What do you think?
Rate this book
The Drownings
These waters became wild centuries before this university was dreamed of. Leysham has always been a dangerous place for women...
Serena arrives on campus reeling from the injury that destroyed her champion swimming career. She is lost until she meets Jane, an enigmatic tutor obsessed with the historic witch trials that took place in Leysham's freezing waters.
When several young women are assaulted, the university's shadowy legacy becomes inescapable. Those in power turn a blind eye, but Jane urges Serena and her friends to rise up. As their anger builds into an inferno of female rage, Serena takes matters into her own hands.
Leysham has reawakened something within her, a dark, impossible power. In the waters, she can see what must be done - and the sacrifice it will demand.
From the author of Heatstroke, an intoxicatingly atmospheric new novel about competition, obsession and influence - for readers of The Things We Do to Our Friends, Weyward and Promising Young Woman.
Serena arrives on campus reeling from the injury that destroyed her champion swimming career. She is lost until she meets Jane, an enigmatic tutor obsessed with the historic witch trials that took place in Leysham's freezing waters.
When several young women are assaulted, the university's shadowy legacy becomes inescapable. Those in power turn a blind eye, but Jane urges Serena and her friends to rise up. As their anger builds into an inferno of female rage, Serena takes matters into her own hands.
Leysham has reawakened something within her, a dark, impossible power. In the waters, she can see what must be done - and the sacrifice it will demand.
From the author of Heatstroke, an intoxicatingly atmospheric new novel about competition, obsession and influence - for readers of The Things We Do to Our Friends, Weyward and Promising Young Woman.
368 pages, Hardcover
Published August 1, 2024
8 people are currently reading
1261 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
November 12, 2024
This is the second library book I’ve borrowed in a row that has the phrase ‘female rage’ in the blurb (after Spoilt Creatures) and perhaps I should have realised that one was enough. The Drownings is a frustrating book with a tendency for the narrative to over-explain itself rather than letting the characters’ words and actions stand on their own. It’s strongest in its details. Serena’s youth swimming career is beautifully rendered, and I quickly started looking forward to the chapters that flesh it out. There’s also Serena’s uneasy relationship with her influencer cousin Zara; I enjoyed the balance here, the push and pull between the two. In both strands, there’s a lot of tension that’s lacking in what is supposed to be the book’s main plot, about a campus protest movement. While the characters feel authentic in smaller, more personal scenes, the broader themes are shallow and unconvincing. There’s a moment in this book when the ‘daughters of the witches you couldn’t burn’ thing is mentioned and dismissed, presumably as an acknowledgement of how such slogans have come to be seen as trite and insufficient; but for me, such a glibly feminist storyline occupies exactly the same space.
July 11, 2024
Actual rating 3.5/5 stars.
Serena has never felt at home in her own body but all that changed when she entered a body of water. She honed her broad shoulders and thick muscles and achieved greatness. She became a champion swimmer but a knee injury ensured her time both in water and the spotlight were cut short.
Now she attends a university in Leysham and is discovering, for the first time, just what it feels like to be a regular teenage girl. The horrors of it astound her yet, also for the first time, she gets to share her experiences with those around her and live a regular existence.
This was a storyline slow to unravel and I pondered over just where it was heading for much of it. There were twists and reveals peppered throughout but much of the focus was spent detailing the characters lives and the troubles they faced, both individually and collectively.
This was a bleak novel yet not one lacking charm. I was captivated and intrigued throughout and the sinister undertones that never relented ensured this book never left my thoughts for the duration I read it in.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Hazel Barkworth, and the publisher, Headline Review, for this opportunity.
Serena has never felt at home in her own body but all that changed when she entered a body of water. She honed her broad shoulders and thick muscles and achieved greatness. She became a champion swimmer but a knee injury ensured her time both in water and the spotlight were cut short.
Now she attends a university in Leysham and is discovering, for the first time, just what it feels like to be a regular teenage girl. The horrors of it astound her yet, also for the first time, she gets to share her experiences with those around her and live a regular existence.
This was a storyline slow to unravel and I pondered over just where it was heading for much of it. There were twists and reveals peppered throughout but much of the focus was spent detailing the characters lives and the troubles they faced, both individually and collectively.
This was a bleak novel yet not one lacking charm. I was captivated and intrigued throughout and the sinister undertones that never relented ensured this book never left my thoughts for the duration I read it in.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Hazel Barkworth, and the publisher, Headline Review, for this opportunity.
July 29, 2024
I was absorbed by Hazel Barkworth's thoughtful and atmospheric debut
Heatstroke,
and The Drownings drew me in equally deeply. Serena is a new student at an ancient British university that is fictional but seems intended to reflect St Andrews, with its far northern coastal setting and its history of witch-trials and weird rituals. While only a year older than her fellow freshers, she feels like she's already lived a lifetime underwater as a competitive swimmer, and is still invisible on land. Meanwhile, her cousin Zara has come out of her shell and is now a body-positive influencer, happily celebrating the curves and armpit hair Serena eschewed when she was competing. Serena attracts the attention of Jane, a history lecturer in her early thirties, when they team up to rescue a girl from drowning, and both are drawn into a wider campus movement to oppose institutional misogyny. Serena is captivated by how Jane links what's happening to women today to the history of witch trials in this remote place - and she begins to believe that she has her own powers.
As in Heatstroke, Barkworth's prose is hypnotic without ever becoming excessive, and I fully believed in Serena as a character and how her own experience of the water made her so painfully relate to the university's history of drownings. The power balance between Serena and Zara is played beautifully, without either cousin becoming simplistically good or bad, and Serena's swimming backstory is fascinating. There's a hint of Tana French's unforgettable The Secret Place in the way she comes to employ magic that may be real or imaginary but is linked to a certain kind of belief in herself that she loses, for better or worse, as she moves towards adulthood. I was a little unsure why Barkworth had chosen to replay the very familiar trope of a female educational authority figure who leads girls astray in the name of feminism, which dates back at least to Lois Duncan's Daughters of Eve of 1979 and, for me, always risks straying into sexism and lesbophobia (Jane is explicitly a lesbian but these figures are often coded queer). However, The Drownings is handled so well that it becomes far more than its cliches, and I look forward to seeing what element Barkworth tackles next.
I received a free proof copy of this novel from the publisher for review.
As in Heatstroke, Barkworth's prose is hypnotic without ever becoming excessive, and I fully believed in Serena as a character and how her own experience of the water made her so painfully relate to the university's history of drownings. The power balance between Serena and Zara is played beautifully, without either cousin becoming simplistically good or bad, and Serena's swimming backstory is fascinating. There's a hint of Tana French's unforgettable The Secret Place in the way she comes to employ magic that may be real or imaginary but is linked to a certain kind of belief in herself that she loses, for better or worse, as she moves towards adulthood. I was a little unsure why Barkworth had chosen to replay the very familiar trope of a female educational authority figure who leads girls astray in the name of feminism, which dates back at least to Lois Duncan's Daughters of Eve of 1979 and, for me, always risks straying into sexism and lesbophobia (Jane is explicitly a lesbian but these figures are often coded queer). However, The Drownings is handled so well that it becomes far more than its cliches, and I look forward to seeing what element Barkworth tackles next.
