I really enjoyed the description within this book, I loved how the world came to life. The imagery of the setting was beautiful.

The characters felt very real to me, their aims and intentions were thought out and drawn upon throughout the entire book and I understood exactly where that intention came from for them. They were great characters to read about, recognising their struggle and going against it.

The start of the book was a little slow but I enjoyed the way we got to really understand the world and the characters and the ending made up for any slowness at the beginning.

Fathomfolk is a really intriguing tale of immigration, repression and rebellion, with an interesting backdrop and heapings of mythology. The worldbuilding was rich and full of details, and the setting was so immersive you could really visualise it. It's the kind of place that makes me wish I had any skill at art, because illustrating the world and the characters would be so incredibly fun. The story is interesting, the political machinations complex, and the characters are likeable (though occasionally left me feeling frustrated).

Where this book struggles is the pacing. The first half of the book is SLOW. A lot of time is spent setting up the world, giving you all those kinds of details, introducing you to the characters and getting to know their motivations. Once that's all done, it kind of drags for a bit. If this wasn't an ARC, I would possibly have set this book to the side which is really a shame, because once I hit the action about 60% of the way through, I couldn't put the book down.

The story is really backloaded, a LOT happens very late, and things start making sense and everything starts coming together, but there's a long wait to get to the action and I can really see that putting some people off.

Overall, I really did enjoy the book in the end, and the end of the book made up for a difficult start, but you do have to be prepared for a bit of a wait. I'd have given the first 50% a 2.5 or 3 stars, but the end really makes up for it and ramped my rating up.

First of all I need to state that I read this in probably a more condensed time frame than I would’ve liked because I forgot I had an ARC so there are definitely aspects that I may have enjoyed if i read this at my own pace.

The diaspora problems and the individual viewpoints of Nami,Mira, Kai and Cordelia are fascinating and I think Eliza has written the struggles that each of them face as well as their respective lives that have led them to act the way they have. Honestly it is one of the most well-written pieces I have read in a while on this subject as I find that it easily reflects real life and the struggles many of us children face living in a country that is the not the same as our culture and being shunned for adapting whilst being ostracised for being different.

The world itself is also beautiful as I was able to picture the setting very easily. However in that regard, maybe because I found it easy to picture and also because I am educated on Eastern Mythology, I found the beginning 40% so extremely slow especially since the writing style isn’t the easiest for me and I had to fight to get through. I did find it easier as we got close to the Boat Races but I definitely felt the pacing to be off.

All in all a good first book, but since I found it slow I felt like I was reading it just to read a book and not for enjoyment. I think the premise is great and I will definitely consider reading on after I give this book a second go in a few months time.

Fathomfolk weaves an excellent tale of repression and uprising against a beautiful backdrop of a flooded city. Featuring an all-female line-up of protagonists and a hearty dose of water-based mythology from around the world, there’s a lot to love about this debut novel!

The story is set in the partially submerged city of Tiankawi, where a rather one-sided alliance of humans and aquatic races (collectively known as the Fathomfolk) has formed. It is a world of dwindling resources, where dry land is at a premium, and not attainable for most of the populous. This is a story that analyses the divide between two societies within the same city, and the prejudices both sides have against each other. The widespread discrimination towards the Fathomfolk throughout the book is poignant and excellently crafted to be believable. The scene setting and worldbuilding was dazzling and incredibly well written, and really is one of the shining stars of Fathomfolk; Chan has created a fantastic, vibrant city both above and below the water line.

The story is told through the eyes of three women, all with a different relation to ‘power’ in the city. Mira feels like an outcast in her home city; a rare case of one of the Fathomfolk promoted to a position of power, in this case captain of the guard. She is driven by her moral compass to do right by her people, and the frequent dilemmas she’s landed in as a result were very well crafted. Nami meanwhile is a member of a powerful and rich family, but is exiled to Tiankawi as a punishment for certain misdeeds. I Didn’t like Nami at first at all, finding her character quite flat and one-dimensional, but I did enjoy her character progression, in which you start to see her similarities to some of the other main characters, with a little more youth and a little less experience. The duplicitous Cordelia however is probably my favourite character in the book - multifaceted and scheming throughout, the book lets you see her many sides and develops a fantastic and deep character. I won’t call her a villain outright, but she’s not exactly the hero of the tale either! A small detail I really appreciated from the book is just how often these POV characters appeared in each other’s chapters, which really helped to tie the different storylines together.

