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.
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 fairy tale 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?
A Feminist Academia Story: With Myrddin’s legacy in ruins and the entire university waiting for her to fail, Effy must carve out her place as the first woman ever to enroll in the literature college.The Stunning Duology Conclusion: The epic finale to the story that began in A Study in Drowning, this sequel weaves together a high-stakes war, political intrigue, and a romance that will leave you breathless.A World of Dreams and Nightmares: As Effy’s connection to fantasy fades, Preston is pulled into a dream world of his own—a sunken palace where he is king, and a strange magic threatens his waking reality.A Gothic Love Story: Caught between a looming war and Preston’s dangerous new dreams, Effy and Preston’s love is tested as they face one final, haunting adventure together.
- Pages
- 384
- First published
- July 29, 2025
- Language
- English
- Edition
- Ebook
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Shelved by 8 Litcadians
Reviews
Finished May 17, 2026
This definitely had a different feel than a study in drowning did, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing and I did devour this all in one sitting. I did an immersive read and the audio for these books really is amazingly done. This was however a rough book. Effy and Preston both a struggling and going through it. Their mental health is struggling and taking a decline for the entirety of this book. They are both using different types of escapism to escape from the pain and struggles they are both feeling. They are both trying to be strong for the other and not burden them with their troubles but in doing so they are really cutting each other off and not truly seeing each other which leads to some pretty disastrous outcomes. This was a very sad book to read, but it held some really great messages as well and I appreciate Effy saying at the end that this is going to be a daily struggle and something she will need to continuously work on. I wish we seen a little bit more of Effy and Preston together in this because their stories felt so separate and I think we needed a little bit more healing together at the end but I did really enjoy this one and I felt it added to the overall story from a study in drowning.
Started May 1, 2026 · Finished May 3, 2026
Finished March 30, 2026
Started August 8, 2025 · Finished August 18, 2025
TW: Attempted suicide I really enjoyed most of the book. I loved the dual point of views, the further insight into the war, the commentary on the corruption of educational institutions and abuse of power… all of that was really well done. My biggest gripe, and the reason I cannot give this book a five-star rating is because of Effy. She remains a ghost herself, haunted by her past and present, and never really is shown on a road to recovery. And her attempt hit a little too close to home for me, so that also evoked some negative feelings in me. I just wanted to see her flourish… to come out of this bad place and begin to heal, and it just didn’t happen in a way that proved satisfactory. Still, a great read and a great continuation to “A Study in Drowning.”
Finished May 7, 2025
I was really looking forward to this after being surprised by how much I enjoyed A Study in Drowning, but this sequel left me feeling underwhelmed. While it picks up where the first book left off, it struggles to find a clear direction. It often feels like something essential is missing, possibly a cohesive plot?! Effy and Preston are each dealing with their own traumas, but their individual stories feel oddly disconnected rather than intertwined. The story never really gains momentum, making it feel more like a series of scenes than a fully realized continuation. Reid's beautiful, dreamlike writing still shines through and there are moments of real insight and emotional resonance. Unfortunately, the lack of plot kept me from fully connecting with the story. Thanks to the author, Netgalley, and HarperCollins for this eARC!