I received a free proof copy of this novel from the publisher for review.
March 10, 2024
This is a fantastic book, with a thread of magic running throughout it. The use of water is beautiful and the introduction of fire is exciting and the perfect juxtaposition.
The writing style is very accessible and makes it an easy read, so while the plot is slower, it keeps you hooked. I could vividly picture the setting through the description and it reminded me of several places I have visited myself.
The characters are complex, with their obsessions and flaws drawing you in.
Overall, a brilliant book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for providing an ARC of this book.
The writing style is very accessible and makes it an easy read, so while the plot is slower, it keeps you hooked. I could vividly picture the setting through the description and it reminded me of several places I have visited myself.
The characters are complex, with their obsessions and flaws drawing you in.
Overall, a brilliant book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for providing an ARC of this book.
September 2, 2024
I don’t think this book EVER really knew what it wanted to be.
I mean, was it supposed to be a fierce, feminist fuelled “fight” against the ever invasive patriarchy (spoiler alert, nope), a dark academia style thriller (again, spoiler alert, nope), a social commentary on social media, body autonomy and consent (you guessed it, nope), or even a slightly “fantastical” aligned coming of age, with a protagonist who shares some sort of weird, deep affinity with water(?) -suffice to say, none of the above satisfies the general vibe of this book (even though certain elements were “loosely” hinted out).
Sadly it is yet again another case of a book that greatly suffers (or drowns) from trying to take on far too much than it can handle.
1.5/2 stars
Side note -Barworth seriously loves to use the phrase “smacked” in almost EVERY, SINGLE, GOD DMAN SMACKING, sentence -what is that about!?
PS - thanks to the publishers for sending me a copy. I’m sure it’ll be to some readers taste (just not mine unfortunately).
I mean, was it supposed to be a fierce, feminist fuelled “fight” against the ever invasive patriarchy (spoiler alert, nope), a dark academia style thriller (again, spoiler alert, nope), a social commentary on social media, body autonomy and consent (you guessed it, nope), or even a slightly “fantastical” aligned coming of age, with a protagonist who shares some sort of weird, deep affinity with water(?) -suffice to say, none of the above satisfies the general vibe of this book (even though certain elements were “loosely” hinted out).
Sadly it is yet again another case of a book that greatly suffers (or drowns) from trying to take on far too much than it can handle.
1.5/2 stars
Side note -Barworth seriously loves to use the phrase “smacked” in almost EVERY, SINGLE, GOD DMAN SMACKING, sentence -what is that about!?
PS - thanks to the publishers for sending me a copy. I’m sure it’ll be to some readers taste (just not mine unfortunately).
December 12, 2024
No. This took SO long to finish, and was SO disappointing. So pretentious and embarrassingly moralistic to the point of nausea. A wonderfully dark academia foray into the past of witch trials would’ve been perfect, but not trying to out-quirk the reader to the extreme of radical ‘feminism’ by pretending to feel so relatable to women who were mercilessly murdered just because you feel like a victim who has a larger than average body that gets trolled on Instagram. There is no comparison. Being an influencer who preaches about body positivity non stop against a sea of dislikes and finds life hard because of it is NOT the same as being murdered brutally because a man doesn’t understand that not all women conformed to the ‘typical’ model that they were meant to hundreds of years ago. Horrible.
This was my second book by this author and this will be my final book. Life is too short for bad writing.
This was my second book by this author and this will be my final book. Life is too short for bad writing.
August 31, 2024
I’m so tired of books being labeled dark academia when they’re not.
STOP LYING TO MEEEEE
STOP LYING TO MEEEEE
February 13, 2025
Wow, what an absolute disappointment. I really need to stop trusting books heavily marketed as Dark Academia - this isn't.
This book reminded me of One of the Good Guys and The Cloisters, where the author has a lot to say, but what she says is done poorly and feels more like being hectored by her than reading a compelling narrative. It didn't take me long to finish this book because this book doesn't require you to think. It screams all its messages at you because Hazel Barkworth doesn't trust you enough to decipher them yourself. The characters reiterate over and over again how unfair the world is to women (we know), how it's bullshit we should be afraid to walk the streets at night (we know) and how even a normal, nice-seeming guy is a potential threat (WE KNOW). Nothing new is added to the discussion besides platitudes about Taking A Stand and We Are All Extraordinary (except men, they are evil) and all that bullshit.
Also, Serena is such a pathetic, boring dishrag of a character. All the time she spent channelling into wanting to be a champion swimmer means she never developed a personality or a backbone. Listening to her going on and ON about her swimming classes and her obsessing over her body vs other women's bodies and obeying everything her instructor says is so unbearably tedious - and then she goes straight on to obeying everything her university lecturer says no matter how deranged it is.
"There was no space in Serena's mind to contemplate it. Her arms and legs were tense, the muscles far from warm. Her joints sat wrong. Her mouth wanted to scream." - this is over misplacing her goggles. Don't most swimming centres sell goggles? Can't she just buy another pair when she gets there?
Then you have Zara, Serena's cousin, who spends the entire book going ME ME ME ME ME and droning on and on about her body and being an influencer and body positivity and constant platitudes and being the absolute centre of attention at all times. Chapters begin and end with her nauseating empty platitudes she posts on Instagram where she inexplicably very popular and influential despite being as generic as influencers get:
"My relationship with me is - and always will be - the single most important relationship of my life." - Shut up.
"This body is perfect. I wish we could say it together. All our bodies are perfect." - Oh my god, shut UP.
"Whatever makes you feel good is always the right thing to do." - Good one, Zara - I'm sure drug addicts and alcoholics live by this mantra.
This book is so obsessed with water metaphors, but it also throws in a lot of ranting about men (of course) and witchcraft being brought up to compare to modern day sexual harassment, which is definitely not incredibly cliched and unoriginal, and you have a lecturer obsessed with these women and there's this particularly obnoxious section towards the end where she's yelling the names of women killed for being tried as witches - she came off as an unhinged celebrity stan in a parasocial relationship with dead women who wouldn't know or care about her performative activism.
"There was a reason you were drawn to this place.' Jane held the pause until it became uncomfortable. 'It's worth considering.'" Yeah, it's definitely because your students can sense all the dead women and not, like, that it's a good university or has an interesting module selection or something mundane and normal.
Oh, and there's this line:
"She couldn't be a regular girl for him. She wasn't built that way. Something inside her insisted on being something extraordinary." Oh, fuck OFF, Serena. When do you do a single thing in this book that's extraordinary? That swimming career you spent seven years of your life trying to attain to the point you're an empty shell of a person without it? Constantly comparing yourself to other girls and bitching incessantly about how you look -gasp!- different from them? Sitting back watching other people do everything? I've never seen such a pathetic, insecure character have delusions of grandeur at the same time, it's very weird. I will concede and say that saving Tanya at the beginning of the book was heroic, but the book REALLY underutilises this. Tanya's not a character, she's just a kickstarter for Jane and Serena to meet and an opportunity for the "we hate men!" activism plot to kick off because she wasn't just drunk and stupidly walking right next to a river, she was ROOFIED and walking by a river. We don't get Tanya discussing what had happened or talking to Serena about it or anything. She's just a plot device in a dress (and Serena keeps weirdly sexualising her when she nearly died, going on about her body and how her dress is barely covering her butt after dragging her out of the river. Like girl what??)