I think my only minor quibble with the book was the moments in the middle where I found the pace to drop a little bit; there were several moments where the main plots seem to pause, and it wasn’t easy to see where the plot was heading, given all the little plotlines weaving in and out off each other. That aside, the story had a very clever little resolution that, while I didn’t see it coming, was very fitting given the nature of the book. I can’t escape the feeling that Fathomfolk would make a fantastic film, and I would love to see it adapted for the big screen! The imagery throughout is beautiful and evocative, and the action/fight scenes included seem really well thought out. Maybe one day I’ll get my wish!

I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and honestly review an advanced reader’s copy of this book.

I unfortunately disliked far too many elements in this. The world building was strong and rich, the concept is so interesting:
And I just didn’t care about 99% of these characters. In fact, the only character I did care about doesn’t survive the book. There were three whole POV characters and I couldn’t connect with a single one of them.
(And specifically, secondary character Firth irritated me so much I nearly decided to DNF twice just because of him alone.)

The plot just didn’t grab me until maybe 60% in and that’s far too long for a book to get going.

This might work very well for someone who isn’t me. The writing style was fine, and the magic and different types of fathomfolk/sea creatures was interesting. I could see the whole city in my mind, it was described really well.

Give it a chance, if you like something slower moving, a plot that mirrors our current society incredibly well, or you just want to read about water dragons, sirens, and sea witches.

Fathomfolk has a lot of promise, but I think it could have been much, much better than it ended up being. While the book promised an intriguing blend of "Jade City meets The Little Mermaid," it fell short in certain areas, leaving room for improvement in the second book.

Fathomfolk is the first book of the Drowned World series. First of all, the cover is gorgeous and definitely caught my eye immediately. Secondly, I saw this book compared to Jade City and The Bone Sgard Daughter both of which are among my favorite series. I love the worldbuilding in this series. I think worldbuilding is one of the most unique ones that I read. The plot is also intriguing as it deals with real-world issues such as racism and injustice. Overall, this book has great potential and I am looking forward to the next installment. If you enjoy multi-pov Asian mythology-inspired stories, I highly recommend giving this book a chance. Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for providing me with an early copy.

I’m going straight to the point since most of the reviews I’ve seen after having DFN’d Fathomfolk complain about the same thing. I started this very intrigued seeing as it seemed like it had a fascinating world, human AND underwater world collide? Sing me on. But unfortunately, what it was indeed a really cool world had a bad crafted plot and characters that felt waaaay young than they are supposed to be. This is tagged as adult fantasy but it for certain isn’t. I don’t particularly dislike YA that much but when I start a book and it feels this young it always bothers me, just have it tag as NA, you’ll attract readers that will enjoyed it more and you’ll get more money, is a win-win situation.

MY goal for this year is to stop reading something when I don’t enjoy it, and this was the first time I got to applied it. It will appeal to other readers but for me is a no.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Well, writing this review will be challenging. Suffice to say, I had hoped I'd like it but I just couldn't connect to any element? Not the characters, not the worldbuilding either.

I was intrigued by the worldbuilding, a city that is semi-submerged and with different kinds of species living there. But I just couldn't get into it for some reason. I tried hard to understand some descriptions and later I got tired of trying, so I gave up and continued reading for the themes and in the hopes I'd find an interesting character to carry the story.

The themes was the best part of the story; the city's immigration policies, integration, discrimination, and poverty. It felt like I was reading about our cruel reality than a fantasy novel, and I don't know if I liked it or not that it was sooo close.

The characters were not for me, either. I found no one that I liked or rooted for, nor did I find a villain of sorts that I "admired". Most of the characters annoyed and frustrated me.

At the end, I can honestly say that it's not badly written, but the combination of choices feels chunky and mismatched, and it's just not for me. Nobody is sadder about this than I am; I was looking forward to this so much. However, if you wish to read East Asian mythology that has a whimsical tone, you should def try this one!

Thank you so so much to NetGalley and the publisher for accepting my request to read and review an early copy of Fathomfolk!

I was so excited for this one as I heard it was an Illumicrate pick, and I love books with ocean related settings.

