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 to secure his reign. 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 her 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

Absolutely Splendid.

This was such a wonderfully atmospheric read. This is beautifully crafted with lush prose and thought out characters. It was near impossible to put down.

If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to read from the perspective of the dark, brooding, mysterious, and self loathing love interest, then this is it. Lorelei is all thorns and a silver tongue. She’s got a past that haunts her and a future she is scraping to make possible. She’s quick to anger and slow to trust, but still completely captivating to read about. Silvia is the perfect foil. Where Lorelei is doom and gloom, Silvia is summer and sunshine. While Lorelei is over analyzing, taking extensive notes, and calculating every step, Silvia is dashing into danger and life with such vivid exuberance that you can’t help but to take notice. She balances Lorelei so well. She’s such a breathe of fresh air in this book.

I think this novel does academic rivals phenomenally. This is more of what I wanted from Divine Rivals. The banter and tension are so well done. The characters meld so well together. Their attraction makes sense. It feels organic and real.

My only complaint is the end. I think it all unraveled very quickly compared to the pacing of the rest of the novel. I would have liked more time spent especially on the impact and implications of everything. But it’s really a small complaint. Because I had a marvelous time.

4.5/5 stars, rounded to 5 because it deserves the love

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for providing me with an eARC.

4.5/5

This book reinvigorated my interest in fantasy romance as a genre. My previous experiences with fantasy romance had ranged from fine to not great, to the point I was beginning to wonder if it just wasn't my thing. But this book proved that it definitely can be.

It struck a great balance between plot, world building, and the romance (it's definitely still a romance book, albeit not the spicy kind), which I hadn't encountered in my previous forays into fantasy romance. Speaking of the world building, it was fascinating with all its flora and fauna, and the injection of the many folktales added great depth to it. The folktales also acted as means of showing how deeply antisemitism can be rooted in our stories.

In terms of the plot, it was really well paced. The scope of it was well adjusted to its length. Sometimes standalones try to do much with their limited page time, leading to odd pacing issues. This book had none such issues, it never felt too fast or too slowly paced. The story also had a cinematic quality to it which reminded me of the uncharted games at times.

The character writing of this book was really good, even outside of the romantic leads. All of the six core characters, as well as Ziegler, had depth to them and had understandable motives. Even the characters that may seem simply awful at first had more to them, without absolving them for their bigotry or actions. The web of relationships between them all was fascinating.

All the dynamics were really interesting, but none more entertaining than Lorelei and Sylvia's. Every single interaction between them was a joy to read, and the tension was simply delicious. The thorniness, but also the yearning was rivals to lovers at its finest. The romance was simply wonderful.

I did have a few minor issues, that stops it from getting a perfect score. I did end up wishing there was a bit more detail on certain things from Sylvia's past and I was also confused about the motivation/specifics behind a certain attempt at Lorelei's life. I also would have liked an extended epilogue, but maybe that's just me wanting more.

All in all, one of best examples of fantasy romance I've read, that manages to deliver a story, world, and characters with a lot of depth as well as a great romance.
I'd recommend checking this out even if you aren't the biggest fan of fantasy romance (and if you are!).

My succinct thoughts can be summarized as such;

to [redacted], I wish to give: a guillotine

to Lorelai and Sylvia, I wish to give: countless hugs and the beauty of the world.

Now, to delve a little deeper - it is always such a joy to enter into a world that Allison Saft has created. Her prose is also enchanting on a level that continues to astound me. I feel like I'm cupping a universe in my hands when I read her books with how beautifully she crafts a story, and here magic and tales are woven inside each other. Such a lush world has been created, filled to the brim with folklore that is presented through the lens of academia which, to me, makes it all the more fascinating.

And at the heart of this book is Lorelai, in her pain, her thorns, and her unrestrained self-loathing. She burrows so deeply inside herself, convinced that the harshness of the world is all she deserves. I loved her so much I ached.

Her story is one filled with hatred and cruelty, but she is also forced to have Sylvia in her life. A woman with way too much whimsy in her. The way the beauty of both of them shines through, because of who they are at their core, thorns and edges so sharp they draw blood, not in spite of it, was everything I wanted.