Also, um, if many students have drowned because they got too close to the water to the point Leysham is famous for this - why the hell haven't guard rails been put up?? There seriously seem to be NO precautions added to help prevent drowning or make it easier to rescue people who fall in. It's absurd to think nobody has done that after so many people died, the university would get sued into oblivion. (Also when a male student rightly points out it isn't only women who have drowned in that river or have ever been attacked, he gets screamed down by another female character who starts ranting about how they don't understand what it means to be scared all the time and the statistics aren't comparable and this is about male on female violence and it's like...why are we gatekeeping who get to be victims now? It's a really nasty mentality to have and this book is loaded with it.)
Rating: 1/5, I hated this book.
This book reminded me of One of the Good Guys and The Cloisters, where the author has a lot to say, but what she says is done poorly and feels more like being hectored by her than reading a compelling narrative. It didn't take me long to finish this book because this book doesn't require you to think. It screams all its messages at you because Hazel Barkworth doesn't trust you enough to decipher them yourself. The characters reiterate over and over again how unfair the world is to women (we know), how it's bullshit we should be afraid to walk the streets at night (we know) and how even a normal, nice-seeming guy is a potential threat (WE KNOW). Nothing new is added to the discussion besides platitudes about Taking A Stand and We Are All Extraordinary (except men, they are evil) and all that bullshit.
Also, Serena is such a pathetic, boring dishrag of a character. All the time she spent channelling into wanting to be a champion swimmer means she never developed a personality or a backbone. Listening to her going on and ON about her swimming classes and her obsessing over her body vs other women's bodies and obeying everything her instructor says is so unbearably tedious - and then she goes straight on to obeying everything her university lecturer says no matter how deranged it is.
"There was no space in Serena's mind to contemplate it. Her arms and legs were tense, the muscles far from warm. Her joints sat wrong. Her mouth wanted to scream." - this is over misplacing her goggles. Don't most swimming centres sell goggles? Can't she just buy another pair when she gets there?
Then you have Zara, Serena's cousin, who spends the entire book going ME ME ME ME ME and droning on and on about her body and being an influencer and body positivity and constant platitudes and being the absolute centre of attention at all times. Chapters begin and end with her nauseating empty platitudes she posts on Instagram where she inexplicably very popular and influential despite being as generic as influencers get:
"My relationship with me is - and always will be - the single most important relationship of my life." - Shut up.
"This body is perfect. I wish we could say it together. All our bodies are perfect." - Oh my god, shut UP.
"Whatever makes you feel good is always the right thing to do." - Good one, Zara - I'm sure drug addicts and alcoholics live by this mantra.
This book is so obsessed with water metaphors, but it also throws in a lot of ranting about men (of course) and witchcraft being brought up to compare to modern day sexual harassment, which is definitely not incredibly cliched and unoriginal, and you have a lecturer obsessed with these women and there's this particularly obnoxious section towards the end where she's yelling the names of women killed for being tried as witches - she came off as an unhinged celebrity stan in a parasocial relationship with dead women who wouldn't know or care about her performative activism.
"There was a reason you were drawn to this place.' Jane held the pause until it became uncomfortable. 'It's worth considering.'" Yeah, it's definitely because your students can sense all the dead women and not, like, that it's a good university or has an interesting module selection or something mundane and normal.
Oh, and there's this line:
"She couldn't be a regular girl for him. She wasn't built that way. Something inside her insisted on being something extraordinary." Oh, fuck OFF, Serena. When do you do a single thing in this book that's extraordinary? That swimming career you spent seven years of your life trying to attain to the point you're an empty shell of a person without it? Constantly comparing yourself to other girls and bitching incessantly about how you look -gasp!- different from them? Sitting back watching other people do everything? I've never seen such a pathetic, insecure character have delusions of grandeur at the same time, it's very weird. I will concede and say that saving Tanya at the beginning of the book was heroic, but the book REALLY underutilises this. Tanya's not a character, she's just a kickstarter for Jane and Serena to meet and an opportunity for the "we hate men!" activism plot to kick off because she wasn't just drunk and stupidly walking right next to a river, she was ROOFIED and walking by a river. We don't get Tanya discussing what had happened or talking to Serena about it or anything. She's just a plot device in a dress (and Serena keeps weirdly sexualising her when she nearly died, going on about her body and how her dress is barely covering her butt after dragging her out of the river. Like girl what??)
Also, um, if many students have drowned because they got too close to the water to the point Leysham is famous for this - why the hell haven't guard rails been put up?? There seriously seem to be NO precautions added to help prevent drowning or make it easier to rescue people who fall in. It's absurd to think nobody has done that after so many people died, the university would get sued into oblivion. (Also when a male student rightly points out it isn't only women who have drowned in that river or have ever been attacked, he gets screamed down by another female character who starts ranting about how they don't understand what it means to be scared all the time and the statistics aren't comparable and this is about male on female violence and it's like...why are we gatekeeping who get to be victims now? It's a really nasty mentality to have and this book is loaded with it.)
Rating: 1/5, I hated this book.
July 19, 2025
More like 3.5
This is great, I loved the themes of witches, femininity destabilised by violence and Barkworth's writing is brilliant.
The only things stopping this from being a 4 star for me is the pop culture references and Zara's posts at the end of most chapter's - I felt like they didn't need to be there, they didn't add to the story for me. I appreciate the attempt to fit it into the modern idea of a witch but it just disjointed the serious tone of the plot a bit when suddenly the focus was on Zara's Instagram profile again.
Overall though, I really liked this and I will be looking out for whatever Barkworth writes in the future.
This is great, I loved the themes of witches, femininity destabilised by violence and Barkworth's writing is brilliant.
The only things stopping this from being a 4 star for me is the pop culture references and Zara's posts at the end of most chapter's - I felt like they didn't need to be there, they didn't add to the story for me. I appreciate the attempt to fit it into the modern idea of a witch but it just disjointed the serious tone of the plot a bit when suddenly the focus was on Zara's Instagram profile again.
Overall though, I really liked this and I will be looking out for whatever Barkworth writes in the future.
August 18, 2025
A whirlwind of emotion as I finished this book, having felt rushed by the acceleration for the story to reach its conclusion. The ending was very rushed and the outcome was unexpected. The whole lecturer and student relationship was strange and inappropriate. The themes of the book of how women are treated and female safety at University were good but it felt forgotten towards then end. Would have liked to have hear more from Tanya, the character from the beginning. The last 100 pages were disappointing but enjoyed the first 250 pages. Was it confirmed Serena had abilities or was it just coincidence?
