LOVED this. Beautiful, rich storytelling and clever world-building. The plot was neat and 'watertight' (har har). Will definitely recommend it.

Title: On Silver Tides
Author: Sylvia Bishop
Published: 1st Feb 2024
Genre: Fantasy/Magical Realism
Age: Young Adult (IMHO, suitable for older middle-grade readers)

What’s it About?
The book follows Kelda, a Silverman. Silvermen are a species of nomadic humans who can breathe underwater and live their whole lives on boats travelling around the rivers of Britain. Silvermen have their own culture and live their lives governed by strictly followed lore. However, Kelda’s younger sister Isla was born unable to breathe underwater, making her an abomination in the eyes of their people who should have been put to death at birth. The family have hidden Isla’s secret for years, but now the rivers are sick and they find themselves betrayed by some of those closest to them. Kelda and Isla are forced to flee in an attempt to prove that Isla is not responsible for the blight, but as the situation worsens, secrets and doubts begin to creep in.

Opinions:
I’m going to begin this review by saying that I’m not really much of a fantasy fan. In fact, one of the main reasons I picked up On Silver Tides was because I needed to read a book by an author who shared my initials for a reading challenge and the blurb sounded interesting.

With that out of the way, it’s that much more notable that I ended up giving the book four out of five stars because I enjoyed it so much! The Silverman culture was so richly described that I began to suspect it might not be as fictional as the author would like me to believe and I really hope we’ll get more books featuring them in the future. Isla and Kelda were characters I could relate to immediately and I was fully engaged in their story right from the start. Yes, as an adult reader, a few of the plot twists that came later in the book were a little predictable, but that in no way lessened my enjoyment and they will no doubt be a surprise to readers in the target age.

In the end, it was Mam’s piety that convinced Kelda, and it was probably what mollified Dad too. Keeping anyone of landman blood on board was absolutely forbidden, and the River would sicken and spoil. If the baby wasn’t silverman through and through, Mam would never have her on the boat.

Speaking of which, while this is being sold as a YA novel, it did read to me more like an older middle-grade and I suspect the upping of the suggested target audience is more to do with some of the darker themes that put in an appearance here. Whenever a group of people feel threatened, violent and base instincts can quickly take over and the Silvermen are no exception to this rule. While not a violent book, there are a few harrowing moments that younger readers might find deeply upsetting and so while I’d suggest that older middle-grade readers would be fine here, parents might want to read ahead to prepare for difficult content.

This was a really pleasant surprise for me, a book I only expected to casually enjoy became one I loved and have already pushed into other people’s hands. If you’re looking for immersive, stand-alone fantasy with rich world-building and a thrilling, emotional story, then look no further.

Rating: 4/5

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book with no obligation to review.

What a finish! This is a great read from the very start and the finish is so unexpected and brilliant that I was gasping

You plunge immediately into the world of the silvermen and are swept along in the shifting currents of their story (all watery puns intended).

This is an exciting read, packed with interest. Lots of things happen - journeys, betrayals, danger, some sad events, relationship issues, mythology, demagoguery and fanaticism born out of fear. The book is interspersed with chapters from a book of water lore which tells you more about the history and beliefs of the silvermen. I must admit that these annoyed me at first but then I got used to them and there is a bit of a surprise at the very end.

Kelda is an excellent character, caring, brave and independent minded. Uncle Abe is another great character, many of us are lucky enough to have/had an uncle like Uncle Abe. Douglas is another stand out.

I thought the dialogue and descriptions of family life were authentic and well done. The descriptions of the waters are first class, i could just feel the water on my skin, the play of the light, the tugs of the currents. Our mythology is skilfully woven through the story and again, what an ending!

There is a tiny nod to the disgraceful way our waterways are polluted and changed by modern life but it is not preachy.

Book Review 📚
On Silver Tides bu Sylvia Tides - 4/5 ⭐

This book captured me from the very first page. It started off strong and didn't disappoint throughout the book.

Characters - don't get me wrong, there were some really dislikable characters but I feel like Bishop had planned for that to happen. But it was easy to grasp who we loved and who we didn't. I could picture them very clearly throughout my journey in this book.

Description - this was my highlight in this book, I thoroughly enjoyed how in depth and detailed Bishop went when putting pen to paper. It took me on a magical journey and it was so easy to see what was happening at every given moment. I loved it.

Plot - the story had a range of emotions. Rage? Love? Heartache? I felt so many different things in a small amount of time and it kept me on the tip of my toes.

There wasn't much to dislike about this book and I'll not only recommend but I'd read it again.

Thank you the publisher and Net Valley for my eARC. While this book wasn't my cup of tea, the premise was promising and I enjoyed the authors writing style. Perhaps future titles from this author will be more to my liking.

Taking place in what appears to be an alternate Victorian Britain, Kelda and her family, known as Silverman due to their amphibious genetic mutations, inhabit the canals and waterways. The segregation between Silverman and land dwellers, referred to as landmen, is stark, with distinct customs, ways of life, and lore. A prevailing superstition dictates that the presence of a landman on a Silverman's boat will incur the wrath of the sea. Despite Kelda's family initially subscribing to this belief, a revelation during her sister Isla's initiation, where she struggles to breathe underwater, forces them to keep her condition a secret.

As life on the waterways becomes increasingly challenging, Isla's condition is eventually exposed to their society, leading to her being unjustly blamed for the downturn in the Silvermans' living conditions. The novel offers a unique exploration of this world, unravelling the truths and falsehoods within its lore alongside the main character, Kelda. The pacing is generally well-maintained, though it does experience a slight slowdown in the middle. Romance is present but takes a backseat to the central plot.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

What a delightful book. I loved being immersed in the world that the author brought to life, loved the people, the story - everything! And now we know the truth behind the Loch Ness Monster!

A compelling story, rounded characters, and just a touch of dark humour - I loved it.
The setting, filled with eerily twisted takes on familiar mythology, was haunting and utterly believable.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers and of course the author for gifting me this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I found this was an enjoyable read about Kelda who is protecting her sister Isla from danger (the monstrous creatures that are awakening in the rivers of England) but Isla cannot breathe underwater so Kelda has to pull out all the stops to help protect Isla.
I really enjoyed how this was set in England rather than a fantasy setting as I felt I could imagine the story taking place more which made it more fun. The story wasn't waffley and was easy to follow and I was able to read it really quickly. I hope that there would be more stories to come to follow on from this one.

This was fun, it was definitely YA but with enough worldbuilding and complexity that an older reader can enjoy it. It was nice to read a fantasy where the magic wasn’t a massive part of it, but you had this whole lore and same-world-but different feel to it.

Set in what seems to be an alternate Victorian Britain, Kelda and her family are Silverman, a genetic mutations of humans who are amphibious and live on Britains canals and waterways. Silverman and land dwellers, known as land men, are very much separated with different customs, way of life and lore. In fact there is even a superstition that if a landman dwells on a silvermans boat that the Silverman would suffer the wrath of the sea. Kelda’s family are believers until her little sister almost drowns during her initiation and they realise she is cursed by being unable to breathe underwater. They keep her secret as life on the waterways gets harder and harder, but when it is revealed to their society, little Isla gets blamed for the downturn in the silvermans living conditions…

It was very different and I enjoyed exploring this world, as you discovered which of the lore was true or not alongside our main character. It was reasonably well paced, though was a little slow in the middle. There is a small amount of romance but this is very secondary to the plot. The end seemed a little rushed, but it concluded satisfactorily with the main storyline resolved. There is a little bit of scope for there to be a sequel but you could read this as a stand-alone and be satisfied.

3.75 stars rounded up to 4

I absolutely LOVED reading this book. The fantasy world that Bishop has created is intricate, unique and yet felt somehow instinctively familiar, as though already part of our folktales. Her prose is simple yet beautiful and her characters richly imagined. The plot is fast-paced with some heart stopping twists towards the end that I genuinely didn't see coming. There are darker themes and real threat, which is why I imagine it's being published as YA but Teen or 11+ would be more accurate. One of the themes is that of accepting that you won't always know what is right or wrong, that sometimes you have to make the best choice or the decision that is in good faith and that there aren't always assurances. Characters in the story, both young and old, have to live with the consequences of their decisions and actions, to find forgiveness and understanding for them if they can. It's perhaps this, more than the plot content, that will make it more suited for teenage readers starting to make their own big decisions in life, and to see the adults around them as fallible. I could read tales of Kelda, her family and their watery world endlessly- I need a sequel at the very least!