This book is gorgeous all the way through. From its prose to its characters to its exploration of Jewishness, it was spectacular beyond words.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for allowing me to provide this review!
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Alright, to start off this book wasn’t for me. The concept of a mysterious expedition with a murder sounds great, but for me there wasn’t enough world building. There were several points in the beginning of the book where I had to re-read the section above to figure out who was originally talking and what the situation was that they were in. Towards the middle of the book, when they are going on the expedition, it gets better, but the beginning was rough. I wasn’t 100% what I should be imagining. (I am one of those ones who essentially watch the words in their head lol). I also wish that the sections where the characters were telling us a story was set up differently. Just to show that it’s a side story.

The book is about an expedition for a magical pool that the king is wanting to have control of, but during this expedition a murder occurs that throws everyone off. So not only are they on the hunt for this pool but Lorelei must also determine who the murder is!

The character building was also very short. I didn’t really get attached to any of the main characters. Once we received a little bit more background on them it was a little bit better, but honestly no one stood out. The story is told in the perspective of Lorelei, our main character who drove me nuts! She is angry 95% of the time throughout the story. I understand why, but at some point, I wish her angst or the “chip on her shoulder” mentality wasn’t so strong. It just pushed me away from the story whenever she started on her tangents

The other prominent main character is Sylvia, now she is my cup of tea. She is very bright, rarely unhappy, and essentially sees the good in everything and everyone. She is the one who looks out for those that are considered “lower”. Sylvia is also book smart, but also not the brightest crayon in the box, however that doesn’t stop her! I wish there was more of her throughout.

The other characters in the book are interesting but as I stated above there wasn’t one that really pulled me to them. There are a couple of fighting scenes and love scenes, so this book has a little bit of everything. If you enjoy a very angsty character, murder, fighting, and love then this book will be perfect for you!

This book is going to be the must-read sapphic book of 2024 for fans of dark fantasy / mystery / folklore.

In world where people can be born with magic, and those who do are given to certain academic schools, Lorelei is a very jaded individual. Already the brunt / the warned and scorned one of folktales (or her people), she has already accepted the world might not want her, but she wants to be a part of it. She wants notoriety, freedom, and the ability to control her future without the hindrance of class holding her back. There is just someone who seems to always get in her way.

Sylvia is a free spirited, kind, gentle, privileged girl who is a princess from a neighboring kingdom / island who has also enrolled at the school. She is open to studying creatures of folklore and their mythical world, much to the chagrin of Lorelei. The two of them butt heads due to their different approaches and, if Lorelei can just get out of the school she will be free of Sylvia's interference.

The plot of the book hinders on the quest to find a mystical pool with the power to bring magic back to their part of the land. A team of various magic wielders have been chosen to go with Lorelei's mentor on said quest. Lorelei's mentor chooses Lorelei, but also on the team of magic wielders is Sylvia. Lorelei is upset by this, but she hopes not to let their friction come between her and the goals she has set...

... that is until Lorelei's mentor is killed on the ship and one of the five did it. But who? And why? Lorelei overcome with the grief and quest vows to find the killer, even if it means joining hands with Sylvia who may or may not had a hand in it.

With Allison Saft's writing, the beauty is her characters and the depths she dives to give you the most amazing internal monologue and dialogue. Lorelei and Sylvia are perhaps her strongest characters she has written by far. Though you never get into the mind of Sylvia, the reactions that Lorelei's character brings out of her - whether it's them fighting, agreeing, or giving smoldering glances without words is enough.

The reason I bring it down a star is that with most of Allison's book, the world building never really gets fully developed or leaves you with a finished story. It's hard to explain, but with this, I struggled to understand why magic was the way it was, and is the rest of this world consist of only three islands? What happens with the kingdom? Are there any threats? Are there no threats? There could have been a threat, but it was just a really odd world we're in and it just doesn't appear to have much depth to it.

Nevertheless, I came here for character development and plot and I got it. This book is not to be missed and I hope everyone looks into reading it if you are a f/f or Allison Saft fan.

This was a lovely romance with creative elements of folklore. The only criticism I had was that the other members of the party weren't as fleshed out so the murder mystery didn't drive my reading as much. But I loved the quest, worldbuilding and relationships between the two characters. Allison Saft joins the list alongside Naomi Novik and Ava Reid in terms of strong fantasy portrayals of Jewish women, and the enchanting fairytale version of Germany made me want to explore even more.