See below notes from during the read
Page 96 - Zara is being annoying and self centred - at a rally for safety at uni and has to pull it back to herself about body confident - i dont like her vibe
Page 181 - end of Part 1 - Im suspicious of the Coach Niko - abuse towards Serena which made her injure herself so she could stop swimming
See below notes from during the read
Page 96 - Zara is being annoying and self centred - at a rally for safety at uni and has to pull it back to herself about body confident - i dont like her vibe
Page 181 - end of Part 1 - Im suspicious of the Coach Niko - abuse towards Serena which made her injure herself so she could stop swimming
July 18, 2024
While 3 stars might seem like a bad review, I can assure you, it's not. The main reason for giving this book 3 stars is because I didn't feel like this book was right for me. I'm a psychological thriller reader, and, while I wholeheartedly appreciate being gifted this book in exchange for a review, I don't feel I was the right reader to truly enjoy this book.
That being said, here are the things I did like.
- It wasn't too heavy a read. By that I mean, it had its share of tense moments, but overall it was an interesting and enjoyable story about a woman taking back her power during her time on campus.
- It delved deep into the power that women hold and I loved the drama and reasons behind why the women decided to take action.
- The writing was beautiful and engaging and it ended with a very tense moment, which did shock me to a degree.
Overall, this book is perfect for readers who enjoy gothic, atmospheric contemporary fiction.
That being said, here are the things I did like.
- It wasn't too heavy a read. By that I mean, it had its share of tense moments, but overall it was an interesting and enjoyable story about a woman taking back her power during her time on campus.
- It delved deep into the power that women hold and I loved the drama and reasons behind why the women decided to take action.
- The writing was beautiful and engaging and it ended with a very tense moment, which did shock me to a degree.
Overall, this book is perfect for readers who enjoy gothic, atmospheric contemporary fiction.
July 31, 2024
This is a story for the readers who love feminine rage especially when it’s justified. I loved the witch references and how it was woven into the story, it felt very natural and elevated the context of what was happening at the university. It felt like a merging of the past and present, women are targeted and enough is enough. This story is about repercussions and what women will no longer stand for.
December 8, 2024
I could not finish. Vapid, mono-dimensional and try-hard. The themes of the book are being forced upon you by Captain Obvious and the writing is such hard work- the vast majority of which is telling you rather than showing you. The characters are just that, *characters* that fall flat and protagonist is actively annoying. Harsh, but for me it's a no, not my thing.
August 29, 2024
"What is a witch but a woman with power?"
Leysham University is a place with a dark history. A river flows alongside the campus where witch trials were once held, and last year students died after falling into the river on their way home from a night out. Serena Roberts is in her first year at the university and struggling to adjust, not only to life on campus, but to life without competitive swimming after an injury forced her to retire. Then one night she saves another student from drowning with the help of Jane, an enigmatic history professor who is obsessed with the historic witch trials, and everything changes. When Serena and her friends discover the college’s history of covering up assaults against female students, Jane encourages them to rise up against the university. Sparking a series of events that quickly gets out of control…
Fierce, powerful and enraging, The Drownings is an intoxicating story of female rage, obsession, rivalry, jealousy and influence. It also explores identity and desire, taking her characters on journeys of self-discovery and exploring the many different facets of desire in our lives. Hazel Barkworth’s writing is darkly atmospheric and discerning, drawing you into the murky world of Leysham. This is a story with many layers that are all intricately interwoven. I loved the eerie opening pages which made me think this was going to be a very gothic book, but while it still had a darkness, this is a thriller rather than gothic fiction. Barkworth blends modern themes such as social media and the Me Too movement with history. It feels timely and relatable while also showing us how little has really changed as women are still subjected to the same treatment but with a different name and means of punishment. Where women were once called witches and dunked, they are now trolled on social media and their truths hushed up to protect the men who harm them. Barkworth also explores themes of identity and desire; and the toxicity of jealousy, comparison, and how harshly we talk to ourselves, taking us along for the ride with her characters on their journey of self discovery.
The book is filled with an assorted cast of richly drawn and compelling characters. The protagonist, Serena, is a great character and I really felt for her. With her injury she hasn’t just lost swimming, she’s lost her whole identity and is forced to find herself again. Being away at university only compounds her confusion and loneliness, and I just wanted to reach out and hug her. Serena’s cousin, Zara, is another character we get to know well. Zara is a familiar character: living a carefully curated online life that hides her real insecurities. The rivalry between Serena and Zara is an important facet of both character’s lives as it has shaped how they’ve seen themselves from a young age. And the change in their dynamic now that Zara is a successful influencer while her star no longer shines bright, is particularly hard for Serena to deal with. Jane is also a very interesting character and her fixation on the witch trials is contagious, making it easy to understand how the students got pulled into everything. I enjoyed the activism storyline that is introduced by Zara but then merges with Jane’s cause to create something bigger and more out of control than any of them expected. Their anger, resolve and terror leaped from the pages and made me feel like I was right there with them.
An absorbing and immersive piece of dark academia, this is one I highly recommend.
Leysham University is a place with a dark history. A river flows alongside the campus where witch trials were once held, and last year students died after falling into the river on their way home from a night out. Serena Roberts is in her first year at the university and struggling to adjust, not only to life on campus, but to life without competitive swimming after an injury forced her to retire. Then one night she saves another student from drowning with the help of Jane, an enigmatic history professor who is obsessed with the historic witch trials, and everything changes. When Serena and her friends discover the college’s history of covering up assaults against female students, Jane encourages them to rise up against the university. Sparking a series of events that quickly gets out of control…
Fierce, powerful and enraging, The Drownings is an intoxicating story of female rage, obsession, rivalry, jealousy and influence. It also explores identity and desire, taking her characters on journeys of self-discovery and exploring the many different facets of desire in our lives. Hazel Barkworth’s writing is darkly atmospheric and discerning, drawing you into the murky world of Leysham. This is a story with many layers that are all intricately interwoven. I loved the eerie opening pages which made me think this was going to be a very gothic book, but while it still had a darkness, this is a thriller rather than gothic fiction. Barkworth blends modern themes such as social media and the Me Too movement with history. It feels timely and relatable while also showing us how little has really changed as women are still subjected to the same treatment but with a different name and means of punishment. Where women were once called witches and dunked, they are now trolled on social media and their truths hushed up to protect the men who harm them. Barkworth also explores themes of identity and desire; and the toxicity of jealousy, comparison, and how harshly we talk to ourselves, taking us along for the ride with her characters on their journey of self discovery.
The book is filled with an assorted cast of richly drawn and compelling characters. The protagonist, Serena, is a great character and I really felt for her. With her injury she hasn’t just lost swimming, she’s lost her whole identity and is forced to find herself again. Being away at university only compounds her confusion and loneliness, and I just wanted to reach out and hug her. Serena’s cousin, Zara, is another character we get to know well. Zara is a familiar character: living a carefully curated online life that hides her real insecurities. The rivalry between Serena and Zara is an important facet of both character’s lives as it has shaped how they’ve seen themselves from a young age. And the change in their dynamic now that Zara is a successful influencer while her star no longer shines bright, is particularly hard for Serena to deal with. Jane is also a very interesting character and her fixation on the witch trials is contagious, making it easy to understand how the students got pulled into everything. I enjoyed the activism storyline that is introduced by Zara but then merges with Jane’s cause to create something bigger and more out of control than any of them expected. Their anger, resolve and terror leaped from the pages and made me feel like I was right there with them.
