A Dark and Drowning Tide was one of my most anticipated reads of 2024.
Fairytales, sapphic romance, and murder mystery? It's a checklist of some of my favorite things.
Unfortunately, it felt like those were three separate stories forced together rather than combining into one harmonious tale.
That's not to say there weren't parts of the book that I absolutely loved; there were. The prose and overall story was dark and atmospheric and hit all of the notes I wanted it to. The first two chapters were so fantastic that I wanted to melt into them. I tried to read them slowly to savor them, to let the words roll over me and pull me under. The lovely writing is truly present throughout the entire story.

However. It's not long after the first few chapters that things truly started to feel fractured and disjointed. It quickly becomes murder mystery on one side, and fantasy on the other, and my goodness they just did not mesh. Lorelei is the outcast of the group. She loathes almost all of them and they loathe her, and now she is thrust into the leadership position of trying to navigate a dangerous expedition while simultaneously trying to solve her mentor's murder. With that in mind, when she begins questioning the people in this group about their life and intentions, they open up to her like a flower on a spring day. Sure there may be scoffing and attitude, but nearly every person is willing to talk to her about their history after excluding her for the years that they have known her. At some point the fantasy aspects begin to show up, and these odd life spilling interviews continue to happen in places where people should be discussing how to stay alive, not gossiping like they're back at court. And that's what it felt like, the conversations and plotting felt like a book taking place at a safe warm castle, and yet the setting was dangerous and fantastic and it went unmentioned. Even with these conversations happening, somehow most of the characters ended up feeling very flat and one note, perhaps because they have zero history with Lorelei. It seems as if they never even shared a room prior to this expedition, even though the story says they've worked together for years.

As for the fantasy aspects. Again, I loved the idea of what was happening. Higher education to study the folklore and magic in your kingdom? So cool. I loved absolutely loved, loveeeed, the Jewish folklore and the tales that were told within the story. There were many times when something is happening and there is a tale that is added that is relevant to what is happening. It might seem disjointed to some readers, but I personally love the way they're added as part of the story.

On the other hand, the fantasy aspects that were happening in real time in the story felt glossed over most of the time. There was so much time spent plotting and politicking, and later romancing, in the midst of the fantasy action that the fantasy aspects seemed like almost an afterthought at times. It was more like blurry background, not a forefront of the story. There will be readers that who enjoy less focus on the fantasy aspects, for me it wasn't what I was expecting given the folklore tales and how much of the plot is based on them searching for something from those folktales.

One of the things that I really looked forward to was the sapphic academic rivals to lovers trope. I loved the tall dark and brooding, and the over-the-top ray of bubbly moonlight. I even love the oblivious to love trope, and it fit in the story. Again though, I was just frustrated reading a lot of Lorelei's internal thoughts. She talks about how awful Sylvia is and how much she's hated her over the years but there's zero examples of a single time she was ever awful to her or how their mentor "pitted them against each other." They've known each other for years and we see flashbacks of Lorelei's past, so I don't understand why we wouldn't be shown examples of them clashing so it was more believable. Later on, after much brooding and nearly all negative thoughts toward Sylvia, Lorelei is thinking about how many times she's fantasized about being with Sylvia and when I tell you that was out of the blue, I mean it. Seriously, there's zero indication that she would have had those thoughts because even once she realizes she like-likes Sylvia, she still shuts her thoughts down before they get too sweet. If you tell me they have history, and there are these prior sexy thoughts, why not show them so it's believable?

Basically, I understand the people that are singing praises from the rooftops. I absolutely think that A Dark and Drowning Tide will find its audience and be well loved. At the same time, I also see where the less than glowing thoughts are coming from because it fell short for me as well. With that said, I will still be picking up more books by Allison Saft because she does have a way with words and I look forward to what she writes in the future.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House for the ARC.

DNF @ 35% - I unfortunately could not connect to the characters and could not follow the storyline. I appreciated the gothic atmosphere and the dense and illustrative verbiage but I think the worldbuilding was so vast I couldn't anchor myself to something likable to be motivated enough to be patient and learn what was going on.

Thank you to the author and Netgalley for providing an arc. I am voluntarily providing a review.