I will start with something that I really enjoyed dork this book which was the authors ability to world build. I felt like the Asain inspired city of Tiankawi was fascinating, and a unique setting. I did not expect some of the technology and transport features too like the tram and cable cars but also the genuine city-like tall buildings and general architecture.

I think this was really impressive and well done.

I loved all the different sea creatures from real to mythical that we saw, Iike the sirens and the kelpies, and I loved the politics of these creatures being merged in with humans.

So I loved how Mira was half siren, I thought that was awesome.

I did like Mira and Nami too, I think that their characterisations were well written.

I also felt like the romance was fun, nothing crazy special but I enjoyed it.

My biggest complaint was just really the plot. I felt like it was quite predictable, I did struggle to stay interested at times and I do think maybe some further editing could be done?

This book didn't grab me.

Unfortunately this book wasn't for me. I thought the pacing was too slow and I put it down quite a few times without feeling the need to immediately pick it back up. I did finish this though because the world building was good. I won't continue reading this series due to the story not gripping me.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

DNF at 31%

I wasn’t invested in any of the characters and couldn’t keep track of who was who.

While I can appreciate the complexity of the world building it just wasn’t for me.

I've always been drawn to non-Western-inspired fantasy, so once I saw Fathomfolk on NetGalley, I was hoping to get an ARC. The themes explored in this novel, particularly its focus on class, struck a chord with me.

Unfortunately, I found the execution lacking. The whimsical tone and magical creatures detract from the book's intended message. In other words, I would prefer it with more gravitas and emotional complexity.

Ultimately, I think this book may just not align with my tastes. It might be better suited for readers who enjoy lighter fantasy tales with prominent romantic subplots.

Eliza Chan's debut, "Fathomfolk," submerges readers into the enchanting city of Tiankawi, where towering human structures cast shadows on the fathomfolk dwelling beneath the waters. This fantasy masterpiece skillfully intertwines East Asian mythology and oceanic folk tales, creating a narrative tapestry rich in magic, rebellion, and transformation. As Mira, a half-siren captain of the border guard, navigates a world marked by oppression and political intrigue, she becomes entangled in the clash of two cultures. The story's brisk pace, coupled with its profound social commentary, immerses readers in an unforgettable experience, mirroring the rhythmic ebb and flow of the tide. Chan's storytelling brilliance shines through the intricate relationships, original world-building, and timeless themes that elevate "Fathomfolk" into a triumphant saga of diaspora survival. A compelling must-read for enthusiasts of Southeast Asian-inspired fantasy.

3 Stars

Synopsis: Tiankawi is a safe haven for the Fathomfolk, somewhere they can live among humans. Or so it seems. The Fathomfolk are oppressed, forced to live in polluted waters, and are looked down upon by humanity. Mira and Nami fight for equality, though their methods could not be different, and both are struggling to gain the equality needed.

CW/TW: Racism/Segregation/Oppression/Violence/Imprisonment/Exploitation/Extremism/Death/Murder/Kidnapping/ Others may be present.

Rep: Queernormative / PoC Characters

Fathomfolk by Eliza Chan had a lot of potential with its mix of mythology, fantasy and politics. But, ultimately, it fell short of expectations.

The concept and plot of Fathomfolk had a lot of potential. I loved the idea of different fathomfolk making up the water population, from sirens and seawitches to kappas and sea dragons – it felt like a wonderful mix of mythology and fantasy. Similarly, the plot had a lot of potential. The idea of Tiankawi being a safe haven from civil unrest but ultimately being a centre of oppression and racism, combined with Mira’s desire to fight for equality within the system, while Nami fought outside it with an anti-human group, had the possibility of being a complex, and sensitive plot. While, the themes of oppression and racism are ones that are all too real and relevant to the world, within the story it didn’t feel as well thought out and executed as it could have been.

The fight scenes and action at the end of the book were some of the better and more engaging elements, but I struggled slightly getting there. The characters had a lot of promise but ultimately felt flat and some of the relationships felt rushed. This made it difficult to engage with the characters in depth.

Overall, Fathomfolk by Eliza Chan had a lot of promise and dealt with some hard-hitting themes, however, ultimately it fell flat for me.