An absorbing and immersive piece of dark academia, this is one I highly recommend.
July 24, 2024
This is one hell of a read. Hazel Barkworth has created a story that concentrates on the power of the rage of women; the consequences of events from many years ago; the way that social media can whip up a storm, and then turn in the opposite direction; and how oppression can lead to danger.
Serena is a first year student at Leysham university - the campus is made up of dark, foreboding buildings, not far from the coast, with a river running through it. That river is the focus of Serena's first days. She's always been drawn to water, having been a top swimmer, bound for the Olympics in 2024. However, injury has forced her out of the sport that has been her complete life up until now. Her shattered knee has just been released from the plaster cast, and as she sits by the river she sees a girl stumble and fall. Despite her agony, Serena cannot sit by and watch. It is during this incident that she meets Jane. An older, composed woman, a lecturer at the University and who will become central to Serena's experiences there.
This river has had many victims over the years. It's dark and dangerous, and also surrounded by myths. There's talk of the drowning of witches in years gone by, and this theme is predominant throughout the story.
Also at the University is Serena's younger cousin Zara. Serena's success in the swimming pool has always overshadowed anything that Zara could achieve. However, the tables have now turned and Zara is a well known influencer, with hundreds of thousands of followers. She celebrates her body shape, her ripples, her dimples, her body positive image encourages women and girls just like her.
This is a complex, finely tuned and well paced novel that delivered something a little bit different for me. The characters are utterly flawed, damaged and carry a lot of baggage. There are hidden secrets, about the main players and also about the history of the university that are shocking and carefully revealed.
As Serena and her group of friends get louder and louder, campaigning against their treatment by the most elite and entitled members of the community, the danger increases. There are mishaps and events that may or may not be accidental, culminating in a tragedy that nobody will foresee.
This is a stylish, atmospheric read that is totally gripping. Packed with modern up-to-date issues combined with historical detail that has contributed so much to societal faults of today.
Evocative and beautifully written. Highly recommended by me.
Serena is a first year student at Leysham university - the campus is made up of dark, foreboding buildings, not far from the coast, with a river running through it. That river is the focus of Serena's first days. She's always been drawn to water, having been a top swimmer, bound for the Olympics in 2024. However, injury has forced her out of the sport that has been her complete life up until now. Her shattered knee has just been released from the plaster cast, and as she sits by the river she sees a girl stumble and fall. Despite her agony, Serena cannot sit by and watch. It is during this incident that she meets Jane. An older, composed woman, a lecturer at the University and who will become central to Serena's experiences there.
This river has had many victims over the years. It's dark and dangerous, and also surrounded by myths. There's talk of the drowning of witches in years gone by, and this theme is predominant throughout the story.
Also at the University is Serena's younger cousin Zara. Serena's success in the swimming pool has always overshadowed anything that Zara could achieve. However, the tables have now turned and Zara is a well known influencer, with hundreds of thousands of followers. She celebrates her body shape, her ripples, her dimples, her body positive image encourages women and girls just like her.
This is a complex, finely tuned and well paced novel that delivered something a little bit different for me. The characters are utterly flawed, damaged and carry a lot of baggage. There are hidden secrets, about the main players and also about the history of the university that are shocking and carefully revealed.
As Serena and her group of friends get louder and louder, campaigning against their treatment by the most elite and entitled members of the community, the danger increases. There are mishaps and events that may or may not be accidental, culminating in a tragedy that nobody will foresee.
This is a stylish, atmospheric read that is totally gripping. Packed with modern up-to-date issues combined with historical detail that has contributed so much to societal faults of today.
Evocative and beautifully written. Highly recommended by me.
January 15, 2025
I really hate to be harsh, but I think this book was a bit all over the place.
Labelled as 'dark academia' full of 'female rage', this book wanted to be more than it was - Barkworth spread herself too thin here.
Don't get me wrong, there's skill in her writing and her sharp eye for detail. In many ways, I relate to Serena; her painful awkwardness and disconnection from other people her age was something I experienced.
However, Barkworth's writing is often very... overcharged, and filled with often unnecessary tensions. The novel is rammed with sexual energy which seems fairly unfounded- everything around Jane is very charged, but with little purpose. Is Serena physically attracted to her, or desperate for approval? What the hell was Jane doing with Zara?
If I'm getting on to questions, then here are a few more: Why was there absolutely no resolution to her relationship with Luke? What the HELL was Jane doing in general- why was she getting involved with students to that degree? If she's going to fuck around with students and protests to this degree, how could she possibly be shocked that she got suspended?
Going back to the tone, 'The Drownings' was not only overcharged for the entire read, but also overly-pretentious. The feminist issues raised in the book are compelling, but it all comes to a head in a strange climax.
The book takes a weird turn when Serena's manifestations become literal powers. I get the point that the mind is powerful over the body and so on, but it totally derails the whole dark academia feminist angle. The best point of the book comes when the witch trials take centre focus, with Serena lamenting their injustice and eternal pain. Her powers align her with those witches, yes, but they honestly take away the statements impact.
These aside, there are brilliant nuggets in this novel. As I saw somebody else highlight, the swimming sections are a poignant and well written depiction of a gifted kid pushed beyond breaking point- I found these to actually be the best parts of the book.
All in all, there is potential to this book, but I just felt that it could have been edited differently to tease out those really great themes. I'm sure that lots of people would disagree with me, and that's totally valid- just because I didn't fall in love, it doesn't mean that others won't, and I'd say it's worth a read.
(Also, why is Zara such a bitch sometimes 😭).
Labelled as 'dark academia' full of 'female rage', this book wanted to be more than it was - Barkworth spread herself too thin here.
Don't get me wrong, there's skill in her writing and her sharp eye for detail. In many ways, I relate to Serena; her painful awkwardness and disconnection from other people her age was something I experienced.
However, Barkworth's writing is often very... overcharged, and filled with often unnecessary tensions. The novel is rammed with sexual energy which seems fairly unfounded- everything around Jane is very charged, but with little purpose. Is Serena physically attracted to her, or desperate for approval? What the hell was Jane doing with Zara?
If I'm getting on to questions, then here are a few more: Why was there absolutely no resolution to her relationship with Luke? What the HELL was Jane doing in general- why was she getting involved with students to that degree? If she's going to fuck around with students and protests to this degree, how could she possibly be shocked that she got suspended?
Going back to the tone, 'The Drownings' was not only overcharged for the entire read, but also overly-pretentious. The feminist issues raised in the book are compelling, but it all comes to a head in a strange climax.
The book takes a weird turn when Serena's manifestations become literal powers. I get the point that the mind is powerful over the body and so on, but it totally derails the whole dark academia feminist angle. The best point of the book comes when the witch trials take centre focus, with Serena lamenting their injustice and eternal pain. Her powers align her with those witches, yes, but they honestly take away the statements impact.