4..5/5

THE VIBES ARE VIBING!!!!! the writing of this book is soo moody and atmospheric im obsessed w the characters. I really hope this isnt the last we see of them!! also the ROMANCEE THE SAPPHIC ROMANCE. listen to me if you love sapphic enemies to lovers you'll need to read this. only reason its not a full 5/5 was bc the pacing was a bit slow at times.

A lyrically written sapphic rivals to lovers fantasy adventure following a group of characters whilst they try to find the wellspring where magic originates. The romance was so tender and lovely, I wish we got to see more of just the 2 FMCS interacting. The plot was a bit predictable but overall I liked the story. The cover is absolutely stunning!!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC reader copy. I absolutely loved this evocative, magical tale, of fantasy and dark academia that incorporated all the elements I love in a novel. The expedition for the magical elixir was so much fun to read about, and the writing was so lush and descriptive, Allison Saft has such a wonderful way with words. I spent a beautiful moment with this book, 5 stars.

"A Dark and Drowning Tide" by Allison Saft is a fantasy novel that follows Lorelei Kaskel, a sharp-tongued folklorist, on an expedition with six eccentric nobles in search of a fabled spring. This magical spring promises untold power, and the king seeks to harness it for his reign over the troubled country of Brunnestaad. Lorelei is determined to prove herself and achieve her dream of becoming a naturalist who can freely explore lands she has only read about.

The expedition takes a dark turn when Lorelei's beloved mentor is murdered aboard their ship, turning the journey into a quest to find the killer before they strike again. The suspects are the remaining expedition mates, each with their own motives. Lorelei reluctantly teams up with her academic rival, Sylvia von Wolff, who she believes is innocent. Together, they must navigate not only the political intrigue and danger within the group but also the supernatural challenges of the landscape, including forests that rearrange themselves at night and rivers with hidden dragons.

As Lorelei and Sylvia work together, they discover that their leader had secrets of her own, prompting them to question the worthiness of pursuing justice and whether the kingdom is worth saving. The novel combines elements of fantasy, mystery, and romance, creating a lush and enthralling tale with sapphic elements.

A Dark and Drowning Tide was a lush and adventurous tale following a cast of old friends and Lorelei, the outcast. They must face perils along their journey to find the Usprung but are quickly met with a murder and many other challenges that make their journey a difficult one. I loved the world building and the vast imagery of the different parts of their world. I really enjoyed the idea that Lorelei was a folklorist who gathered stories from around the world and that these stories were interwoven within the book. I also liked that she was a grade A pessimist whilst the other main character Sylvia was brimming with hope and optimism, it made for a good clash of personalities that worked really well with the story. I liked that this was an expedition tale with fae like creatures blended in along the way. My personal favorites were the nixies and how the author went through great detail to describe them as well as how much love Sylvia had for them. Didn't care too much for the romance but I didn't feel like it took too much away from the story.

5/5 stars
Recommended if you like: dark academia, light fantasy, Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia, rivals to lovers

This review has been posted to Goodreads as of 11/9 and will be posted to my book review blog 11/14 and to Instagram on 11/15.

I really liked the vibe of this book, especially once the characters are all introduced. It definitely gave me the feel of setting up a murder mystery game/party, which I enjoyed. We know that someone is a murderer, and so we're side-eyeing everyone except our narrator, Lorelei, from the get-go. Later on, the book takes on Emily Wilde vibes, which I also love and I enjoy the rather obsessive nature of the various expedition members.

The setting for this book is a fantasized Germany (or perhaps Austria, but since the language is German and the history is vaguely German, I'm going with that) shortly after unification. The characters are in the capital city for the first handful of chapters, and you definitely get that cobblestone-city feel while there. After the first couple of chapters, the characters are on the expedition and are in a variety of places and I enjoyed getting to see the different elements of culture.

In terms of culture, while all the characters are Brunnisch, the majority of them come from different ducal states, which previous to unification were their own countries (I think?), and so have their own cultural nuances that we get to see through the characters. Lorelei is from Brunnestaad's capital city, Ruhigberg, though she grew up, and still frequently visits, in the city's Yevanverte, or the quarter for Yevanis (i.e., fantasy Jews) and thus has a mix of Brunnisch and Yevani culture. Similarly, her mentor, Ziegler, was also Brunnisch but lived most of her life in Javenor before being called back to her birth country, and so she brings a blend of cultures to the table as well.