**There are mild spoilers...**

The rollercoaster this book had me on was ridiculous. The beginning was a little slow for me, but all I can say is STICK WITH IT!! Because honestly I think that it was just an immense amount of world building that I wasn't used too. This is one of my first true fantasy books, but a few chapters in you get rocking and rolling. The world was beautiful, immense, and ABSOLUTELY TERRIFYING. The fact that everything you thought was a little fairytale to make children wary, was real.....excuse meeeee! I would be petrified to step outside in this world, but...ugh...it would be the most amazing adventure.

Lorelei is one of the most frustrating people I have ever met, she perfectly prickly but when you got to that warm super protected center...i fell in love. Then we met Sylvia, and I swooned!!! She was what I would imagine a Fae Princess would be, she was enchanting and I would kill to have her by my side on adventures. I ended up absolutely enamored with Lorelei and Sylvia, when I got to a couple of scenes.....I....was.....ecstatic. I would beg on my knees for some of the scenes in Sylvia's point of view, because They are perfect and my roman empire.

The mystery, pining, magic, politics, characters and tales within A Dark and Drowning Tide ensnared me. Allison Saft entwined the dark and light of this world beautifully, and OMG the plot twist and ending.....I am still not over them. I want more, pretty please! I want more adventures at the Vanishing Isle, the night while Ludwig was alone, and behind the scenes with Johann and Adelaide. Allison you wrote them all to where there are certain ones I can't decide if I hate or if I love them despite their flaws, I am crying! I can not wait to have a physical copy of this on my shelves so I can re-read it repeatedly. Thank you for the journey through this world, I will never forget it.

**Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this copy in exchange for my honest review.**

before i start the review let me preface the following information:
thank you to netgalley for sending me an e-arc of this book for exchange of an honest review.
this was my introduction to allison saft along with my anticipated read of the year and my god, it didn't disappoint. saft is a very talented author and it shows in her writing in this fantasy. i loved how all the folklore creatures were incorporated into this fantasy. the banter was amazing, i related to lorelei a little too much. she was perfect for sylvia.

I really liked this one! It started a bit slow for me, but once the team actually sets out on their expedition, the pace picks up substantially and I really enjoyed it. It was the sort of book I just couldn't put down, I was so eager to see what would happen next. The sapphic rivals to lovers romance is wonderful, Lorelei is a great protagonist that eschews many of the common "fantasy heroine" tropes, and I thought that the whodunnit vibe was great. The plot really keeps you on your toes as you try to figure out who the true villain is and what will happen next. I also really enjoyed Saft's writing style, and the fact that early characters and themes pop up again towards the end in very satisfying ways.

Before I get into my critiques, I just want to emphasize that I really enjoyed this book. I would definitely recommend it to fans of magical fantasy or the rivals-to-lovers trope.

I will say that I thought the ending was a bit rushed and abrupt. After the antagonist is defeated, we're given a quick summary of what happens after, but we don't actually get to see it happen... we just jump ahead to the team back at home, which I feel skips over what could have been some very interesting scenes. I'm sure Saft felt describing these scenes in detail would've been unnecessary, but I personally would have liked to see more of that journey home rather than just skipping it entirely. Likewise, I would've liked to see more detail about Lorelei's experiences once she returned home... some big things happen, but it's just sort of summarized and glossed over like a sort of epilogue.

I was also a little torn on how the politics were handled. Government corruption, the forced unification and suppression of different cultures, violent antisemitism, and similar issues were all major themes in the story, but I'm not sure that they were wrapped up in a satisfying way. This is probably meant to make the story more realistic -- not every problem is solved, there's no perfect ending, etc. It's just not my cup of tea in a fantasy story.

"A Dark and Drowning Tide" by Allison Saft is a captivating journey into a world woven with intricate storytelling and rich character development. Saft's skillful prose breathes life into a tale of suspense and fantasy, keeping readers on the edge of their seats. The seamless blend of mystery and magic creates a unique narrative that lingers in the mind long after the final page. A must-read for those seeking a spellbinding escape into a beautifully crafted realm.

Firstly, I would like to thank Netgalley and the Publisher for receiving an arc on this book.

I am leaving an honest review of this novel.

