I have to confess that I was unable to finish this book due to a lack of interest on my part... The universe is interesting, I liked the idea of the duality between the underworld and the human world. The folk part with lots of different creatures is also interesting, and not something I'm used to reading in fantasy books. But the plot takes too long to develop for me to feel invested in the story, and I somehow got lost between the characters, their role and the complexity of the universe (too much info dumping, at a certain point I couldn't picture the universe).

✨"Water will always flow. We can only change the direction."✨


🐠Fathomfolk is one of those books where the strength lies in the world building: in fact, from the very first page I was transported inside the book by intriguing and vivid descriptions so much that I could easily imagine myself living together with all the mythological creatures inside the sunken city.

🐙The other thing I liked was the "political" path the author wanted Fanthomolk to take,making it a book where political intrigue reigns and where one can clearly see how difficult it is to change things. Moreover, through a world shared by Humans and mythological creatures,Fathomfolk also manages to address very current issues such as ocean pollution, immigration and prejudice toward other races. It is therefore a work of fantasy yes, but it is also not so far from reality.

🐡The book is told by the voices of three women belonging to the Fanthomfolk people who in three different ways seek a solution for their safety , their quality of life and their rights in the human realm by which they are considered inferior beings. The three protagonists are Mira a half-siren, Nami a water dragon and princess of the sunken city, and Cordelia a sea witch. I loved the alternation of their POVs because that way I got a clear idea of the tension that resides in the city and how it is being dealt with, but I wish the characters had been better fleshed out because all their potential was never tapped out thus making them almost without depth.

✨ Fathomfolk was thus one of those reads that I was most looking forward to and that managed to win me over with world building, trana and evocative writing... but from which I might have expected a hair more

✨Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the copy

Summary:

Welcome to Tiankawi, the shining pearl of human civilization and a refuge for those escaping civil unrest. Yet beneath its surface lies a different reality: in this semi-flooded city, humans reign supreme atop towering structures, while fathomfolk—sirens, seawitches, kelpies, and kappas—dwell in the polluted waters below. For Mira, a half-siren newly promoted to captain of the border guard, it's a chance to uplift her marginalized kin. But when Nami, a water dragon princess, is exiled to Tiankawi under Mira's supervision, tensions escalate. As violence erupts during a city festival and fathomfolk rights come under threat, both Mira and Nami must weigh the price of change against the city's fate, teetering on the brink of submersion.

Review:
This enthralling novel invites readers to explore a captivating realm where human civilization clashes with the mysterious fathomfolk beneath the waves. Set in the semi-flooded city of Tiankawi, the story unfolds against a backdrop of civil unrest and social upheaval. Here, humans reside in towering structures above the polluted waters, while fathomfolk, including sirens, seawitches, kelpies, and kappas, struggle to survive below.

At the heart of the narrative is Mira, a half-siren who rises to prominence as captain of the border guard, aiming to improve the lives of her marginalized kin. However, her aspirations face unforeseen challenges when Nami, a water dragon princess, is banished to Tiankawi under Mira's supervision. As tensions escalate and violence erupts during a city festival, the delicate balance between human and fathomfolk rights hangs in the balance.

What makes this story truly compelling is its exploration of complex themes such as identity, power, and equality. Through rich world-building and nuanced character development, the author crafts a vivid portrait of a society on the brink of transformation. Readers will find themselves immersed in a thrilling tale of intrigue and conflict as Mira and Nami navigate the murky waters of politics and prejudice.

Moreover, the novel's timely commentary on social justice and the consequences of extremism adds depth and relevance to the story, prompting readers to reflect on real-world issues. As Mira and Nami grapple with difficult choices and moral dilemmas, they serve as compelling protagonists whose journeys resonate long after the final page.

This is a must-read for fans of fantasy that masterfully weaves social commentary in all its intricacies. With its engaging plot, well-drawn characters, and thought-provoking themes, it offers a captivating glimpse into a world where the boundaries between land and sea blur, and the fight for equality rages on.

At times this feels just like being jostled about in the sea this book is boom is built upon, for better or worse. It’s definitely not boring and i particularly enjoyed the world building ! With a vast cast of interlocking characters there is a perspective for everyone but at times it gets confusing as to which perspective is prominent at the time. Despite my empathy being a bit stifled by the whiplash of many povs, I highly recommend checking trigger warnings if that is something you are concerned about as underneath the fantastical elements are some hard hitting themes.

Thank you to netgalley, the author and the publisher for the advance copy.

