still cherish a love that ends in grief?”

I had fallen in love with A Study in Drowning and had desperately needed more from the world of Llyr so imagine my delight when Ava announced A Theory of Dreaming, which I devoured on a single short international flight. And writing this review, looking through my numerous highlights, it is obvious the beauty of Ava’s prose again evokes a deep sense of satisfaction and pleasure, reminiscent of ASID.

While the focus of AToD is on Preston and his experience, we again visit Effy’s struggles with being judged for her past experience, and for being a female in a male dominated environment, where her every action is scrutinized and used against her, particularly when these question the status quo of celebrated male figures. Her desire to shelter herself from the outcry and attacks, lead to her going down a darker path and I love Preston for supporting her in finding her way back again. Again, Ava intricately weaves a theme of females being exploited with Antonia and the Garden of Stone, which again echoes Effy and her fight. How Antonia is desperate for a respite from what has morphed from comfort to torture, has your heart breaking. I love that Angharad makes an appearance again, to support Effy at Preston’s behest, but Effy’s family has me baffled still at their treatment of Effy as a trouble, rather than a person needing their support.

A Theory is Dreaming is another beautiful, deeply emotive tale from Ava Reid, echoing my previous sentiment that I desperately need more tales from Llyr, and reminding me to move her back list, up my TBR. This is my second request for a copy of Angharad ... please.

Pick this up for a magical read continuing the beauty that was A Study in Drowning

I absolutely adored a Study in Drowning and was very excited to start a Theory in Dreaming. We start with Effy and Preston as they face the reality of returning to school after publishing a polarizing paper. While I still absolutely love these characters and their relationship as well as the world and all the politics, unfortunately I was just not as enamored with this story. It was still intriguing and introduced new characters that I loved and expanded on the magic we were introduced to in a Study in Drowning. The shift in focus to Preston was one I did enjoy for the most part, however the plot was just a little more lackluster to me.

I think part of the magic that I loved about the first one was Effy’s passion for finding out the truth. I just didn’t find Preston’s experience with his dreams as compelling. Now I loved where the story ended up towards the end, however it felt like a very slow road to get there. I also wish we saw more interactions with Effy and Preston solving for the truth together like the first book, but this story focused a lot on them navigating their personal issues separately.

I did love the deeper delving into their lives outside of the isolation of the first book. Effy navigating being the only girl in the literature college after joining midsemester and Preston navigating his identity as a war wages across lines and his nationality is being thrown at him like a slur. It truly added to the complexity of their characters and brought us to a new side we didn’t get to experience in the first book. I do love the side characters and seeing their friendships at a deeper level.

Overall, while I did enjoy aspects of this book and did love the characters, I was not as compelled by the plot and found myself wandering from the story. I love Ava Reid and am still so excited for anything she writes.

Thanks NetGalley and HarperCollins for an earc. All opinions are my own

A Theory of Dreaming is a genuinely remarkable book. 4.25 stars.
I loved this book for returning to the atmospheric world, lovable characters and lyrical prose of A Study in Drowning with became one of my favorite books of 2024.
Though this book didn't give me exactly what I expected, I do believe it gave the characters an honest journey they needed.

I loved, as always, Ava's ability to string thoughts together and turn them into vivid pictures and story on paper. That was a top notch quality of the book. The descriptions left me feeling the world like I was inside of it instead of just reading about it. The atmosphere pulled me right in.
The story is intriguing, with Preston embarking on a paradigm shifting journey with someone who speaks of good intentions but feels off below the surface. Struggling in real life, with conflicts around and inside him, Preston is the beguiling focus of the book. His journey is well done.

I found only two parts of the book to hold me back from a five star. The pacing felt off, haltingly slow in some chapters with the spiral seeming to go on forever with no relief, and the communication. But aside from how I feel personally about how much people should talk or how fast their story should progress, the journey is heart-breaking, earnest and rich.

I will always love Effy, I will always love Preston, and their cohorts. The lovable group of youngins live with me now, none of them feel the same, they each have a distinct voice and Ava wrote them well. I also loved how the pieces of the story came together to work for the good of the characters by the end. I look forward to An Archive of Romance.