I wish I could have loved this as much as others, but it was very enjoyable to read. This is a slow burn, Sapphic, academic rivals story. Twisted with folklore and magic, this story brings you through a murder mystery, an enchanted journey, and an unfit king trying to harness more power. While all the characters of this story are trying to prove themselves. Lorelei pushes herself more than any of the other nobles that embark on this journey of what could end them all together. Especially when their mentor is murdered, and the murderer wasn't found. While all these major events are happening, Lorelei and her rival, Sylvia, have tension building all along this journey to gain justice for not only their mentor, but for those who were wronged by the king. This story is full of highs and lows, adventure, and love.

Trigger warnings: This book does talk about death, murder, grief, detailed gore, and antisemitism (This is a Jewish folklore story).

I'm left with a hint of wanting more at the end of the story, particularly from the geopolitics of this world - I finished the book thinking, "surely we can't leave things here???" If Saft ever decided to write a sequel, I think that this story is primed for one; but I also recognize that that isn't really her style. This isn't a book where every wrong will be righted, every bad person punished, every social injustice neatly eliminated by the end of the novel. It's a story about people surviving and finding a way to be happy the best they can in a hostile, imperfect world.

A wonderful read! A Dark and Drowning Tide took me to an enchanted world with wild and imaginative creatures and magic whose power source is water. Beautiful and mystical, this book gave me all those cozy spooky kinda vibes and I loved it. The world building is well done and it’s easy to slip into this alternate universe and escape reality.

We are introduced to our two leading ladies Lorelei and Sylvia from the jump with tension and fireworks between the two. Soon the cast is widened with a group of academic nobles who are lifelong friends. They join the ladies on a quest to find the source of magic’s power in their world. But no sooner have they left than the ladies’ mentor, Professor Ziegler, is done in and all signs point to it being a crime committed within their circle. The murder has to be solved, the quest has to be undertaken regardless, and hopefully, along the way, no more of the friends (Enemies? Rivals? Lovers?) will meet a grisly end! There are lots of surprising twists and turns and it’s a ride I surely enjoyed.

I only gave this a 4 simply because some small things didn’t track for me and that annoys me for days on end after I’ve read a book. There’s a historical vibe (think steam powered ships, travel by horseback, no modern devices), but then very atypical modern thinking. Like relationships for example, what kings and queens make strategic and political marriages back then without prioritizing the ability to make heirs? Love the progressive thinking but it doesn’t ring true so it felt off. I’d rather see 2 ladies stand against the odds in that kind of situation and fight for their relationship. There was so much ignorance and racism regarding Lorelei’s Jewish-adjacent ethnicity but none about lesbianism? It doesn’t track Just for there to be random extreme modernism and age old ignorance at the same time in a historical world, even a fantasy one. Also, there was a few things with King Wilhelm’s character that didn’t flow right. He is a good man, then a power hungry manipulator, and then somehow easy enough to be manipulated when the plot needs to be advanced. He could have been a richer and more useful character to thicken the storyline.

But honestly, those things are small and kind of immaterial to the overall story, so the book truly does work and work well for 99% of it. I hope Saft gives us more stories in this world she’s created! It’s a world I’m not ready to let go of!

Thank you to Random House who provided this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Lorelei is not the most warm and fuzzy narrator, but the author builds a world I am interesting in returning to for future adventures. The world is essentially a fantasy version of late 19th century Germany, including the attempts to create a united German state and long standing discrimination against Jews, but in a world where men and women are equally likely to serve as soldiers, marry the king, lead an important expedition, or win the princess's heart.

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: The pace of A Dark and Drowning Tide alternated between slow and medium.

POV: A Dark and Drowning Tide is told from Lorelei’s 3rd person POV.

Trigger/Content Warning: A Dark and Drowning Tide has trigger and content warnings. If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading the book. They are:

Death
Murder
Antisemitism
Eugenics
Colonization
Grief
Loss of Sibling
Blood & Gore
Violence
Dead Body
Injury Detail
Drowning
Drugging
Fire
Vomit
Alcohol Consumption
Sexual Content: There are sexual situations in A Dark and Drowning Tide. They are not graphic.

Language: There is mild swearing in A Dark and Drowning Tide. There is also language used that could be considered offensive to people.

Setting: A Dark and Drowning Tide is set in Brunnestaad, Albe, Ebul, and The Vanishing Isle.

