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A Theory of Dreaming

3.6(74)
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About the book

RETURN TO THE DREAMLIKE WORLD OF THE INSTANTLY BESTSELLING DARK ACADEMIA FANTASY A STUDY IN DROWNING_________'An academic treat, gowned in gothic darkness' Daily Mail'Reid is a singular, extraordinary talent' Sasha Peyton Smith, The Rose Bargian'We've been counting down the days until we can find ourselves reunited with Effy and Preston' CosmopolitanAll 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 enrol. 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?__________PRAISE FOR A STUDY IN DROWNING'A love letter to stories - and to everyone silenced of forgotten in their retelling.' ALLISON SAFT'As merciless as a rising tide and as beguiling as a fairy's bargain.' MELISSA ALBERT'A spell-binding mix of magic, myth and mystery.' RORY POWER'Darkly romantic and unsettlingly eerie' ERIN. A CRAIG'Lyrical, incisive, and tragically beautiful, this book will haunt your dreams.' VAISHNAVI PATEL'Reid is a singular, extraordinary talent.' SASHA PEYTON-SMITH'I could read this book again and again - absolute perfection.' COURTNEY GOULD'Incandescent, tender, and fierce. This is a story that lingers, long after the last word.' REBECCA ROSSREADERS ABSOLUTELY ADORE A STUDY IN DROWNING... ***** 'I was enraptured from the first few chapters'***** 'haunting and atmospheric'***** 'Ava Reid has a magical way with words'***** 'There is something about the way Reid creates an atmosphere that I find completely immersive'***** 'This book is truly mesmerising'***** 'Beautifully written'***** 'I will read ANYTHING that Ava Reid writes'***** 'Ava Reid's writing is extraordinary and beautiful' 5****** 'Prepare to be drawn into the most thrilling, dark, subversive world imaginable.'***** 'My mind is blown away and my heart is full to the brim'

Editions (6)

ISBN9781804953815
PublisherRandom House UK Ltd
Publication Date09/17/26
Pages384

Reviews & Ratings

74 ratings

10 reviews

3.6

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  • annareads
    annareads

    132 Followers

    5.0

    Delightful Dream-Escapism ✨

    Mit der Veröffentlichung ihrer Dissertation, die die Autorschaft von Emrys Myrddin’s „Angharad“ in Frage stellt, haben Effy und Preston sich viele Feinde gemacht, aber auch innerlich wüten nach den Geschehnissen in Hiraeth Tumulte in den beiden: Als Effy ihr erstes Semester als Literaturstudentin antritt, fühlt sie sich in einer Gesellschaft, die sich nichts sehnlicher wünscht als ihren Untergang, ohne die Magie des Fairy Kings schutzlos ausgeliefert und flüchtet sich in leere Traumwelten. Preston hingegen, sieht sich seit ihrer Rückkehr nach Caer-Isle mit einer Magie konfrontiert, an die er nie geglaubt hat und die nachts in Form von Glockengeläut ertönt, das nur er zu hören scheint. Die Glocken lassen ihn von einer versunkenen Stadt träumen, die die Wahrheit um den Ursprung des Konfliktes zwischen Llyr und Argant verbirgt. Und während sich der Verlauf des Kriegs verschärft, ist ihre Liebe füreinander das Einzige, was Effy und Preston davor bewahren kann, sich in ihren Träumen zu verlieren… ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Ich weiß nicht, wie Ava Reid es macht, aber die von ihr geschaffene Welt von Llyr und Argant übt einen so unermesslichen Zauber auf mich aus, für mich ist es eine der schönsten, magischsten Realism-Fantasy-Welten, von denen ich je gelesen habe. Ab der ersten Seite war ich instantly zurück in den kalten Gemäuern von Caer-Isle und habe mich mit Effy und Preston durch die Widrigkeiten ihrer Rückkehr an die Uni geschlagen. Ich liebe den Literatur-wissenschaftlichen Aspekt der Reihe, es ist mind-blowing für mich, wie AutorInnen es schaffen, in ihrem ursprünglichen literarischen Werk zusätzlich so viele tiefgründige, fundierte weitere literarische Texte und Quellen einfließen zu lassen - die ebenfalls fiktiv, aber so gut und durchdacht sind, dass sie mich glauben lassen, ich konvertiere gerade zu einer neuen Religion - und Handlung, Hintergründe, Motive dadurch so lebhaft und rund wirken lassen können 🤯 Alleine deshalb ist Ava Reid für mich eine Meisterin ihrer Kunst ♥️ Gepaart mit ihrem märchenhaften Schreibstil und der Fusion von Fantasy-Drama und Reallife-Struggle, dem Aufgreifen so wichtiger Themen wie Frauenfeindlichkeit, Fremdenfeindlichkeit, Gewalt, Drogenmissbrauch, Suizidgedanken, Suizidversuch, sexuelle Belästigung und dem Talent es in dieser Form zu verarbeiten… Ich finde in diesem Leben vermutlich nicht mehr genug „Praise“ für Reid und diese Duology (?) 🥹 Auch wenn Reids Bücher außerhalb der Reihe (so far: Juniper & Thorne und Lady MacBeth) mich nicht so begeistern konnten, möchte ich allen, die sich davon abgeschreckt fühlen, ans Herz legen "A Study in Drowning" und "A Theory of Dreaming“ eine Chance zu geben - hat komplett andere Vibes!!! 🫶🏻 🌵TBR—Abbau: 1/27✨