I have been so excited about reading this book after first seeing it up for pre order. Sadly, this book didn't deliver for me.

I found the first part really overwhelming with so much information being given, my brain couldn't keep up.

I think my expectations were so high going into it that it failed for me.

I really hope this book works for other people as I loved the idea of them book.

Tiankawi is one of the last "true" cities of humankind in a flooded world. The semi-flooded city houses humans and fathomfolk alike, acting as a safe haven for fathomfolk fleeing from civil unrest in underwater havens. Though not everything is as great as it seems, and the three main characters, a half-siren, a sea witch and a young water dragon, get pulled further into the maelstrom of political intrigue, secrets and violence that works beneath the shining surface of the city. When will it be enough?


Fathomfolk has a rather interesting premise as it is set in a world after a climate change that caused the sea levels to rise so much that only scattered islands, cities on stilts, and underwater havens exist. It incorporates several Asian mythological creatures (mostly South East Asian and East Asian as far as I can tell) as well as British/European creatures like Kelpies. As interesting as the premise is, though, the entire story just falls flat because of the pacing. The first 35% are by far the worst because they drag on, involve tons of world-building, and are - frankly - just boring. Afterwards, the pacing picks up and draws the reader into the story. Unfortunately, the end (the last ~20%) are so rushed and unsatisfying in the resolve of the conflict. It also ends with a cliffhanger as well, so the reader has to continue the series if they want to know how the conflict looming at the horizon will be solved. Also, Kai deserves better.

The book has four POVs Well, technically just three POVs as one character shapeshifts and is the same person that has their own POV. and God, I hated all POVs aside from Mira's. Mostly because I disliked the characters so much. Nami is impulsive, stupid and utterly annoying because she never thinks before doing something, and her tongue becomes a knot as soon as a pretty man is involved. For all her education and upbringing, she's rather useless. She's very extreme in her political views, which feels like a thinly veiled criticism of politically active teenagers/young adults? It was weird. Her romantic relationship is icky as hell as it reeks of grooming and includes gaslighting. Mira is a goody-two-shoes who becomes more tired with each chapter, which is something that I can understand because she works herself to the bone and is still portrayed as a monster. Though, her relationship with Kai is also ... unsatisfying. Cordelia is just vain and a snob. The idea of her being a morally grey character is constantly harpooned by her own behaviour. Though, I still wonder about her purpose (due to her dual character with Serena) as she just sews chaos between humans and fathomfolk.

Fathomfolk is very political as it involves the themes of immigration (forced due to civil wars and pollution by others, but also immigration out of their own free will) and its effect on an established society, including racism and differences in classes. For a book that is labelled as 'adult' due to these themes, it felt like a YA novel with a dash of anime/manga, which is just disappointing. To be honest, the entire book feels like it's just a criticism of certain political POVs (aka left-leaning) because the end ... I'm so upset about the end. If the book would have been a physical book, I would have thrown it against the wall. The ending is very much: who cares about moral dilemmas and actual action to solve immigration issues, racism and class differences. Everyone has gills now! Even if it was already noticeable that a majority of the humans hate it because they looked down on fathomfolk for their entire lives.

Fathomfolk started out pretty slow and there was a lot of information shared upfront, and I mean A LOT! This meant that it was quite overwhelming and made keeping track of the characters challenging. I considered DNF’ing because of the confusing start but pushed through, and I’m glad I did as the story definitely picked up and became easier to follow.

Each character developed their own clear personality and it became much easier to like them and be invested in their story.

The story itself covered a number of important messages but ultimately I felt like the ending was a bit rushed, too convenient and unfulfilling.

This was a rich and luscious fantasy story, with lots going for it and on that basis I think it will divide opinion. Some will absolutely love it and others will feel that it didn’t quite deliver against their high expectations.

3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Netgalley and Little Brown Book Group UK/Orbit for my early digital copy of the book. All opinions are my own and provided willingly.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for sending me an eArc.

I really loved the concept of this book. As it takes urban fantasy and puts a unique spin on it. I really loved how this world and mainly city, is explained as Fathomfolk ie mermaid, kelpies and sea witches etc are living with human in this partially submerged city.

My main issue with this book was the pacing. It took me around 50% to really start getting gripped by the characters and could start seeing the direction the plot was heading towards. I will say the last 70% was really very gripping and makes you want to stay in the world to see where the story goes. I will be eagerly anticipating the next instalment in this series.

I was also not expecting my heartstrings to be pulled out in the way that they were.

Thank you Little, Brown Book Group UK for the ARC.

