This was a strong sequel for me. Chan continues to delight me with her world-building and I enjoy the flow of her writing style a lot. I think there's just enough left on descriptions for us to fill in on our own which is nice with such a unique world as this one. I continued to love the characters and any time there's an ocean voyage you can basically assume I'm going to love it.

In all honesty there were a lot of parts of this book that I enjoyed more than the first. I felt this only grew stronger, and when I was absolutely certain nothing Chan could write could make me feel any sort of sympathy for Cordelia, she surprised me. There were other characters that were nuanced just enough that though I could see where they were coming from, I'm glad Chan didn't make excuses for them and I felt the way things ended was right for this set of characters it just felt good at the end. I'd been on this emotional journey with them all for two books and I don't know that I'm ready to say bye; but I know this is going on my favorite releases of 2025.

Thanks to the publisher for the chance to read this, my honest review has been given in exchange for the eARC!

This brilliant follow up once again shows why Eliza Chan's popularity continues to grow and grow with my students. A fantastic read.

Well written book which follows and builds on the story from the first book. The book is heartfelt and has a great moral. Jumping between characters can be a bit confusing at first but the different perspectives makes the story clearer and builds a great narrative

"Tideborn" was an okay conclusion to the series, but I definitely preferred the first part in the series. The way most conflicts resolved felt a little too neat and convenient for my taste, and the character development didn't really feel organic or realistic.

Steeped in the aquatic world constructed in Fathomfolk, this book continues the adventures of those still grappling to promote acceptance of the Folk - and deal with what has been left behind. While I loved the worldbuilding and the immersive descriptions of the setting of this story, the pacing of the plot and some of the characterisation just wasn't my vibe.

This book actually felt like it could be its own and not a sequel to Fathomfolk. It had a good story that didn't feel too rushed.

I was a little sad to see so little of Cordelia, she was such a badass girlboss. She was like Ursula from The Little Mermaid but then for a more grown-up audience.

Also, the different kinds of grief for Kai!? It was so cool to see those in different characters. It gave them a more realistic feeling.

I thoroughly enjoyed the direction this book went in. I wasn’t sure what the outcome would be after the first book but I was pleasantly surprised. I really enjoyed seeing Nami finally get a little confidence in herself and finally realise firth was the worst possible option for her haha. The ending had me smiling to myself the whole time and I’m happy with where they all ended up

I struggled to get through this book. This is mainly because I just wasn’t very invested in the chapters set on the boat/voyage (which was a large part of the story). I wasn't that fussed about a lot of the characters and their plots either, but I enjoyed Cordelia’s storyline the most.
Thanks to Orbit and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Tideborn is the sequel to Fathomfolk, building on book one to form an ultimately satisfying conclusion. Fathomfolk was one of my favourite books of 2023, with the author building a brilliantly clever fantasy world that reflects the very real issues of our world. The ending of book 1 was bittersweet, heartbreaking and heartwarming equally.
The world EC has crafted continues to be interesting and complex reflecting the bigotry, racism, xenophobia and bureaucratic nightmare we struggle with in the real world, these roots makes the world build oh so much real to the reader.

The cast of characters are flawed but ultimately sympathetic to varying degrees, with the book going through varying POVs to tie a bigger story together. Mira is the heart of the book to me as she navigates the aftermath of book 1. We see the growth of Nami from the idealistic and naive freedom fighter she was in book 1. Cordelia's resolute character is hard to like but her strength must be admired in this book as she moves on from the events of book 1.

I loved this duology and was so thankful to Orbit books, and Eliza Chan for allowing me early access in exchange for an honest review.

Tideborn offered a solid conclusion to the Drowned World duology. Chan's world-building remains a strong point, and the integration of Chinese mythology is still engaging. I found the pacing to be somewhat uneven, with some sections dragging while others felt rushed. The political intrigue was well-crafted, though at times, it became a bit convoluted. I appreciated the resolution of the main conflict, but it lacked the emotional impact I anticipated. Overall, Tideborn is a decent read with strong world-building, but it falls short of being truly exceptional.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC.

