Publishers Weekly
07/08/2024
Bestselling YA author Saft (A Fragile Enchantment) ventures into adult fantasy with this elaborate whirlwind of folklore, magic, and sapphic romance. Twenty-something academic rivals Lorelei Kaskel and Sylvia von Wolff join a seven-person expedition under the order of King Wilhelm of Brunnestaad, who commands them to find the Ursprung, a spring fabled to be the source of all magic. Unfortunately, their expedition leader is killed their first night on the road, and the only suspects are the remaining six expedition members. Saft’s intricate worldbuilding melds elements of Jewish tradition and folklore, fairy tales, and classic fantasy tropes, creating a steep learning curve and making it easy to get lost in the unfamiliar names of people, places, and creatures. Still, patient readers will find the important information shines through, even if the precise details are confusing. Meanwhile, the enemies-to-lovers arc between the heroines delivers a classic interplay of infuriating kindness and endearing irritability, with a long buildup and a worthwhile payoff. Fans of queer fantasy will find something to enjoy here. (Sept.)
From the Publisher
Richly imagined and as bewitching as a naiad’s song, A Dark and Drowning Tide deftly weaves romance with powerful indictments of the fetid, nationalistic roots of our favorite fairy tales. But for each prick of a prejudicial thorn, Saft offers her readers a balm—at its core, this is a story about the healing capacity of love. Clever, emotional, and gorgeous.”—Ava Reid, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Juniper & Thorn
“A Dark and Drowning Tide is an elegantly crafted triumph. Allison Saft’s sumptuous prose joins forces with her delightfully clever worldbuilding to blow us all away with this atmospheric fantasy steeped in rich lore, gripping intrigue, and simmering romantic tension. Definitely one of my favorite reads ever!”—Thea Guanzon, USA Today and New York Times bestselling author of The Hurricane Wars
“Haunting and bewitchingly romantic, A Dark and Drowning Tide deftly twines mystery and lore and adventure. Protagonists Lorelei and Sylvia illuminate their surrounding gloom and will sweep you clean off your feet. I loved every page.”—Rachel Gillig, New York Times bestselling author of One Dark Window
“Richly imagined and deftly told, A Dark and Drowning Tide is a story that draws you deep as any unexplored wild and leaves you changed on the other side.”—Hannah Whitten, New York Times bestselling author of The Foxglove King
“Reading A Dark and Drowning Tide is like being immersed in a fairy tale. Allison Saft writes beautifully, and she fearlessly explores powerful themes in this compelling, magical novel infused with folklore and woven through with a sapphic, rivals-to-lovers romance that will leave you breathless. It’s dark academia fantasy perfection.”—India Holton, international bestselling author of The Ornithologist’s Field Guide to Love
“A dreamy fantasy which, like the dark folktales cleverly woven into its narrative, will captivate readers with its beguiling atmosphere and intricate lore. Beware: Once you sink into A Dark and Drowning Tide, you may not want to resurface.”—Chelsea Abdullah, author of The Stardust Thief
“A Dark and Drowning Tide is an enchanting tale in an intricately realized world. The narrative is laced with folk tales and enlivened by brave and clever protagonists. Its adventures are enriched by Allison Saft’s beautiful prose, making it the perfect read for lovers of fantasy.”—Louisa Morgan, author of A Secret History of Witches
Library Journal
★ 07/01/2024
The expedition is in shambles, their mentor is dead, and Lorelei Kaskel and Sylvia von Wolff, enemies and rivals at every step of their academic careers, know that their heads are on the chopping block. Their king needs this expedition to succeed—or he needs a scapegoat for its failure, and either of them will do, even if neither of them is responsible. All they have to do is not kill each other, not let any of their fractious comrades kill anyone else, solve the murder, and find the legendary source of all magic before a traitor's plans come to fruition. There's little hope that either success or failure will save their necks. But they have each other, and that will have to be enough. VERDICT Take the deadly mystery and vicious academic politics of The Mimicking of Known Successes by Malka Older, stir in the magic and the romance of the "Emily Wilde" series by Heather Fawcett (but make it sapphic), add several drops of the political shenanigans of epic fantasy, and stir with a sharp, prickly thorn of a main character to get this fraught enemies-to-lovers fantasy. YA author Saft's (A Fragile Enchantment) adult debut is highly recommended.—Marlene Harris