These aside, there are brilliant nuggets in this novel. As I saw somebody else highlight, the swimming sections are a poignant and well written depiction of a gifted kid pushed beyond breaking point- I found these to actually be the best parts of the book.
All in all, there is potential to this book, but I just felt that it could have been edited differently to tease out those really great themes. I'm sure that lots of people would disagree with me, and that's totally valid- just because I didn't fall in love, it doesn't mean that others won't, and I'd say it's worth a read.
(Also, why is Zara such a bitch sometimes 😭).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 23, 2025
I've not read Hazel Barkworth's first book, but The Drownings is a profound story filled with feminine rage.
Serena is a university student. Having deferred entry to the fabricated prestigious Leysham University, she is just settling in after a terrible accident which scuppered her dreams of being on the Olympic Swim Team.
She started simultaneously with her younger cousin, Zara, who built herself up as an influencer, using her experiences as a larger woman to increase body positivity.
A series of events and drownings at the river beside the campus lead both Serena and Zara towards lecturer Jane, who educates them on the justice of Leysham and how women have been treated in the past, accused of being witches and suffering terrible deaths by drowning.
There is a lot to unpick through the story.
Serena struggles to come to terms with her changed identity and body shape from a lithe, focused swimmer to a young woman who hasn't experienced all that most teenagers do, having followed such a gruelling training schedule.
Zara has her troubles and is finally in the limelight after years of being in the shadows because of her body image and bullying.
There is the awful ragging associated with these prestigious universities, as well as the darker misogynistic thinking that seems to be excusing terrible behaviour, incidents and attacks against many females on the campus.
I was fully drawn into the story, my mind being pulled from one thing to the next.
It certainly made me think...
Serena is a university student. Having deferred entry to the fabricated prestigious Leysham University, she is just settling in after a terrible accident which scuppered her dreams of being on the Olympic Swim Team.
She started simultaneously with her younger cousin, Zara, who built herself up as an influencer, using her experiences as a larger woman to increase body positivity.
A series of events and drownings at the river beside the campus lead both Serena and Zara towards lecturer Jane, who educates them on the justice of Leysham and how women have been treated in the past, accused of being witches and suffering terrible deaths by drowning.
There is a lot to unpick through the story.
Serena struggles to come to terms with her changed identity and body shape from a lithe, focused swimmer to a young woman who hasn't experienced all that most teenagers do, having followed such a gruelling training schedule.
Zara has her troubles and is finally in the limelight after years of being in the shadows because of her body image and bullying.
There is the awful ragging associated with these prestigious universities, as well as the darker misogynistic thinking that seems to be excusing terrible behaviour, incidents and attacks against many females on the campus.
I was fully drawn into the story, my mind being pulled from one thing to the next.
It certainly made me think...
August 5, 2024
I devoured this book over the course of an evening. It is dark academia at its finest with just a hint of magical realism thrown in. The book follows the story of Serena, who has just had to walk away from what would have been a potentially very successful swimming career. We encounter her in the aftermath, just after moving to Leysham for university where she has to not only learn how to navigate her life post swimming but also how to deal with Leysham itself. Through-out the story her life is held in juxtaposition to her cousin Zara's who is now a moderately successful body positive influencer in the same university.
After Serena saves a drugged young woman from drowning in the river, Serena learns more about Leysham's history, pulled in by the enigmatic professor Jane, who assisted her with the rescue. She and her friends become central pieces to a movement that wants to force the college to address it's history, one that takes full advantage of her cousin's platform.
The story itself is a powerful modern narrative as to what it means to command power, and what happens when peoples motivations are not what they seem. A powerful light is shined on what it is to be a young woman on the cusp of adulthood. "The Drownings" is a heady, atmospheric story that is cleverly told and at times remarkably insightful.
After Serena saves a drugged young woman from drowning in the river, Serena learns more about Leysham's history, pulled in by the enigmatic professor Jane, who assisted her with the rescue. She and her friends become central pieces to a movement that wants to force the college to address it's history, one that takes full advantage of her cousin's platform.
The story itself is a powerful modern narrative as to what it means to command power, and what happens when peoples motivations are not what they seem. A powerful light is shined on what it is to be a young woman on the cusp of adulthood. "The Drownings" is a heady, atmospheric story that is cleverly told and at times remarkably insightful.
November 19, 2024
An unusual story. Serena, a new student on campus at an unnamed Northern university, saves a woman who has slipped into the river on a treacherous path. Urged on by an enigmatic tutor who assists the saving of the drowning victim, she begins to transition from a background of adolescent success as a competitive swimmer, cut short by injury to become campaigner against the misogyny of the institutions of their college. Her cousin, Zara, historically in Serena's shadow as a child, is now a rising star of social media, presenting content celebrating body acceptance. The narrative charts the ebbs and flows of their competitive rivalry as well as Serena's growing sense of female mystic power. There is some striking prose in this novel and I particularly enjoyed the flashbacks to adolescence and the Serena's experience of competitive swimming and her uneasy, slightly creepy, relationship with her (male) swimming coach, egged on by a cold, ambitious mother. The writing hinted at but didn't develop on overt theory of abuse. Ultimately, I felt the book tried to cram in too many themes and didn't fully succeed - the thread of historical persecution of women falsely accused of witchcraft sat particularly uneasily with the suggestion that Serena herself has supernatural powers. I wasn't at all sure what to take from the parallels - are 'difficult' women falsely accused by patriarchy of dark powers or do they, in fact, exercise them as Serena seems to think she does at times. Other than her remembered relationship with the coach, Serena herself seems barely to interact with men, let alone experience the patriarchy - there is a fumbled sexual experience which is ultimately benign - and the episode of tutor, Jane's, loss of academic status to an entitled male colleague, seems too lightly drawn to engage the requisite feminist rage. Ultimately, the emotional resonance of the characters felt as if it was being experienced though a miasma of watery dilution - maybe that was the point.
April 22, 2025
Haunting and furious, Hazel Barkworth’s The Drownings has so much I want in a novel: a battle against institutional misogyny, an exploration of contemporary influence, and - my absolute favourite - nuanced female leads in search of their own self worth.
Its dual timeline was brilliantly executed, split between Serena’s life at Leysham university and her earlier teen years when she’s destined for Olympic swimming glory.
Having previously been in a relationship with someone under similar sporting pressures, I empathised hugely with the younger Serena and was rooting for her from the off.
In her first few weeks at Leysham, her already precarious relationship with the water is further complicated when she and feminist tutor Jane save a spiked and drowning woman from the river.
This incident sparks a reshaping of Serena, whose identity has been hazed by her inability to swim. This murky sense of self is exacerbated by Serena’s cousin, Zara, whose childhood shyness has been replaced with a body confidence that garners significant social-media attention and its seemingly inevitable influence.
But Zara’s social currency is as fragile as everything else in this beautifully written novel, which juxtaposes modern womanhood against the historical backdrop of witch hunts.
Absolutely recommend.
Its dual timeline was brilliantly executed, split between Serena’s life at Leysham university and her earlier teen years when she’s destined for Olympic swimming glory.
Having previously been in a relationship with someone under similar sporting pressures, I empathised hugely with the younger Serena and was rooting for her from the off.