The second book of Drowned Worlds duology delivers rich mythology and world-building, with some political intrigue sparkled on top. While I enjoyed the plot, there were big time jumps where important scenes were described instead of shown. And while some of the characters got impressive developing (Gede, I'm looking at you), both Mira and Nami lost part of it and degressed to their book one character flaws. Neverthaless I liked how the author tied loose ends and gave a satisfactory ending!

Tideborn is the concluding volume in Eliza Chan’s duology that started with Fatholmfolk. This book takes up a few months after the cataclysmic end of the first book. Being a sequel, this review will contain spoilers for Tideborn. Those who like Asian-inspired, maritime themed fantasy with strong, complex female leads should stop here and go and read the first book.
Tideborn opens in the wake of a near-tragedy but with another impending. Siren Mira and her dragon partner Kai managed to save the human population of their city Tiankawi from an impending tsunami at the cost of Kai’s life. Mira, as part of the city council, is facing a human uprising and general upheaval in the city. The tsunami was caused by the death of the giant sea creature on which Tiankawi was built so, at the same time, the partner of that creature is coming across the ocean to finish the job. Kai’s sister Nami, once a rebel, is dispatched by Mira to intercept the travelling monster and convince it not to attack the city. At the same time, also in the mix, is the seawitch Cordelia, who now runs the drug trade but really wants to reconnect with her estranged children.
Fatholmfolk and Tideborn are built on an interesting mix of mythologies and a kind Asian polyglot world. The Fatholmfolk themselves come in a range of guises – sirens, kumiho, dragons, bunyips, selkies etc – and can take human form. Humans are juts human (until they gain gills, and are prejudiced against all types of fatholmfolk. But there is also a pecking order in the fatholmfolk world, This milieu allows Chan to explore issues of racism and acceptance, a key theme of these two books.
Tideborn takes a bit of time to set up its action but about half way through kicks into gear and then keeps upping the pressure on its main characters through to a number of final confrontations. Chan delivers all of this within a well realised weird but recognisable world and drives the action with relatably flawed characters with complex motivations and backstories. And while the main action is wrapped up, there is plenty of room for more stories within the universe that Chan has developed.

I enjoyed Fathomfolk a lot and I feel like this book expanded on it beautifully. It was good to see more of the world and the politics between the different countries. It was also interesting to see how the human’s adapted to their new gills after the ending of the first book.

I know a lot of people didn’t like how naive Nami was in the first book, but I felt like her story was important to tell especially with the world as it is right now. Going further through her story in this book, it was good to see her growing and changing as she learns from the mistakes she made in the first book. Also this book really expanded on how much of a manipulative bastard Firth is.

I really really enjoyed the ending. I think it was a good ending and the right solutions to the problem. It felt like a lot of the problems were resolved but not in a way that felt like it was too easy.

I’d love to return to the world a few years down the line and see how things are going.

After enjoying the first installment of this dilogy, I was thrilled to be able to read the conclusion as well. A big Thank You to the publisher and to Netgalley!

The story picks up soon after the ending of Fathomfolk. The half-sunken city of Tiankawi has big changes to process, but the tension between the humans and the fathomfolk is still present. The half-siren Mira is trying desperately to find a peaceful solution for a co-existence, while the sea witch Cordelia is still scheming behind the scenes. During these difficult times, a wrathful titan god is confirmed to be on its way to destroy Tiankawi, which makes the rebellious water dragon Nami set out in an attempt to stop it.

Once again, I was blown away by the world building: especially the way the fantastic cultural variety between sea creatures and humans is intertwined with real-life problems of prejudice and oppression. There is so much color, sound and smell in this book, while it still seems incredibly realistic. Just like in book one, the story does not shy back from showing the darkest pits of radical groups and mob mentality.

The character development felt a bit slow at the beginning, but over the course of this book, it starts shining. Despite all their flaws, the characters keep trying their best and I couldn't not root for them. They feel authentic that way, and I enjoyed watching them grow. I even hoped for a good ending for Cordelia, who has a very questionable moral compass.

I did have some issues with this book, unfortunately. They mainly stem from the pacing problems. I remember that book one felt entirely appropriate in the speed of its plot points; here, however, I was never able to shake the feeling that there were not enough pages. The story is very complex and involves many time skips between chapters. That was enough to pull me out of the story, since the events didn't feel as connected as they should have. The time that has passed in the story didn't at all match the impression I had from reading only what was going on with no downtime in between. It also didn't help that many chapters start in media res, which constantly made me doubt myself if I had missed something or if it was on purpose.