Fathomfolk was ultimately a disappointing read, BUT not because I thought it was bad. Rather, it just didn't live up to the expectations and high anticipation I felt going in after reading the blurb. Overall, it was a decent read. The worldbuilding that is the city of Tiankawi and the fantastical marine beings known as fathomfolk is lush, rich, and easily the best parts of the book. If this was a book of short stories detailing the lives of fathomfolk and their cultures, I would lap it up. Instead, we follow three POVs that are clearly meant to mirror specific real-life struggles and identities.

To start, one should go into Fathomfolk bracing for depictions of prejudice that are meant to be fist-biting, screaming-into-your-pillow, downright gut-wrenching. Chan does not shy away from this. I will commend her on that at least.

Of the three protagonists, Mira, the half-siren half-human, interested me the most due to the way her struggles were meant to reflect those of real-life biracial people. She is regularly forced into one of two checkboxes; seen as too human for the fathomfolk and too fishy for the humans. Her role is that of one who's trying to fix a broken system from within; a futile attempt given that a rigged system is incapable of change that way. Mira and her water dragon partner Kai also represent the stigma an interracial couple (or in this case , interspecies couple who is also separated by another layer of class) may face. Upon reflection, I realised I enjoyed Mira's chapters the most simply because the other two made for such painful reads.

Cordelia is a sea witch capable of glamoring herself to look like an ordinary human woman. She mirrors BIPOC who are able to pass and assimilate only by concealing her fathomfolk heritage. Admittedly, it is fascinating to read of her manipulations to rise the social ladder... until she shows how little she cares for her own kind. An entirely self-serving character, she has no qualms of using and hurting innocent fathomfolk, who are as marginalized as she would be if her sea witch identity was exposed. Her one sympathetic trait—that she loves her young daughter—offers little recompense for such a despicable character I had to push through with.

But that doesn't come close to my least favorite read: Nami, the water dragon youth radicalized to join a group of seemingly righteous revolutionaries. It wasn't even by virtue of her character, but because of the deeply problematic and manipulative relationship she has with Firth, one of said revolutionaries. His tactics of drawing her to his side are emotionally abusive and gaslighty, and he also doesn't hesitate to physically harm her to prove his point. It aggravates me every time the story puts them on the same page.

With how Fathomfolk painstakingly built up to rising social tensions and political unrest bubbling over, I felt that the story's "resolution" to bring about a new era of peace—albeit temporarily—felt like a cop out. The sacrifice that lead to it did not feel like it was worth it.

Rating: 3.5

Where do I start with Fathomfolk? Overall, it was a decent read. There were some interesting elements of the plot line - I particularly enjoyed the bits with Cordelia/Serena, however the lack of connection between some of the character relationships and the ending let the book down.

Now the world building, that was impressive. Expanding upon the idea of the lands being drowned and taken over by the waters, Tiankawi is a solidly written half-sunken city. It was easy to submerge yourself into what was being introduced to you, in particular the difference in districts and the few moments we see where the community within get together.

However, the main characters felt a bit lacklustre. There was an idea of something that was building up for each individual, but I suppose there is only so much you can do when you begin to take a more political route in the story. The romance was quite difficult to read sometimes, even knowing that Nami and Firth were portraying a naive child with a manipulative Folk, but it was a bit uncomfortable. Also, Kai deserved better.

The ending was...anticlimactic. It was the sort of ending a child would provide to a mash-up improv in a playschool setting. To say that it was a disappointment would be putting it kindly. Hopefully there is some way to salvage this, seeing as this was an ARC.

In the world our protagonists inhabit sea-creatures ("fathomfolk", or "folk") are real, and live side by side with humans (folks can turn into human form). As a result of rising sea levels and war, the communities of humans and folk started intermingling, and at the centre of our story stands perhaps the biggest city they co-inhabit. Mira, is half-human half-siren, and is a captain in the border guard in the city. Nami is a late teen water dragon, struggling with the inequalities and the injustices she sees around her. Serena is an octopus (?) juggling various characters and realities. The story is that of political intrigue, social unrest, and insurrection.

I had to stop reading about half way through - full disclosure.

What I liked was the worldbuilding. The city (Tiankawi) is a breath of fresh air, and in some ways reminds me of the city in Perdido Street Station. The author's imagination is vivid and alive when it comes to describing how the city stands and operates, and how its citizens interact. The writing was also quite good actually - it was punchy and rhythmic. I didn't find reading the book hard.

