A Study in Drowning

“Hiraeth” is a Welsh word with no direct English translation; it refers to an intense longing or homesickness often tinged with nostalgia. The name reflects the longing for the past, real or imagined, that several characters experience across the novel. It’s originally mentioned on the first page of the novel, representing a “call to action” for the protagonist: Effy sees a poster advertising a dream opportunity linked to her favorite author and story. Immediately the crumbling oceanside home becomes the central axis of her journey.

Once Effy is oriented in her new temporary home, its squalor and erosion represents the parallel erosion of her belief in Myrddin and his legacy, as well as her own childhood innocence. At the same time, she’s been tasked with restoring it to its former glory—a direct inversion of her quest alongside Preston to reveal the truth behind the façade. Due to this, the home represents her conflicting interests. On a more concrete level, the house acts as a prison, first for the Fairy King and his hosts and later for Preston as he is left in the basement to drown. In each case, the house is a world of its own set physically and figuratively apart from civilization.