In her first few weeks at Leysham, her already precarious relationship with the water is further complicated when she and feminist tutor Jane save a spiked and drowning woman from the river.
This incident sparks a reshaping of Serena, whose identity has been hazed by her inability to swim. This murky sense of self is exacerbated by Serena’s cousin, Zara, whose childhood shyness has been replaced with a body confidence that garners significant social-media attention and its seemingly inevitable influence.
But Zara’s social currency is as fragile as everything else in this beautifully written novel, which juxtaposes modern womanhood against the historical backdrop of witch hunts.
Absolutely recommend.
June 16, 2024
I really loved this book. The mention of witches or witch trials is enough of a hook to get my interest but this was something different. Zara and Serena are cousins. Two years apart. Serena the budding championship swimmer whilst chubby little Zara vies for any attention. Several years later they are both at a university with witch trials and drownings in its history. Zara is now successful and Serena is in her shadow. The story continues around the rivalry between the cousins with the added influence of a history lecturer with her own agenda using her influence on her students to get her revenge. Both characters are very relatable. Both are at times very likeable and at others in need of a good talking to! I'm sure we all have cousins like this.
The story of the drowned witches runs through the book as the man responsible for their deaths was the benefactor of the university and is now revered as such. His misogynistic and cruel attitude and behaviour copied by his acolytes and tolerated by those in power. Anyone brave enough to rise up against them doesn't stand a chance......or do they?
A great read with a brilliant ending. Well worth a 5* review.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.
The story of the drowned witches runs through the book as the man responsible for their deaths was the benefactor of the university and is now revered as such. His misogynistic and cruel attitude and behaviour copied by his acolytes and tolerated by those in power. Anyone brave enough to rise up against them doesn't stand a chance......or do they?
A great read with a brilliant ending. Well worth a 5* review.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.
August 20, 2024
The Drownings by Hazel Barkworth tells the story of Serena,from her childhood ,when she enters the world of competitive swimming, to her academic career at Leysham University,alongside a river where witch trials were performed. From the high expectations and borderline abusive expectations and behaviour of her swimming coach and mother Serena gets to Leysham and discovers that young women are being assaulted there with little interest in apprehending,let alone punishing the culprits. With the help of enigmatic lecturer Jane she decides that enough is enough and it's time for action.
This is part coming of age novel,part feminist polemic. Don't let that description put you off,it's also a great story with several important messages and I'd recommend this book for late teens as well as older readers a guide to what it's like too often to be female in our society. The book addresses expectations, choices, sexism, patriarchy ,consent and the good and bad sides of social media amongst several other themes. It's a book that will make you think,possibly make you angry as well. It's very well-written,in particular the characterisation and as I read I felt I really knew the main characters as people rather than fictional figures.
This is part coming of age novel,part feminist polemic. Don't let that description put you off,it's also a great story with several important messages and I'd recommend this book for late teens as well as older readers a guide to what it's like too often to be female in our society. The book addresses expectations, choices, sexism, patriarchy ,consent and the good and bad sides of social media amongst several other themes. It's a book that will make you think,possibly make you angry as well. It's very well-written,in particular the characterisation and as I read I felt I really knew the main characters as people rather than fictional figures.
Read
August 13, 2024The Drownings is a beautifully written and atmospheric read, a beguiling combination of dark academia and magical realism, a modern day story of female rage and commentary on moden social media with a link back to witch trials that adds an intriguing element.
It is the story of Serena, a talented swimmer who, following injury, is adjusting to life without swimming as a new student at Leysham University. Her cousin Zara is also there - having lived in Serena’s shadow, she is now a successful influencer promoting body positivity. When Serena saves a fellow student from drowning, she is helped by history lecturer Jane - and following a number of assaults on women, the three women come together to expose Leysham’s complicated past, with tragic consequences …
All three women are flawed but interesting, each carrying their own scars from their past. There is no shortage of symbolism - as we revisit Serena’s past, water plays a huge part, as does fire later in the story. It is a book that will keep you thinking but it is never less than gripping as you find yourself swept up in an intriguing and atmospheric read.
It is the story of Serena, a talented swimmer who, following injury, is adjusting to life without swimming as a new student at Leysham University. Her cousin Zara is also there - having lived in Serena’s shadow, she is now a successful influencer promoting body positivity. When Serena saves a fellow student from drowning, she is helped by history lecturer Jane - and following a number of assaults on women, the three women come together to expose Leysham’s complicated past, with tragic consequences …
All three women are flawed but interesting, each carrying their own scars from their past. There is no shortage of symbolism - as we revisit Serena’s past, water plays a huge part, as does fire later in the story. It is a book that will keep you thinking but it is never less than gripping as you find yourself swept up in an intriguing and atmospheric read.
August 13, 2024
3.5 Do you like dark campus novels? Let me introduce you to this novel which centres on a young woman, Serena, who starts Leysham university following an injury that destroys her career as a professional swimmer. Serena meets an enigmatic tutor, Jane, who reveals Leysham’s haunting past and the violence committed against women during the witch trials that took place in Leysham’s freezing waters. When a number of young women are assaulted, the dark legacy of Leysham can’t be ignored and it awakens something inside Serena, a raging power she didn’t know she had.
There is plenty of intrigue in this story with switching timelines showcasing Serena’s path and dedication towards being a professional swimmer to her present day events of moving on with her life at the university but discovering a new obsession with its history. The echoes of the witch trials adds an eerie and unsettling atmosphere to the novel, weaving legend and folklore to this story.
I’m not sure if I was meant to like Serena or not. The relationship she has with her cousin, Zara, one of the other main characters in the book is fascinating, highlighting the complexity in familial relationships and the jealousy and resentment we can harbour to achieving the spotlight.
There is a lot of female rage that hums and builds to a crescendo towards the later half of the book, which ends in a devastating outcome.
This book would suit readers who have also enjoyed the favourite by Rosemary Hennigan and when we were silent by Fiona McPhillips.
There is plenty of intrigue in this story with switching timelines showcasing Serena’s path and dedication towards being a professional swimmer to her present day events of moving on with her life at the university but discovering a new obsession with its history. The echoes of the witch trials adds an eerie and unsettling atmosphere to the novel, weaving legend and folklore to this story.
I’m not sure if I was meant to like Serena or not. The relationship she has with her cousin, Zara, one of the other main characters in the book is fascinating, highlighting the complexity in familial relationships and the jealousy and resentment we can harbour to achieving the spotlight.
There is a lot of female rage that hums and builds to a crescendo towards the later half of the book, which ends in a devastating outcome.
This book would suit readers who have also enjoyed the favourite by Rosemary Hennigan and when we were silent by Fiona McPhillips.
November 30, 2025
Started and finished date – 21.11.25 to 28.11.25.
My rating – Three Stars.
This book was okay read and I somewhat enjoyed is book, but I didn't love it also I think people who like witchcraft for wayward girls by Grady Hendrix or the furies by Katie Lowe may like is book. The cover of the book was okay, but it could be better, and I think the colour palette at was used on the cover of book was great. The writing was okay, and the writing was easy to follow also the ending of book was fine, but it could have be better. I think both the setting of the book and the atmosphere was pretty good and it was well written.