I didn't like a lot. First, while the themes of the book are not new in the broader fantasy universe, the execution of these themes here is infantile - even if it were a YA novel, it would be garishly bad. There is no sophistication. It's all overly simplistic and shallow. Especially the motivations and actions of the Drawbacks (revolutionaries) are laughable. The philosophical underpinning of the social criticism that justifies their actions is as sophisticated as news learned on Instagram or Fox News (albeit, in this case, it's from the left wing variety). It's like an extremely naive and unsophisticated depiction of socio-political realities as observed by uneducated teenagers. And I'm personally quite left leaning myself.

Second, the characters were underdeveloped. There was an attempt made, I admit, but even Mira (which is perhaps the most interesting character) comes across as underexplored. Her motivations are not very clear, and behaviours are very "small"-minded. I find, overall, the ability of the author to depict characters who are something other than petulant teenagers (including imbecilic revolutionaries) is just not there.

Finally, I was just disappointed. The premise of the book is quite solid and promising - I was really looking forward to reading it, for a while now. It was a huge downer, and the quality of the plot was just so bad that I had to stop reading. It just wasn't important enough, I couldn't get myself to care about the characters, and I didn't see anything in the writing from a twists and turns perspective that led me to believe there is anything worth waiting for.

I can't recommend this book. To anyone. Skip it.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of the book in return for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars rounded to 4

Firstly, the things I loved about this book were numerous: the setting and worldbuilding were incredible, I could very much imagine Tiankawi and the multitude of fathomfolk who dwelled there. It was colourful and well described, from the architecture to the descriptions of food and clothing. You can very much tell how long the author spent thinking about this world. I really enjoyed Nami and Cordelia's POV chapters and found their stories compelling - especially Cordelia's.

What let it down a little was the sheer number of things being crammed in, and the quick change between POVs which led to me feeling disjointed from the story at times. I didn't warm to Mira much and found myself not engaging with her chapters as I did with others.

The plot was interesting - I am a big fan of political intrigue in fantasy books, so I enjoyed it. However, it felt like a lot of build up before things really got going. The flitting between POVs also took me out of the story at times just as I was getting invested.

Overall, this is a good debut. I will absolutely be continuing the series, and I adored the diversity and richness of the characters and setting. I just think maybe a little more heavy handed editing may have been needed to streamline it.

Fathomfolk is set in Tiankawi, a half sunken city where Fathomfolk and humans live amongst one another. The humans are thriving but the fathomfolk are dying from the pollution that they’re being subjected to in the waters.

The world building in this novel was so beautifully done. The descriptive nature and the feeling seeping out of the pages made you feel for the characters. I liked the political nature of it (probably as a politics grad more than anything) where claims to equality were stomped out by the humans looking down on fathomfolk both metaphorically and physically.

There are flaws in this book, it doesn’t read quite right but this could very much be down to the fact that it’s not the published version and that there are still edits to make. I also just didn’t care about Nami, she was pathetic and kept putting herself in harms way for the sake of… a boy?

Stronger main characters could have made this a good, strong contender in the fantasy genre which is saying something considering the saturation of the market at the moment.

Thank you to Netgalley and Little Brown for an eARC of this book!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review. Unfortunately I am dnfing this book around the 24% mark. I am not enjoying this much, I do not care for the characters (I like only Mira) and the style is too heavy. I'm sorry, I really had high expectations for this one.

Sadly I didn't get far with this one. The opening is a bit of a lore/world information dump, trying to get as much about this new world and it's different creatures and politics down on paper, and I always find this so off-putting.
2 of the characters were so similar that I got them completely mixed up at one point and was very confused for a while.
The concept is good. I like the idea of the character of the fathomfolk being lots of different sea creatures that can take human shape.
Sadly the concept of the story isnt very original, the rich above looking down on the suffering below. As I was reading I was just finding the characters a bit overused (they feel like typical fantasy characters) rather than anything particularly different or new.
So sadly, I wasn't able to finish this one.

Fathomolk is set in Tiankawi, a half sunken city where both humans and fathomofolk live next to each other. We can feel the tension between both groups throughout the different characters that are presented and their roles in society. I felt like this book has a political connotation to it, since it tries to include several real-life issues such as racism and inequality.

The world building of this book was very solid, and the vibes of a drowning city were there which is great. We have a lot of mythical creatures, such as sirens and kappas and the city itself felt like an authentic fairytale. However, I felt like the first part of the story was a bit slow and I felt like I was dragging a bit, but I became more fluid in the second half.

