"A Study In Drowning" Book Club Readalong Day 2

As a reminder, from now on, our monthly discussions will be both here on the OwlCrate blog AND on The Nest! Go check out Amber's discussion that will be full of fun extras like bookish charades, shelf scavenger hunts and coloring pages!
 

On each day we'll read a section of A Study In Drowning both on the blog and in The Nest's group, and then discuss in the comments our theories and predictions. This means there will be spoilers for each section! Beware! 
 

Just a reminder that this will be a SPOILER discussion for chapters 4-5 of A Study In Drowning, so make sure you read or are finished this section before continuing.
 

Effy wakes covered in water from the leaking ceiling to a boy in her doorway.

Effy is offended, but the boy is unbothered and only tells her that Weatherall has asked him to look for her. She makes him leave as she's getting changed (seriously, why are boys all so unaware?).

Effy meets him outside, where she sees that he's university-age, leaning on the cottage with a small notebook and some cigarettes in his hand. He also wears glasses.

He says nothing but "Let's go" (absolutely top-level communication capabilities). As they make their way up to the crumbling manor perched on the sea's edge, Effy asks him his name, and he answers with Preston.

Effy realizes she's left her sketchbook and things, returns to the cottage for them and then books it back after Preston.

Hiraeth Manor sits at the sea's edge, and Effy moves too close to the edge of the rocks, nearly tumbling down to the waves. As Preston is annoyed that Effy almost died (a completely natural reaction for a jerk), she notices his name on the notebook cover: P. Heloury.

Because, of course, it is.

Effy is indignant about him taking 'her books' from the library and asks Preston, 'How dare.' 

He reasonably answers that the author has been dead six months, but Effy is still in a fury. She asks him how he got there, who his family is and why he even cares about Myrddin.

He responds that no one owns the right to tell a story, but they're interrupted by an older man who introduces himself as Ianto Myrddin, Emrys's son.

He shows them the crumbling house, full of mould, wet, and mildew. As Ianto shows them the portraits, Effy asks him what she may have seen the night prior, but he doesn't hear her properly, and she decides not to press the issue.

They see the library and Preston's room before Ianto shows her a door that opens to a set of stairs where Myrddin's old study is underwater. Ianto tells her the cliffside is sinking, which means the water hasn't drained.

Ianto ends the tour and suggests they have breakfast, but Effy goes for a walk instead. She thinks about the enormity of the task ahead of her, wondering if she has bit off more than she could handle.

(I mean, yea, obviously girlie)

Effy sets off for town in the morning with a few items and her pills. She's decided to leave Hiraeth, and I don't blame her; I'd get out of dodge, too.

She begins to walk down to Saltney, but Preston sees her in a black car and offers her a ride. Preston reveals that he's researching Myrddin for his thesis and that it was Emrys's widow, not Ianto, who invited him to Hiraeth.

He asks Effy why she needs to go to Saltney, and she responds that she will call her mother. Preston drops her at the phone booth, and she calls her mom, telling her she feels she's made a mistake by travelling down to Saltney.

However, her mother is less than empathetic and tells Effy that she needs to sort out her mistakes and keep taking her medicine.

Effy is discouraged and walks to the train station but is interrupted by a local instead. He warns her about being alone and that she must guard herself against the Fairy King.

Effy says she knows, and the man gives her hag stones to show the Fairy King's true nature through them.

Instead of the train, Effy goes to the pub and finds Preston. She orders a gin and tonic, pays and then argues with Preston about the war and Myrddin. Is there a more accurate anecdote about day drinking?  

Preston offers to drive her back to Hiraeth, and she asks for one of his cigarettes. She smokes it, stroking the hag stones in her pocket.

Effy is such a vibe, to be honest.

Happy reading - I'll see you tomorrow! 
J