Age Range: I recommend A Dark and Drowning Tide to anyone over 21.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

Lorelei is a folklorist who is the cohead of an expedition to find a fabled spring for the king of her wartorn country. As the expedition starts, her beloved mentor is killed, leaving her in charge. That enrages other party members until they are reminded why they are there. Lorelei is desperate to find the spring before her fellow expedition members make good on their threats to kill her. But she soon discovers there is more to the expedition than finding the spring. And that includes the tentative partnership with Sylvia von Wolff. Can Lorelei find the spring before they decide to kill her? Will she be able to prove herself to the king?

Main Characters:

Lorelei Kaskel (folklorist)—Lorelei was a tough character to like. She presented as very defensive and had an acid tongue on her. But, as the book went on, I began to see why Lorelei was the way she was. The hatred that she dealt with from certain party members was awful. She was on edge the entire time. However, her character started softening when Ludwig got cursed, and I liked her by the end of the book.

Sylvia von Wolff (naturalist)—I liked Sylvia but found her almost too naive. She acknowledged her friends’ faults, but at the same time, she protected them. I got very frustrated with her during the last half of the book. Even in danger, she still believed that her friends would do no harm. But, she did rise to the occasion during the critical battle scene.

Johann zu Wittelsbach (medic)—II couldn’t stand Johann, but at the same time, I pitied him. He was molded into what he was by his abusive father. In some parts of the book, the author conveyed that a part of him hated what he became. His death was one of the more gruesome ones in the book.

Heike van der Kaas (astronomer and navigator)—Heike came across as someone you didn’t want to mess with. But, as the book went on, she mellowed out. I figured out that she was all bark and no bite.

Adelheid de Mohl (thaumatologist)—Besides Ludwig, she was the kindest on the boat to Lorelei. So, when things went sideways, I was shocked at her role.

Ludwig von Meyer (botanist)—I liked him and wished he had more page time. But, the author took him out fairly early in the book.

My review:

A Dark and Drowning Tide is a wonderfully dark fantasy lesbian romance. When I read the synopsis on NetGalley, I knew I needed to read this book. So, I wished for it and was thrilled when I got the email that my wish was granted.

The main storyline of A Dark and Drowning Tide centers entirely on Lorelei and the journey to find the Ursprung. This storyline was wonderfully written. Lorelei and the team have to make trips that are intense and strange. They have to contend with dragons, mermaid-like creatures, forests that move, curses, and other obstacles. Those obstacles also include what they feel towards each other, whether hate or love.

The fantasy angle of the book was perfect. I enjoyed reading about how the magic works in this work, the different magical beings portrayed, and the various lands that they traveled through. I enjoyed that the magic wasn’t all sunshine and roses but had a darker element.

The romance angle was all right. It may be overshadowed by everything else that is going on in the book. It also seemed forced in some sections. But, overall, I enjoyed seeing Lorelei and Sylvia fall in love.

The mystery angle was interesting. I thought I had figured out who killed Ziegler. I wasn’t wrong; there was more to that than what the author initially let on. I was shocked when Lorelei figured it out in the middle of the book.

The end of A Dark and Drowning Tide was heartbreaking but enlightening. I liked that there was a HEA for Lorelei and Sylvia. The last chapters, detailing life after the expedition, were what I thought they would be. I was surprised by what was asked and the reaction it got.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey, NetGalley, and Allison Saft for allowing me to read this ARC of A Dark and Drowning Tide. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

WONDERFUUUUL book. I am SO excited for this to hit shelves because it is SO great! I will recommend it to every friend i have. A wonderful sapphic gothic tale, very compelling and hard to put down!

I will be an Allison Saft fan to the bitter end, and her adult debut absolutely cemented her in my top favourite authors of all time. Richly layered and emotionally devastating in the best kind of way, A Dark and Drowning Tide is a beautifully realised story of an acerbic folklorist and a stubbornly optimistic naturalist as they join an expedition to find the source of all magic, all while battling a myriad of creatures, a gripping murder plot, and their own rapidly growing feelings. Utter perfection!