I think the mystery was okay, but it needed to be flash out bit more and the suspense was okay. I think this book had a good dark academia vibe to it and I found witchcraft to be interesting, but I want the author go into more detail. I think the mental health representation needed to be both flash out bit more and it needed to be tweaked a little bit. The characters was okay and they needed to be flash out bit more also I would have like relationship between the characters to be flash out bit more.
My rating – Three Stars.
This book was okay read and I somewhat enjoyed is book, but I didn't love it also I think people who like witchcraft for wayward girls by Grady Hendrix or the furies by Katie Lowe may like is book. The cover of the book was okay, but it could be better, and I think the colour palette at was used on the cover of book was great. The writing was okay, and the writing was easy to follow also the ending of book was fine, but it could have be better. I think both the setting of the book and the atmosphere was pretty good and it was well written.
I think the mystery was okay, but it needed to be flash out bit more and the suspense was okay. I think this book had a good dark academia vibe to it and I found witchcraft to be interesting, but I want the author go into more detail. I think the mental health representation needed to be both flash out bit more and it needed to be tweaked a little bit. The characters was okay and they needed to be flash out bit more also I would have like relationship between the characters to be flash out bit more.
July 21, 2024
3.5 🌟
I always enjoy Dark Academia so I was excited to read this book.
I was immediately gripped by this story. I really enjoyed the dual timeline which alternates between Serena as a young girl, beginning her swimming career and then at Leysham University years later following an accident that means she can no longer swim.
Leysham University has a sordid past of witch trials and drownings coupled with corrupt benefactors. When more frequent female assaults occur and are overlooked by the university, Serena, her cousin Zara, and lecturer friend, Jane, take on the feminist cause and rake up Leysham's sordid and troubled past.
This was a slow burn, character driven story. I wasn't completely sure where the plot was going but I was invested in the characters and I found it an immersive read. If you enjoy atmospheric, dark stories with well written, interesting characters I would recommend this book.
I always enjoy Dark Academia so I was excited to read this book.
I was immediately gripped by this story. I really enjoyed the dual timeline which alternates between Serena as a young girl, beginning her swimming career and then at Leysham University years later following an accident that means she can no longer swim.
Leysham University has a sordid past of witch trials and drownings coupled with corrupt benefactors. When more frequent female assaults occur and are overlooked by the university, Serena, her cousin Zara, and lecturer friend, Jane, take on the feminist cause and rake up Leysham's sordid and troubled past.
This was a slow burn, character driven story. I wasn't completely sure where the plot was going but I was invested in the characters and I found it an immersive read. If you enjoy atmospheric, dark stories with well written, interesting characters I would recommend this book.
July 20, 2024
#TheDrownings #NetGalley
Engrossing. 5 ⭐
Serena arrives on campus reeling from the injury that destroyed her champion swimming career. She is lost until she meets Jane, an enigmatic tutor obsessed with the historic witch trials that took place in Leysham's freezing waters. When several young women are assaulted, the university's shadowy legacy becomes inescapable. Those in power turn a blind eye, but Jane urges Serena and her friends to rise up. As their anger builds into an inferno of female rage, Serena takes matters into her own hands. Leysham has reawakened something within her, a dark, impossible power. In the waters, she can see what must be done and the sacrifice it will demand
Loved this one. Can't wait to read more from this author.
Thanks to NetGalley and Headline Review for giving me an advance copy.
Engrossing. 5 ⭐
Serena arrives on campus reeling from the injury that destroyed her champion swimming career. She is lost until she meets Jane, an enigmatic tutor obsessed with the historic witch trials that took place in Leysham's freezing waters. When several young women are assaulted, the university's shadowy legacy becomes inescapable. Those in power turn a blind eye, but Jane urges Serena and her friends to rise up. As their anger builds into an inferno of female rage, Serena takes matters into her own hands. Leysham has reawakened something within her, a dark, impossible power. In the waters, she can see what must be done and the sacrifice it will demand
Loved this one. Can't wait to read more from this author.
Thanks to NetGalley and Headline Review for giving me an advance copy.
August 20, 2024
I received this book from NetGalley and Headline | Headline Review in exchange for a free and honest review.
This book follows Serena, who is recovering from a devastating injury that ended her professional swimming ambitions. She decides to go to university in order to find a new normal and whilst there she experiences many firsts denied to her by her vigorous training schedule in her youth. She meets Jane, a professor with a sinister air about her. Jane influences Serena and others to protest the University's lack of action in protecting students from abuse, she encourages them to participate in more extreme acts of protest leading to an explosive finish. Overall, a very interesting and gripping book studying the relationships between mentor and mentee, and how trust can be used to influence the mentee either negatively or positively. I would recommend.
This book follows Serena, who is recovering from a devastating injury that ended her professional swimming ambitions. She decides to go to university in order to find a new normal and whilst there she experiences many firsts denied to her by her vigorous training schedule in her youth. She meets Jane, a professor with a sinister air about her. Jane influences Serena and others to protest the University's lack of action in protecting students from abuse, she encourages them to participate in more extreme acts of protest leading to an explosive finish. Overall, a very interesting and gripping book studying the relationships between mentor and mentee, and how trust can be used to influence the mentee either negatively or positively. I would recommend.
April 22, 2025
My thoughts
This is a book about women. But it talks about women and their power, women who are angry and women classified as witches to bring them down to size. It’s a really interesting read.
We have the myths of history mixed with modern attitudes and it really mixes everything together so well. I thought it worked particularly well and it showed what has and hasn’t changed in the world.
It has plenty of depth and deals with issues that are common now especially with the tide of influencers who make young girls particularly, believe that if they aren’t the current perfect shape, size or whatever is currently favoured. This has a refreshing feel and it was a really interesting coming of age style read.
With thanks to Hannah Born, the publisher and the author for the advanced reading copy of this book.
This is a book about women. But it talks about women and their power, women who are angry and women classified as witches to bring them down to size. It’s a really interesting read.
We have the myths of history mixed with modern attitudes and it really mixes everything together so well. I thought it worked particularly well and it showed what has and hasn’t changed in the world.
It has plenty of depth and deals with issues that are common now especially with the tide of influencers who make young girls particularly, believe that if they aren’t the current perfect shape, size or whatever is currently favoured. This has a refreshing feel and it was a really interesting coming of age style read.
With thanks to Hannah Born, the publisher and the author for the advanced reading copy of this book.
August 21, 2025
Loved the writing style- Found it quite addictive and enjoyable in terms of this. However, it is quite a slow burner and I didn’t know where it was going for a long time. Subtle themes of supernatural are introduced approx half way through but strong themes of feminism are present throughout. I love feminist books but was sold this as a horror novel and felt as a result my expectations were skew whiff. I did enjoy it despite that but I do have to question the supernatural hints at the novel as they feel present but subtle and would like questions about that answered more. The novel does drastically change direction from start to finish too but this represents life and growing up so wasn’t an issue for me. A lot to process here due to complex themes but i would actually recommend it in spite of that and did like reading the writing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews