In some of the most engaging world-building I've experienced in recent times, Saft sends her equally compelling characters on a sprawling adventure and graciously allows us along for the ride.
The central relationship between academic rivals Lorelei Kaskel and Sylvia Von Wolff
is an absolute masterclass in simmering, slow burn romance and I was utterly invested
right from the very start.

A 5 star, must read for every romantasy fan.

The idea of this book is really. Is different from what I am used to. However the development od this world and the story fell flat for me and there were missing so many things. The characters anniyed me as well. Maybe I am just not the tarhet audience? Or maybe is me that I didn't gel with the book. It felt too logn and was going to put me on a reading slump but I did finish it. Unfortunately is not a memorable book for me.

3.75⭐

In A Dark and Drowning Tide, our main character, Lorelei, along with her mentor and five young noble academics set out for an expedition to find the Ursprung, the water spring that was the source of all magic according to folktales, as ordered by the king of Brunnestaad. Rivalry and arguments immediately sparkled among the noble academics, heirs to different duchies subjugated by the king, and had been frenemies since childhood. Mostly they looked down to Lorelei who came from an oppressed/persecuted ethnicity. Disaster after disaster held up the expedition, starting with the murder of Lorelei's mentor. Someone did not want the expedition to find the Ursprung for the king's benefit.

I have to say, adjust your expectation before starting this book. The main descriptor of this book was "sapphic fantasy romance", but I would say it's more focused on adventures and action compared to romance. Romance probably made up about 20% of the book. And I do love adventure fantasy by itself, but how this book went down was really different from my initial expectation it took some time for me to enjoy it.

It was an exciting and interesting story, with several folktales sprinkled between the narrative here and there. It has adventure, action, magic and magical creatures, romance, murder mystery, and sticky politics in it. Sometimes I think there's too many issues it tried to tackle. Again, the romance only took a small portion of the story, which was a shame because it is what Allison Saft excels at. I absolutely loved reading the romance portion of this book. Some earlier chapters felt rushed and clunky, but the climax of the adventure was exhilarating to read. Characterizations was okay ... not bad but also not excellent either, and I wish the side characters were given more spotlight.

eARC provided by NetGalley and Daphne Press.

3.50
The first chapters had me deeply invested - Lorelei especially, she was such an interesting character with all her prejudice and her fears, as opposed to Sylvia, who, frankly, was rather annoying to begin with. But seeing the story was told from Lorelei's POV, I'd say the author did a very good job on leading the reader to regard Sylvia exactly as Lorelei's envy and pettiness saw her. The fact the characters were far from perfect, and did not change and become 'the best person in the world' by the end of the book was a refreshing new take on the outdone trope of the 'hero', which I appreciated immensely. Lorelei was selfish, self-centred, terrified for herself and her family and the fate of her people, she was scheming and petty, but also with a set of morals much her own - whether I partake of them or not is not the point. She remains the same throughout the novel, and yet, she doesn't. Forced to grow and realise that she's not a very good judge of character, she still makes choices that perhaps won't benefit her private, intimate self, but because she martyrises herself due to events of the past and the persecution which her people have suffered through history, her choices are actually very much on character. She denies herself happines but will do anything for the safety of her people.
The worldbuilding could have been a bit more intricate, and more care should have been put into it, in my opinion, but it was an interesting take, all in all. The writing was a bit juvenile at points - 'it was as if' 'it was like' dripped far too much into the prose - but there were some purplish moments that I utterly raved about (purple prose is my jam). 3.5 stars for Lorelei's sake, she was one of the most interesting characters I've read lately.

a story filled with lush folklore and sapphic pining (one of those people being incredibly unaware of her own feelings) and a quest-like journey to find a magic lake that could change people’s lives!

allison saft is a master at creating relationships that i fall head over heels in love with, and i can never get enough of the worlds she creates and the people im made to feel for (and having read all her other books this fits perfectly in line with the other romances that im obsessed with)

i’m a sucker for a group in forced proximity having to work together, especially when the group doesn’t get along/the people are flawed. the development and understanding of the characters as the journey continues was intriguing, characters didn’t end up being who i thought they were, resulting in some very interesting reveals. the main cast of characters are highly flawed, which did make them unbearable at times but with good reason, and seeing them work together with their own personal ambitions created so much tension.

i loved the folklore in this (i would have adored having even more to be fair) and the characters individual interests in magic were so cool. the interweaving of magic, folklore and stories made this so intriguing, and really highlighted the differences in everyone and how stories are so individual to us.

and the sapphic pining cannot be forgotten. it definitely falls more as a subplot throughout most of the story, but really kicks in at the 60/70% mark!! i loved them together, the growth they both go through and moments where they are forced to work together made it that much better (can you tell i like rivals to lovers??). i do wish we had seen them together more than we did, and the ending did leave me wanting more, but i adored them together and seeing lorelei feel safe and have her faith and identity not be seen as monstrous

This one was great book to read and I fully lost my self when reading it so thank you for allowing me to read this as an ARC!
. The story flowed well, and it kept my attention at all times? I didn’t feel like I was forced to keep reading just so I could finish the book I really enjoyed every moment of it which makes an amazing change.

I read this at night, mornings even on my breaks during work so 10/10

I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and honestly review an advanced reader’s copy of this book.

This was filled with whimsical folklore, a master class at academic rivalry to lovers without ever losing that spark of argument between them. Atmospheric, dark, compelling to the point where I couldn’t put it down.

Back in the days where wishes still held power, there was a terrible, haunted woman named Lorelei. Dangerous and sharp, fighting for her place in a world that constantly shuns her. I both hated her and loved her the entire time.

The perfect fall read, a beautifully written, tightly plotted stand-alone with an impeccable mythology behind it.

Someone please inform the author that I will pay to read a Ludwig spin-off. It’s a need, not a want.

4.75⭐️

The writing style of this book immediately captured my attention, carrying me through the story in such a charming way. Whilst some aspects of the world building lost me in places, the cast of varied and nuanced characters kept me in the story. I loved the murder mystery element built into the fantasy world, and the romance build up and pay off was beautifully done

I felt the begging to be over complicated and so it didn’t compel me to want to keep going, unfortunately.

I think I got about 20% in and I had to stop because it was putting me in a slump. I don’t think this is a bad book!!! I definitely think people will love this, it just wasn’t for me.

A Dark and Drowning Tide by Allison Saft is a mixed bag of enchanting elements and frustrating flaws. The novel’s premise is intriguing, with a sharp-tongued folklorist, Lorelei, teaming up with her academic rival, Sylvia, to solve a murder mystery while navigating a magical expedition. The sapphic romance adds a refreshing touch to the fantasy genre.

However, the execution falls short in several areas. The world-building feels inconsistent, with elements of science, magic, and technology coexisting without clear explanations. The characters, despite being in their mid-twenties, often behave more like teenagers, which can be jarring. It can be hard to connect with the characters, which was frustrating at times.

In saying that, Saft’s writing is lush and evocative, and the themes of love and healing are beautifully woven into the narrative. While the book has its shortcomings, it still offers a unique perspective and moments of genuine charm, and I did genuinely enjoy reading the novel.

Overall, A Dark and Drowning Tide is an enjoyable read with potential, but it may not fully satisfy those looking for a tightly woven fantasy adventure.
Thank you to the Author, Netgalley and to Daphne Press for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

this was such an excellent read! vibey and atmospheric and something that i really wanted to take my time reading because i really was just having a Damn Good Time!!

lorelai and sylvia u absolute losers how i love u so <3 lorelai's narration was really well done - it was focused so nicely so that you got her being so smart and so stupid at all at once and were also able to pick up really well on the conflicts and the other characters feelings around her, even when she didn't realise this herself.

all of the adventure crew had such strong motives and values as well that with only the little hints of backstory that you got about most of them they became such fully fleshed out and developed characters that really made this read so engrossing.