All in all, I did enjoy reading this book. The ending is satisfying, especially the ending points of the characters' development. The general message of the series is also fantastic, along with the worldbuilding. It didn't charm me as much as Fathomfolk, but I am glad to have read the conclusion. I reccommend it to anyone who loved book one!

Tideborn, the sequel to Eliza Chan's debut Fathomfolk and the second book in the Drowned World duology, practically read itself - once I had started the book, I found it difficult to put the novel back down. There is a handy recap of the story so far at the beginning, and events pick up seamlessly from the devastating end of Tideborn.

We again follow the story from the perspective of the same three female main characters: Nami, the dragon princess, finds herself on a voyage across the ocean to convince a mythical titan not to destroy Tiankawi, Mira the half-siren is embroiled in politics in the city state of Tinakawi and fighting to see it rebuilt, and Cordelia, the sea witch, is rebuilding her life after her break-up with her husband, finding new niches of profit in the city post tsunami.
I loved the fast pacing as events progress quickly in all three timelines, and felt that there was good character growth from all three main characters. Being back in this richly layered society was a treat - I loved seeing how the people in Tiankawi adapted to the new order of things after the tsunami and the events at the end of book one,

If you're looking for a completed duology to read that will keep you hooked, if you love world-building with a cinematographic feel to it, and if you enjoy a cast of powerhouse female characters, look no further! I can't wait to find out what Eliza Chan writes next! 4.5 stars from me, rounded up to 5 here.

Tideborn picks up a few weeks after the absolutely devastating end of Fathomfolk. Seriously, the ending broke me and Tideborn managed to both pick up the pieces of my heart, and smash it even more. Again, we follow the story from different POVs, namely Mira, Nami and Cordelia.

Mira stays in Tiankawi and tries to keep it all together: the council, society itself, her family and herself. When I say, she’s strong, I mean she absolutely is and I couldn’t cope with the stress. She has allies and even makes friends with powerful people, but she is still reeling from Kai’s death and the grief while having to deal with a mother-in-law who thinks she isn’t worthy, her own mother’s illness and the chaos spreading through the city. Mira’s storyline once again focuses on politics a lot which I highly enjoyed. It brillianly nuances the societal and political aspects of the story, and the inner workings and emotions of Mira. I could follow very well how she feels, how she is overwhelmed and exhausted but still so full of help for a good future for every person in the city, not just a faction. Mira has so much on her plate yet manages to maneuver through it with her allies and sheer force of will.

Cordelia’s storyline is closer intertwined with Mira’s in this book. I still don’t necessarily like her as a person but she is such a well written character. After leaving her husband and children behind, she makes a name for herself under a pseudonym and through a deal with Mira. She grows her own empire, growing rich and also developing a long needed cure for a spreading illness. She strives for more power and more money but also has a soft spot for her children which she can’t deny. She is torn between the feelings for her children, her hatred towards her husband and her need and want for more. Cordelia always acts in her best interest and you know what? I admire her for it. She’s ruthless but also brings such an interesting view to the story that felt refreshing. I liked seeing her interacting with people of different backgrounds.

I liked Nami much more in Tideborn than I did in Fathomfolk. She is still her impulsive, often naive young self, but she also grows into her powers and her abilities. Nami loves her family and her friends and has, as Mira, the interests of everyone in her mind. She helps those who were previously human without gills. Her goal is to save Tiankawi, not its population, but the actual place itself. She goes on a journey to stop the Titan who is on a collision course with the city. On this trip, she learns so much about herself, people and the world around her. I loved her chapters and how she grows and grows, finding things that are good for her, getting away from things hindering her.

I loved reading about all of these women and how they are shaped by the city and its inhabitants but also how they give so much of themselves back to it to shape it as well. I also really enjoyed the side characters, especially Gede, which came as a big surprise to me. Eliza Chan crafts amazing relationships, wether they are business, romantic or friendships. They are as complex as every individual character.