Alongside Allison’s particular brand of stunning prose and vivid atmosphere, I genuinely adored the characters, Lorelei in particular. Her level of snark is truly something to aspire to. I really enjoyed seeing her come out of her shell and learn to trust (and love!) as she began to explore her own talents and open herself up to love. I always have a soft spot for a grumpy character learning to accept affection and care, and Lorelei just fit that to a tee. The romance between her and Sylvia was so heart wrenching and moving, and I enjoyed how their dynamic shifted and grew the closer they got.

The plot was fast moving and wonderfully fleshed out, fit with a whole host of side characters both funny and infuriating. Like all of Allison’s books, the themes around identity and the political landscape were extremely well done. Overall, this has the making of being a top read of the year for me (and it’s only January 2nd!) and I will forever scream from the rooftops how much I love Allison Saft’s work.

Academic rivals must work together when their mentor is murdered on an expedition. Filled with tension, high stakes, and wonderfully done banter, this was an amazing adult debut for Allison Saft. I loved this book, and cannot wait until its release when I can get a physical copy for myself. I don’t often say this, but I wish this was the first in a series! My one complaint is that the Magic system felt inconsistent and at times confusing. However, this did not take away from the experience of reading this book. Overall, this was a great way to end my 2023 reading journey and I am excited to see what the author does in the future.

this book has basically everything i personally look for in a book and i ate it up. there's magic, fantastical creatures, politics, and a rivals to lovers romance that is *chef's kiss*. all the characters were well written and had an impact on me, whether i fell in love with them, or they creeped me out to no end. my only issue is that i wish the ending was longer and there was more of an opportunity to see how the characters' plans work in practice. i had such a blast reading this and can't wait to talk about it more.

A Dark and Drowning Tide
by Allison Saft
Pub Date: 17 Sep 2024

Lorelei Kaskel, a folklorist with a quick temper and an even quicker wit, is on an expedition with six eccentric nobles in search of a fabled spring. The magical spring promises untold power, which the king wants to harness in order to secure his reign over the embattled country of Brunnestaad. Lorelei is determined to use this opportunity to prove herself and make her wildest, most impossible dream come true: to become a naturalist, able to travel freely to lands she’s only read about.

The expedition gets off to a harrowing start when its leader—Lorelei’s beloved mentor—is murdered in her quarters aboard their ship. The suspects are the five remaining expedition mates, each with their own motive. The only person Lorelei knows must be innocent is her longtime academic rival, the insufferably gallant and maddeningly beautiful Sylvia von Wolff. Now in charge of the expedition, Lorelei must find the spring before the murderer strikes again—and a coup begins in earnest.

But there are other dangers lurking in the dark: forests that rearrange themselves at night, rivers with slumbering dragons hiding beneath the water, and shapeshifting beasts out for blood.

As Lorelei and Sylvia grudgingly work together to uncover the truth—and resist their growing feelings for each other—they discover that their leader had secrets of her own. Secrets that make Lorelei question whether justice is worth pursuing, and if this kingdom is worth saving at all.

** I received an ARC through NetGalley with the expectation of a review afterwards**


The plot and storytelling was phenomenal throughout. The world building at the begging took a lot of getting into, and is definitely for someone who is into super in depth world building and the small details of what’s going on. The “relationship” in the story was good but would not even consider as a romantasy read. I give it four starts because of how hard it was to get into and the book didn’t really speed up until about 60% of the way into it for me to keep myself engaged.

An academics rivals to lovers tale, with both a murder mystery to solve and a magical quest to complete, and it has a historical Victorian-era feel (but make it German rather than English). Oh, and did I mention that it's a sapphic gothic romance? Seriously, A Dark and Drowning Tide has EVERYTHING. And it. Pull. It. Off. This book could have very easily felt like too much, but all the elements slotted together perfectly. I really can't recommend it enough.

My favorite part (and it was hard to pick because there were so many things to love) was who Allison Saft wove folklore effortlessly into the plot. Each story began: "Back in the days when wishes still held power" and whenever I came across that line, I could feel my excitement begin to grow. They were the perfect blend of magic with something familiar to create something new.

As a bit of a history nerd, I really liked how it felt like I was reading about pre-WWI Germany, particularly how Lorelei read as Jewish. And setting all the other characters as childhood friends added an almost 'Murder on the Orient Express' element to the murder mystery that I loved.

Really, I could go on and on about this book. But I think the best thing you could do is read it for yourself.

Thank you Netgalley and the author for the ARC to review!
Academic sapphic rivals drew me in from the start and I loved every minute of it. Especially the magic, jewish folklore, and creatures throughout that had me turning the pages. The beautiful cover was as enchanting as the story within.
The two characters, Loreali and Sylvia, were hypnotizing and I loved reading their backstory and especially how their relationship changed from rivals to lovers.
Finally, the writing of allison saft has to be my new favorite and I cannot wait for this book to hit the shelves!!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an eARC of this copy in exchange for my honest review.

Holy shit, oh my god, Saft blew this out of the water, pun fully intended. The story follows Lorelei and Sylvia, academic rivals going on an expedition to find the Ursprung, the source of all magic. Their journey gets on its way and is almost immediately upended by the murder of their professor. Lorelei and Sylvia have similar and independent reasons for wanting to solve the mystery of who committed the crime, and the audience gets the absolute pleasure of seeing their relationship evolve through the stress of solving a murder and hunting for the most elusive source of power in the world.

Lorelei is a folklorist filled with so much self-loathing it's almost too much sometimes. She's a Yevani woman living in Brunnestaad, essentially a Jewish woman in Germany pre-WWII (but probably pretty close to it), and the prejudice she suffers has such a huge impact on her personality, mentality, worldview, etc. It's so interesting to see how she interacts with the world and the people around her. I saw things affect her that I've never considered would affect someone dealing with such extreme prejudice; it was really eye opening and made me consider the privilege I have as someone who hasn't dealt with hatred as intense as Lorelei has.

One of the only people who doesn't treat Lorelei differently for who she is, is Sylvia, her academic rival. Sylvia is clever, kind, adventurous, brave to a fault, and doesn't give a damn what anyone else thinks of her. She's from a less stable part of Brunnestaad, and the others in the expedition refuse to let her forget it. She works just as hard as Lorelei to solve the murder mystery, and as they get closer, she refuses to let Lorelei pull away from her. Sylvia knows what she wants and will go straight for it, diving in head first. It's so fun to see Lorelei be angry with her, and it's even more fun when Lorelei starts to realize why it makes her so mad.

Their relationship just draws you in, and watching them explore it was 10/10. The murder mystery wasn't really full of twists and turns, but I was 95% there for the sapphic love story, so no biggie - it was still very fun. The side characters were really interesting, although I felt like the two women besides Lorelei and Sylvia were pretty similar, to the point where sometimes I forgot who was who. My only other character gripe was that Lorelei was so self-destructive that sometimes it felt like it was too much, like just to add conflict and not strictly because it was a legitimate character choice. I'm more or less willing to let it slide though because of all the hatred and trauma she's grown up with; I can't imagine it would be productive towards a healthy self-esteem.

I also felt like the ending came on a little too quickly so it would end with a neat bow. I wouldn't have minded reading more of the resolution of the problems brought to light at the beginning, and I feel like the book could've been another 50 pages longer and I would have been happy to see more things explained. Instead we get what felt like, "And it pretty much settled down after that," and leave it there for the most part. The ending is still great, don't get me wrong, but I would've liked it better if it had taken a bit longer to get there.

Aside from those minor complaints, let me sing the praises now: Saft's talent is on full display here. The craft, the prose, the storytelling, all of it was wonderful. I finished this and immediately added the rest of her works to my TBR. I can't get over the sheer poetry I found throughout this entire book. The main characters are fully fleshed out, realized people, and you get to know them so intimately, including through the eyes of the other person. The tentative politics of multiple nations being forcibly brought together to make a larger one played a huge part in the story and I enjoyed all of it. The sapphic romance had me kicking my feet and giggling the entire time, and seeing them finally come together was perfect. The magic system is well thought out and it was very fun to see people use it in different ways throughout the story based on their origins, history with it, and environment as the story progressed.

Overall, this is absolutely worth all of the hype you've seen about it, and I will be recommending these stunning water magic lesbians to anyone that will listen to me. Do yourself a favor and read this gorgeous book with this gorgeous cover, it's everything I've described here and so much more. Rounded up to five stars but gave it 4.75 on storygraph!