i was absolutely obsessed with how deftly real life judaism and antisemitism was weaved into this fantasy world as well. the germanic roots of the world and each characters very realistic feeling reactions about their places in the world and the racism around them made it such a frustrating read at times, but just really well done to make this story come to life and really drive forward the main plot.

the only part that i felt was like... not my favourite with this was the ending. all of our adventure crew that made it to the end felt very much ensorcelled with the fantasy colonialism and were willing to keep going along with it and enabling the king and his conquering. however, in saying that i didn't like that, i also really respected the choice because it felt really in line with the book's messaging of sometimes there are no good choices, and choosing to rebel against fantasy colonialism would have likely been the worse choice, at least at that moment. it's a good set up for a sequel too - perfectly closed off ending but still enough tendrils there for a second book.

Absolutely, wonderfully, breathtakingly perfect. No notes, I loved every moment of this whirlwind of a book and might have to be buried with a copy when I die.

Endless thanks to Daphne Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

A Dark and Drowning Tide by Alison Saft - review

5⭐️
1🌶️

First of all thank you soo much Netgalley and Daphne press for giving me the opportunity to read this e-arc in return for a honest review.

When I heard this one was coming out and it was going to be a sapphic dark academia fantasy I knew I had to read it.
And when I saw it on Netgalley I couldn’t sign up any faster. I am therefore so grateful that I am able to read this one before the release.
And it definitely made its promises come true.
Sapphic dark academia fantasy sign me up…

Lorelei Kaskel is a folklorist. She has been studying under Ziegler for years. Now she and 6 nobles are send on an expedition to find a fabled spring, the Ursprung. The king of Brunnestaad, Wilhelm, wants this spring to maintain his reign and get the power the magical spring promises according the folklore.
Lorelei is determined to prover herself and become a naturalist during this expedition. But the adventure doesn’t go as planned. Ziegler is murdered in her quarters of the ship. No one else but one of the 6 has done it… but who… Lorelei is chosen to now lead the trip. And she is trying to find out who has done it, because all of them seem to have their own motives.
The only one she knows is innocent is her all time academic rival Silvia von Wolff. As Lorelei and Silva work together to uncover the truth… can they resist the growing feelings they are developing for each other… and all the secrets they are uncovering… is it all worth it…

This book gave me The Secret History and If we were villains vibes but then sapphic and fantasy, with a lot of folklore. So if you liked those books but would love to add a romantasy element and folklore then this is just amazing. Gothic academia aesthetic and eeriness are definitely vibing.

This story has literally everything you can ask for. The politics, the characters, the romance, the mysterie and the vibes…
Ugh I just cannot describe how amazing this one is. I just know I am going to keep thinking about it.

I just don’t know where to start 😅. So I will start with the politics. Lorelei is a Yeva, and this seems to me a bit as a Yewish subplot. Because she is a Yeva she is not allowed to just venture into the city. And that is also one of the reasons she wants to prove herself. I found that very intriguing, but also so heartbreaking and sad, because this was the truth in the past, and still in some parts of the world.

The characters are so intriguing. Lorelei is the main character and it is her pov that you are reading. The book is writting in third person tho, but you are still reading her thoughts and concerns. To me she seemed soo innocent and kind. But also witty and persuasive, if she wants it she is going to work for it. Further she also is such a deep character, because of the death of Ziegler she showed a lot of survivors guilt which is written so well by Saft.

Silvia on the other hand seems a bit bitchy and high class in the beginning. And it is just amazing to see her character development. I also loved to see her from the pov of Lorelei, with her change in attitude toward Silvia you could also see a change in her behaviours.

All characters were written really in dept and all the backstories and secrets that you discover throughout the story just suck you in. You keep changing your thoughts about whodunit and that I also really enjoyed. Together with Lorelei you are uncovering all the secrets and finding out more about each characters motives.

The romance is a subplot of the story but it is so intriguing to see it build slowly. It is definitely enemies/rivals to lovers, which is a trope I love 😍. And I loved to see the slow change and layers of the relationship.