Overall, this book presents a fantasy realm full of mythical creatures while it tries to connect to our real-life problems. It was an enjoyable read, with a strong plot full of suspense when it kicks off. I would recommend it to fans of sea mythology since it has such a strong focus on sea creatures.

Thank you, NetGalley & the publisher, for approving me to read this arc and write this review.

Yeah ... uhhhh ... no.
This just ... wasn't good?

At first, a positive: The worldbuilding is gorgeous. The descriptions and mood of this partially submerged city? Beautiful. Athmospheric. I felt like I was wading through this water, like I was looking out the window down onto the city.
It just felt like the worldbuilding was put above any kind of plot. As if the worldbuilding was there, and the author needed to think of a plot so she could bring this world forward. As if the plot was second to beautiful descriptions and characters simply meandering about.

The first half of this book has barely any plot. It almost felt like a cozy fantasy. The "story" follows three women, Mira, Nami, and Cordelia (although, relating to Cordelia, there is the most obvious bait-and-switch that I ever read happening) as they live their life in the city. They're all kind of interacting, with Mira dating Nami's brother, and Cordelia basically being Ursula from the Little Mermaid (but with a different name), offering anyone and anybody deals aplenty.
It would all be ... palatable. If those characters weren't bland as hell.
Mira is half-siren and half-human. The "fathomfolk," meaning everyone not human, is basically the lower class, with racism and injustices thrown towards them on the daily. Mira, being half of their world and half of the human one, is basically an analogy for a mixed race woman in our world. So, of COURSE, she has to be a cop. She's the one fathomfolk cop who made it up the ranks! I felt like throwing up.
It would be one thing if Mira had an actual personality apart from being a mixed-race cop, but she doesn't. She's a blank paper sheet with nothing written on it.
Nami is incredibly annoying. The priviliged girl, growing up with riches and influence in a pure fathomfolk environment, playing at being a rebel. As "punishment" for a heist gone wrong, she is sent to the big city to "spy." And what does she do, in the big city? Fucks everything up, starts crying a whole bunch, and ends up starting a really, really gross romance with some dude from the fathomfolk "rebel" faction.
That romance still gives me the heeby-jeebies. Really, there's nothing redeeming about this.
Cordelia, meanwhile, would be an interesting character if she wasn't basically straight Ursula from the Little Mermaid. Seriously. Copy-and-paste. It's almost embarrassing.

In addition to a parade of paper-cut-out-dolls of characters, this book is made perfect by a string of punctuation errors, especially when it comes to commas. Please, a kingdom for an oxford comma!

Anyway. I'm giving this two stars just for the worldbuilding, but I will not be picking up any further books.

Book: Fathomfolk
This book was one of my anticipated reads of 2024. I was intrigued by the blurb and couldn't wait to read it. There were times where i would get drawn into the story and times where i was checking to see how many pages i, still, had to go through.

I loved how the worldbuilding was rich and gave off all the right kind of vibes a drowning city would be like. I was drawn into the second half of the book but the first half was sluggish and had me feeling like i was just reading words rather than being pulled into it. As a fantasy lover, i want to be able to live the story through the characters' eyes but i wasn't invested in any of the characters. I wasn't, fully, sure of what Cordelia's motives were in this book. It felt like she didn't care about anything apart from herself. But, i do applaud Eliza for writing this story and even though it had its' faults, there were times i did enjoy it. I didn't dislike this book nor did i 100% like it hence the 3 stars. It stands in the middle for me.

I'd like to thank netgalley and Little Brown Group for allowing me to read an e-arc for an honest review.

Calling all fantasy fans! You NEED to read this book ASAP.
If I could give this book five stars on the cover alone, I would, but alas, you probably want a review from me (lol).
It's suspenseful! Intriguing! Page-turning!
There were so many sub-plots with the main plot that I just couldn't stop reading. I am already dying to see what happens in the next book and now I have to patiently wait. *very dramatic sigh*
I loved every single character in this, even if they were good or bad. I loved the social commentary this book evoked in me, especially how the humans continued to suppress or destroy the fathomfolk's homes/spirits. It was just so powerful!
Want more thoughts and reactions? See my YouTube video linked here: <i>https://youtu.be/zhamkcFtrJw<i/>

Thank you so much for NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC for my honest review

This story very much felt like a debut. You can really see the potential in the authors writing and work however the story felt disjointed and the characters lacked a spark needed to connect with them and more than that, care about them. I would definitely read another book by this author as this was not a BAD first novel by any means, it just wasn’t amazing