Lorelei is prickly but pragmatic, and she has something to prove. She keeps pretty much everyone at a distance and tries to use logic and reasoning to guide her through life. She does this in part because it makes the most sense and is easiest for her, but also in part because that means things are explainable, even when they feel as though they are not. I liked how focused Lorelei could be on her work and how that dedication also lends itself to a strong sense of loyalty toward the people she does decide to let in. On top of that, Lorelei also has somewhat of a chip on her shoulder, though admittedly it's founded in experience and reason.

Sylvia, on the other hand, is pretty much the exact opposite and is bright and bubbly and almost never unhappy, at least not for long. She is also wildly determined, but in a more spontaneous, empathetic way, and she seems to make friends with everyone, and everything, she meets. I can definitely see why Sylvia might be annoying, but I enjoyed the lightness she brought to the book and I think she balances out Lorelei's outlook and way of doing things well. Being both nobility and acceptably Brunnisch, Sylvia does have some naivete to her about how things work for other people, but it's also clear she's willing to learn and that she does care for the common folk.

Lorelei and Sylvia are rivals for most of the book, though their relationship does start trending toward being friendlier and more understanding. It's a situation where they take two steps forward and then Lorelei takes a step or two back. I think their dynamic works pretty well and when they're working in conjunction with one another, they're very adept at reaching their goals. I've heard Daphne Press picked this book up for UK publication in a two-book deal, so I'm wondering if that means we'll get a sequel, which, if so, I really want to see Sylvia and Lorelei on a new expedition now that they're both on the same page (mostly).

As mentioned, I liked the murder mystery vibe and trying to figure out who did it. Lorelei tries to keep her investigation on the down low, so there is a weird gap where she immediately tries to figure it out, then gets side-tracked with expedition stuff, and then finally goes back to the murder. At the beginning I had a suspicion on who it was, then revised my guess to someone else, then had to revise it again about 50-60% of the way through, and I have to say I was surprised at who it turned out to be. I will say though that I'm not sure we ever get a satisfactory answer to who got the alpdrücke involved.

Overall I enjoyed this story and think it's a bit like a dark academia, sapphic Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia. I definitely recommend it if you're looking for a blend of light fantasy adventure and a mystery.

A Dark and Drowning Tide is a gripping adult fantasy debut for Allison Saft, filled with the longing and romantic tension that her books are known for as well as a murder mystery that will keep readers glued to the page.

A Dark and Drowning Tide has all of the elements that you'd want in a grumpy x sunshine, rivals to lovers story, but it feels fresh because it's told from the perspective of a character who is written, at least on the surface, like the antagonist.

Lorelai is an underdog and an outsider, a Jewish-coded character who is distrusted and reviled by her expedition partners because of her heritage. Deciding that she'd rather be hated for who she is than what she is, she's sharpened herself into a blade. She is cutting and unkind, and she does not allow anyone to get close to her. She uses her height and her personality to intimidate and control those around her as much as she is able, and she struggles to hide her bitterness and her deep desire to belong and to be safe.

Sylvia is the effusive, vibrant, silver-haired war hero and princess that you'd expect to be the protagonist of this story. She's charming and joyful, adventurous and trusting, and she cares deeply and openly for the members of their expedition crew. Lorelai cannot help but be drawn to her, even though Sylvia's boldness and cheerfulness irritate Lorelai to no end.

I enjoyed the cast of characters that Saft created for this novel, the magic system she worked into the world, and the twists and turns that the crew took on their search for the fabled Ursprung. This book will delight fans of Saft's YA writing as well as lovers of sapphic romance and fantasy books with a mystery plotline.

A quest to find the ultimate magic elixir.
Five noble childhood friends and a girl who wants independence are set on the task. But nothing goes right from the beginning. The Leader of the expedition is murdered.

Magic, political discord, and discord among a collection of cultures conquered comes out. A literary sensation with vivid imaginary and witty dialogue.

I enjoyed this so much!

Reviewed on 11/8/2023

Special Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for allowing me a chance to review this!

