A Theory of Dreaming
Return to the immersive, lush, and dreamlike world of the instantly bestselling dark academia fantasy A Study in Drowning as the aftermath of their first discovery pulls Effy and Preston on a final adventure and brings their haunting love story to its end in this stunning sequel and final book in the duology. This collector’s edition features stunning foil case design, antique-style endpapers, filigree cover, and gorgeous designed edges.
All stories come to an end.
Effy learned that when she defeated the Fairy King. Even though she may never know exactly what happened at Hiraeth, she is free of her nightmares and is able to pen a thesis with Preston on the beloved national fairytale Angharad. She has finally earned a spot at the literature college, making her the first woman in history to enroll.
But some dreams are dangerous, especially when they come true. The entire university—and soon the entire nation—is waiting for her to fail. With the Fairy King defeated and Myrddin’s legacy exposed, Effy can no longer escape into fantasy. Who is she without her stories?
With Effy under threat, Preston is surprised to discover a rage simmering inside him, ringing in his ears like bells. He begins to dream of a palace under the sea, a world where he is king—visions that start to follow him even in waking.
As the war between Llyr and Argant explodes, Effy and Preston find themselves caught in the crossfire: Effy losing her dreams and Preston losing himself in his.
Are dreams ever truly just dreams?
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Ava Reid
Ava Reid writes the kind of fantasy that feels like folklore rediscovered, as if her stories have been whispered through centuries before finding their way to the page. Her novels, steeped in myth, faith, and the weight of identity, blur the line between the magical and the political, the personal and the historical. With her blend of dark beauty and emotional precision, she has become one of the most distinctive contemporary voices in literary fantasy.
Born in Manhattan and raised across the river in Hoboken, Reid studied political science at Barnard College, focusing on religion and ethnonationalism. That academic path shaped the moral and cultural tensions running through her fiction. Her debut, The Wolf and the Woodsman, draws on Hungarian history and Jewish folklore, exploring nationalism, belonging, and faith through the lens of myth. It established her as a writer unafraid to confront brutality or tenderness, often in the same breath.
A Study in Drowning
A Study in Drowning consists of two primary books, and includes one additional book that complement the series but is not considered mandatory reads and considered as a complete series. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