    Jan 15, 2026

  • josiscupofcoffee
    josiscupofcoffee

    56 Followers

    4.5

    "Love whispers, grief shouts." This sequel delves into Effy and Preston’s struggles against the injustices of academia, unethical school politics, and harsh societal prejudices. I loved the dream world, the mystical tone of this book, its rich mythology, and the critique of myths turned into unquestioned beliefs. I missed some of the etherealness that a Study in Drowning had. This book felt more raw and real. There still is room for magic and we learn more about Llyr and Argantia, and the fables of the sleepers. Nationalism/xenophobia is a large theme in this one. They say love conquers everything. A theory of dreaming proves there’s more to surmount, but that love is the reason we are able to continue to navigate this world and that sometimes we must save ourselves. In Preston and Effys case that means acknowledging how much they need each other. There are a few things that I wished would be more precisely wrapped up, but overall it feels like the right conclusion to this story.

    Jan 29, 2026

  • selfonashelf
    selfonashelf

    192 Followers

    3.5

    I'm a bit at a loss how to rate this book. On the one hand I had been dying to know what happens with Effie and Preston after the earth-shattering events of A Study in Drowning. On the other hand though, I had the suspicion that the story was told (and I also like books that have an ending that leaves it to the reader to the imagine what the future looks like).

    Let me start with saying that I found the vibes very different to book 1. While there was mostly a goth atmosphere with a constant feeling of drowning while reading, this is more dark academia. Effie and Preston have to deal with the aftermath, with Preston being the center of the narrative. Plotwise there is not a lot happening, we have academia life and some weird dreaming. I still think this a good book, but it has little of what blew me away in A Study in Drowning. I strongly encourage you to read for yourself and see if you get sucked into the narrative or not. 3,5/5 stars Thank you @netgalley and @penguinrandomhouse @penguinukbooks for the eARC! #ATheoryOfDreaming #AStudyInDrowning #Netgalley #Bookstagram

    I'm a bit at a loss how to rate this book. On the one hand I had been dying to know what happens with Effie and Preston after the earth-shattering events of A Study in Drowning. On the other hand though, I had the suspicion that the story was told (and I also like books that have an ending that leaves it to the reader to the imagine what the future looks like).

    May 1, 2025

3 of 10 reviews

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Wie traurig. Er will unbedingt stark sein für die, die sich für zerbrochen und unzumutbar für ihn hält.

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