*Thank you to Orbitbooks for the Netgalley eARC in exchange for an honest review*

This was one of my most anticipated 2024 releases. I was so excited for the SEA diaspora, with magical sea creatures.
Unfortunately I had to put this book down. Honestly the beginning was too confusing for me with the different POVs and sooo many creatures from mixed cultures that made me completely lose the story.
While I might not have read enough of the book to get to the world building and political landscape, all I got so far is humans are bad, they pollute the water and everyone in the sea is from all the different asian cultures. I did not like the blend it was even more confusing. Are the korean, Japanese, chinese and south-east asian beings and cultures supposed to blend like this? I am not sure how I feel about that aside from confusing the world even more.
I am so sad this didnt work for me as I really was rooting for this debut author. Maybe I will pick up their next works!

Fathomfolk is a beautiful story about a gruesome supremacist society.
This book goes heavy on the commentary of racial divide, supremacist structures, activism, terrorism and many more interconnected themes.

The author really manages to rip your heart out by contrasting the beautiful descriptions of this world and the magical races living in it with act of violance and racism. This contrast was really hard to read about especially if you think about how these things are happening in our real world everywhere.

The story is rich and complex but because of the heavy subject matter and can be hard at times to really enjoy yourself while reading this book which in my opinion is a good thing but beware.

What I really liked is that we get to experience this world from different perspectives which all ultimately show us how this society hurts everyone but affects them in very different ways. Some of these perspectives have been more developed than others so some characters felt a tiny bit flat to me but they served their purpose in this story.

My biggest critique has to be the choreography in a few scenes. At times it was hard to follow what was going on and characters seemed to jump around a bit but for the most part it was fine.

Personally not a huge fan of the ending and beware this book has a setup for a second book in the epilogue and isn't a standalone like I thought but there isn't a huge cliff hanger.

I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading more from this author! 4,5 Stars

Eliza Chan's "Fathomfolk" is a dazzling debut that plunges readers into the semi-submerged city of Tiankawi, a realm where humanity's glittering towers cast shadows on the fathomfolk dwelling in the waters below. In this richly imagined fantasy, Chan seamlessly weaves East Asian mythology and ocean folk tales into a tapestry of magic, rebellion, and change. Mira, a half-siren captain of the border guard, navigates a world of oppression and political intrigue, caught between the unrest of two colliding cultures. The narrative's fast-paced action and profound social depth create an unforgettable experience, mirroring the ebb and flow of the tide. Chan's storytelling prowess is evident in the intricate relationships, original world-building, and timeless questions that make "Fathomfolk" a triumphant tale of diaspora survival. A must-read for lovers of Southeast Asian-influenced fantasy.

This fantasy book is inspired by East Asian mythology and ocean folk tales, which is heavily focused on rebellion, opression, racism, magic and change. The first half of this book, I will be honest, I did not really like. I LOVE the premise of this novel, I love asian myth and lore, and sea creatures. But, it was so confusing. There were way to many different characters, it took me quite literally 200 pages to figure out and remember who everyone is, and I was still a bit confused going forward on some of the characters. We have three main characters, and they each have a LOT of side characters connected to them. Of course all of these are also connected in some way to each other, and that’s when I started to get slightly less confused, but yeah. Another thing that I didn’t particularly love with this story was how heavily it focused on the opression of the fathomfolk. Pretty much every single scene was some new horrible stuff being done to push the folk down and the humans being absolute racists. I do wish we could have gotten more of the beautiful magic and some more lighthearted storylines. But yeah, I do understand that this was the way the author wanted this story to take and it wasn’t truly my cup of tea, but I’m sure a lot of people will love this! I will say that the ending of this book saved the story for me, it made up for some of it’s negatives and did make me want to read the second book just to see what happens. So all in all, this book wasn’t really for me, but I do appreciate the writing, and gorgeous worldbuilding.

Fathomfolk was one of my most anticipated releases of the year and I'm so sad it didn't work out.

The world created by Eliza Chan is interesting and imaginative, filled with mythical water creatures from Asian mythology. I appreciated the central place the author gave to the themes of class and racial inequalities and the struggles of diapora communities.

Unfortunately the characters and their storylines didn't hold my attention and lacked distinct voices and heart in my opinion. As for Nami, our young wanabee revolutionary, I understand that she was written this way for a purpose but it didn't make swimming through her chapters less painful.

If the writing flew smoothly, the pacing was too slow for my liking - especially in the first 40% - and by the time it got better, it was too late for my interest to wake.

DNF 50%.