To start off this review, I want to say that for an adult book, A Dark and Drowning Tide isn’t really read as adult. For the first 10 pages, I truly thought that this story was for Young Adults. It wasn’t until it was mentioned that one of the characters was 25 years old did I even get a hint that these characters were older than most protagonists, and even then, they didn’t speak as if they were much older than 17. I think that’s just one of the lingering marks of a YA-turned-Adult author in that no matter how hard they try to write adults; their characters will forever read like children. And indeed, Saft is one of those authors.

But where Saft fails in nailing the emotional maturity of adults, Saft doesn’t pull punches when it comes to incorporating her heritage into her books. A lot of it feels well throughout and researched, and it really adds to the layer of magic to her books. Both A Far Wilder Magic and A Dark and Drowning Tide both deal with protagonists navigating their Jewish-inspired religions, as well as the mystical elements that creep into their lives and Saft handles it beautifully.

However, whereas Far Wilder Magic takes place in a more historical-magical-realism world where the fantasy elements took second place to romance and personal drama, Dark and Drowning Tide is the opposite. This book decides to put the fantasy—dragons, golems, fairy tales, etc.—center stage as our characters search for this worlds equivalent of the fountain of youth, and it’s these added elements that bring almost every character to head when it comes to the main plot of the story. Whether it be Lorelei’s dream of being a naturalist, to the mythical folktales and fairy tales that permeate the character’s pasts. All clash against a very heavily gothic inspired atmosphere that harkens back to the gothic atmosphere of Frankenstein and Dracula.

For this book, Saft chooses her adult debut to showcase her first foray into sapphic romance. By far this book has the best romance out of Saft’s four published couples so far. Loralei and Sylvia clash in a wildly fun yet heated rivals to lover’s romance that made every scene with them entertaining to read. As for lorelei herself, she’s one of Saft’s best protagonists by far, with such a sharp wit and attitude that felt righteous yet not annoying to read like so many other angry protagonists.

However, as much as I can praise Saft for most things, I think her biggest shortcoming when it comes to this is the world itself. A lot of it is mostly window dressing as it, much like her other books, doesn’t really feel like a character in and of itself. For gothic settings, the world needs to match the mysterious tone that the author wishes to invoke. It almost felt as if you could have replaced the mythic countries with the real ones like Germany or Austria and nothing much would have changed.

In the end, I think this is a good start into Safts adult publishing endeavors. It read super fast and it was ultimately a good gothic fairy tale tale that it'll scratch the itch most people will have come next spooky season.

3.75 stars

Ahhhhh!!! I'm SO EXCITED— thank you so, so much to the publisher for granting me an eARC for this book off my Wishlist! This is one of my most highly anticipated reads for 2024, so I can't wait to immediately dive in (+ do you *see* this cover?? Absolutely GORGEOUS). Thank you again!

it's a bit disappointing to say that this is my least favorite of saft's, but i think it's just because fantasy isn't my normal genre and i need the characters i'm reading about to feel layered towards the beginning for me to feel invested in the plot. i will say if you're more of a fantasy (or mystery) reader, you will probably love this one as the storyline is rooted in something tangible (politics and messy relationships). the romance is sweet though albeit underdeveloped in the current timeline.

Allison Saft is rapidly becoming one of my auto-buy authors. I really enjoy the political and cultural commentary she infuses into each of her novels, and I think all of the worlds she creates are just spectacular. As her first adult novel, this book has a ton of crossover appeal for YA, especially for fans of her YA novels or other YA books like The Drowned Woods by Emily Lloyd-Jones. I really liked our two main characters, Lorelei and Sylvia, and I think that one of the best things about Saft's books is that the dynamics between characters are just as intriguing as the worldbuilding. The quest element of the book is something that I've read in tons of books, but Saft always manages to put her own unique spin on classic tropes.

Thank you Netgalley for the arc! Incredibly romantic, love that it was narrated from the point of view of the dark and mysterious character that usually plays the part of the romantic interest. So interesting, loved the commentary on language. I understood the characters and world they live in just from the first chapter.

This is a gorgeously-written, immersive Gothic novel, full of angry sapphics and neo-Victorian magical academics. It's fairly political, so do know that going in, but if you dig Victorian-style academia-centered fantasy, this will very much be your bag.