The folklore vibes are also just soo good. I have always loved folklore. And seeing the vibrant landscapes and the magical fantasy elements woven into the story was just the best.

I just don’t know any book that is similar to this one… but if you have any tips definitely let me know.

A dark and drowning tide will be released September 17th 2024.

i very much enjoyed a dark and drowning tide. i mean magic, murder mystery and academic rivals to lovers all in one? what more could you ask for?

the story was simply put charming- the worldbuilding was unique and almost cosy in a sense with an interesting magic system and lots of folklore. the main cast were all interesting in their own rights, each of them having a different magical role and collecting their own data in relation to such magic.

i loved the characters and the relationship between lorelei and sylvia. my one critique was how lorelei seemed to keep switching up about being upset that sylvia didn’t stick up for her while at other times being very insisting that she would rather die than have sylvia defend her. other than that, i really loved seeing their characters develop together after a whole lot of angst.

another aspect that i was very happy with was the way a lot of my favourite tropes were incorporated very well. in terms of the romance, i loved the grumpy x sunshine dynamic and there was even a one bed scene (except with a tent, not a bed). there was also a strong sense of found family, especially with the ending, which once again is one of my favourites.

overall, i would definitely recommend a dark and drowning tide.

3.5 rounded down for netgalley
Overall this was an enjoyable read, I loved the high fantasy, the mystery and creatures. The beginning felt very reminiscent of knives out with fantasy mixed in. I think the last few chapters really let down the rating for the majority of the book I was planning on giving it 4/5 stars. I felt there was some plot holes towards the end that kinda ruined my immersion and I think time skips at the end of the book are a lazy way to tie everything together. It was a book that I told multiple people about as I was reading it and recommended reading when it’s released. I just think Sylvia and Lorelei acted out of character at moments, with sudden personality shifts regarding deaths and safety of other characters.
I enjoyed the snippets of folklore but didn’t like that sometimes it just continued with the main story without leaving a satisfactory end to the section, same with the mention of a nightmare. At first I liked not fully knowing what the wildleute were that were being mentioned it added to the mystery of it all but with the alp, I feel the bit with his tarnkappe would’ve had more weight if we knew more of his lore.
And the odd mention of fantasy Germanic creature names started to grow old because you knew you wouldn’t get anymore context than that. I really did enjoy the main meat of the story but like I said the last few chapters all being squeezed together and the plot hole mentioned in spoilers let it down.
Spoiler<spoiler> I thought it was so weird that in the end of chapter 25 Heike is unconscious and bleeding out of her head, and we just forget about her in 26?why was no one with her, why was there no talk of getting her back on the prinzessin, and then chapter 27 a week later she comes off the boat with everyone else, for the reader she is as good as dead until you see her name again (I don’t know if this is going to be fixed in the final version) also the intimacy scene was slightly disjointed and it goes from Lorelei kissing Sylvia’s hips, thighs etc but then she’s pulling Sylvia’s hair, surely it would’ve made more sense for Sylvia to grab Lorelei’s? Also did we actually ever get a confirmation on the button? Also for me the fact that Sylvia and Lorelei hadn’t seen each other in four months with no contact which is later explained very poorly, why would letters that are addressed to Lorelei be given to the king?? </spoiler>

3.25 stars

A Dark and Drowning Tide was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, and while I did enjoy the first 20% or so, I found after that I was struggling to focus on reading it. it was very slow paced and the main characters felt very two dimensional, and while I usually enjoy learning more about the folklore in fantasy books in this book I found that it was just slowing down the plot even more. I was close to DNF the book but from around 70% the book improved and I couldn't stop reading it, the plot became more interesting as the pace was suddenly quicker. I also felt that the characters became less two dimensional. I just wish the middle part was as good, also while I have seen it mentioned as a dark academia book only a very small amount of the book is actually set in the university. While the last part was a lot better some aspects of the ending felt unresolved and rushed.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader copy

I’m talking sapphic academic rivals with elements of murder mystery and dark academia!! I absolutely adored this.

at first it was slightly difficult to get into, the author intended to create a whimsical vibe which they achieved but they did so by providing very little information regarding the world and the magic, you discovered information throughout which made it slightly difficult to get your bearings at first. there were a lot of character introductions and moments of the world that I struggled with BUT when I did finally read far enough into it to grasp the world building I had a blast.

I love the two main characters, sunshine X grumpy with complex histories that cling to them in such different ways. their relationship and interactions were beautiful, watching it develop alongside the whimsy of the world and its folklore was a great experience.

This one was beyond amazing. The story flowed well, and it was by far interesting enough to capture my attention until deep in the night, when I had to be asleep early to get up early for work. Goodbye sleeping schedule, hello new book for my top five reads of 2024.

A DARK AND DROWNING TIDE – 5 stars

'Back in the days when wishes still held power…'

In this magical sapphic standalone, Allison Saft returns to what she does best: a distinctly atmospheric settings, trauma-ridden characters and astute parallels with social issues.

In “A dark and drowning tide”, we meet Lorelei, a Yeva foklorist tasked with supervising an expedition in search of the origin of all magic, entrusted by the king. However, everything crumbles when her tutor is mysteriously killed on their ship. Accompanied by Sylvia, her infuriating rival, and five other nobles, Lorelei must figure out who killed her tutor, or take responsibility herself.

As happened in "Down comes the night" and "A far wilder magic", the romance was masterfully done. The tension, the banter and their mutual admiration for eachother’s intelligence and knowledge despite their rivalry made reading how the relationship between Sylvia and Lorelei developed enticing.

In addition to the intricate romance and captivating mystery, "A Dark and Drowning Tide" delves deeply into the themes of cultural preservation and identity. The nobles, who used to be rulers of independent regions that were annexed by the kingdom, are haunted by the fear that their alliance will eventually erode their traditions and exploit their people. This looming threat of cultural assimilation adds a layer of tension to their already precarious political positions, as they struggle to maintain their heritage while navigating the demands of their powerful ally.

Lorelei embodies this struggle on a personal level. As a Yeva, a Jewish-coded minority, she faces constant challenges in preserving her cultural identity and her language. Lorelei’s life is a delicate balance between striving for personal success and safeguarding her heritage. “A dark and drowning tide” poignantly captures her internal conflict: the desire to excel in her role, which could mean abandoning her roots, versus the need to keep her culture alive amid widespread discrimination and violence.

Furthermore, the representation of the Yeva people through folklore adds a realistic dimension to the narrative. These stories, which paint Yevas as cunning and evil, perpetuate the prejudice against them and highlight the deep-seated animosity they face. This element of folklore not only enriches the world-building but also underscores the insidious nature of cultural stereotypes and their impact on marginalized communities.

Overall, Allison Saft's "A Dark and Drowning Tide" is a masterful exploration of the complexities of cultural identity, the pressures of political alliances, and the enduring power of love and resilience in the face of adversity.

**Thank you to NetGalley and Daphne Press for the eARC**

@librisinetenebris on Instagram

This book was such an enjoyable read. I loved it!
Allison Saft did an amazing job on her debut adult book!
This was my first dark academia book (also my first Allison Saft’s book!) and it won’t be my last.
It was so magical and unexpected.

The first half of the book was full of a whimsical magic system. The fairytale stories included in the narrative was brilliantly done and that made the story special too.

The second half of the book was what got me extremely hooked! I blew through it in one night. There was no clear indication as to how or why Lorelei realised her feelings for Sylvia were romantic and I did find that a bit awkward but overall it was well done.

The slow burn was slow burning. The academic rivals were rivalling (and very well done too!)

The other characters were likeable. I could relate to the characters when some of the deaths happened. This was how good Alison was at helping us understand the characters.

I did have my doubts and suspicions but the plots still remained unexpected and interesting.

Overall, this became one of the good books that I enjoyed. I would definitely recommend.