I was already a big fan of the world building in Fathomfolk, and I loved to see even more of it in Tideborn. We get to see more of Tiankawi as well as the rest of the world through Nami’s eyes. I loved the descriptions of the ocean and its creatures as well as foreign folk and humans and different possibilities of living in a drowned world. I could imagine everything so well, it almost felt like watching a film in my head.

Tideborn is a book that has it all: complex emotions including crippling grief and deep-rooted love, a torn society teeming with discontent but with so much potential for something more, something better. There are wonderfully written characters and great world building and interesting lore. The Drowned World is definitely one of my favourite series and I could simply get lost in its world and characters. I love how everything comes together and how much hope there is in this story. Tideborn made me cry and feel and hope and filled my heart to the brim. Fathomfolk was a favourite last year and I already know Tideborn will be among my absolute favourites this year!

Beautiful cover and story. Well written and keeps you entertained. I love we get a recap from the previous book as sometimes I forget what's happen in the previous book whilst waiting for the next release. Looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.

THANK YOU FOR MY COPY (copies) OF THIS.

I really enjoy Eliza Chan’s writing and I loved this world. The beginning (are you pregnant?) to the end (REDACTED) 😭. perfect foreshadowing. I liked Nami in this too. She was annoying at times, making the WORST choices, but like, it’s so real

What an amazing read!

I was unsure how the story was going to play out, especially in the aftermath of Fathomfolk, but I was not disappointed.

Not only was I happy to see some characters gone, like 💀👀 (thank you Eliza for making that happen BTW 😂) I also enjoyed the character arcs for each of our main characters, especially Nami! She was definitely one to test my patience in Fathomfolk, but I loved the growth she went through and the trust she built along the way.

Obviously, Eliza had to blur the lines between white and black with Cordelia. One moment I was rooting for her, the next I was screaming at her to think straight. One of the best characters written in my opinion.

Mira's POV I enjoyed too. Despite the opposition she kept facing, she played her cards so well. Her sharp wit during Council meetings was something I started to enjoy and looked forward to.

With a strong story situated in heart, found family and love, this duology has ended up as one of my favourites in the last year.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC for my honest review.

Disclaimer: My Instagram post will be posted on release day, while the reading vlog for the book will be posted in a few weeks.

The people of Tiankawi are irrevocably changed with everyone having gills now, but that has not brought them together. Mira sends Nami on a voyage to find the partner of the Titan that was killed in an attempt to save them from its wrath. Meanwhile the grieving half-siren deals with the aftermath of the tsunami and the obstacles to true peace in a city on the brink of erupting into all-out conflict. Is someone orchestrating the whole thing? Will Kai's sacrifice be for naught?

It starts with a "The Story so Far" which is a recap and this is the second book I've encountered lately to do this. Are authors finally realizing this was needed for series?

Eliza Chan is talentedly descriptive. Her words play harmonies of beautiful imagery, delicate and/or raw sentiments, the overall lyricism fine-tuning a poignant narrative. There is an abundance of details. I really enjoy visiting this world, this city that is restoring itself and embracing this mythology.

Each of the main characters is preoccupied with their own mission. Nami and Mira feel they have something to prove as they try to save the city in different ways. Concurrently, the master manipulator is out for vengeance and as always doing her own thing. They remain wonderfully different from each other. Having Jiang-Li (Kai & Nami's mother) more involved in this installment is a welcome addition and she is a tricky, strict, brazen one. There is insight on the characters' inner selves in a more concise, better displayed manner in the sequel and it is all the better for it.

The narrative breathes, lets itself build, in a slow burn of a tale. You can feel the power rumbling beneath the words, the storyline on its way to explosive events. The promise of this creative premise is realized. You are in awe of all the imaginative things occurring but the author makes it feel simultaneously grounded and realistic. Even with its share of shocking and gut-wrenching scenes, in its heart, it proves optimistic and there are genuine smile-worthy and wanting-to-cheer moments. Jawdropping surprises heighten the intrigue.

Unfortunately, Cordelia's story thread seems to stutter and stumble over her criminal endeavors which should have been mentioned less than her true mission. There is a point but the long way round is taken. There were moments when I got impatient with the otherwise incredible descriptions of surroundings and tales of history wanting it go get to the awaited action. I also did not get the purpose of the chosen scene for the prologue.

Touching the subject of prejudice respectfully, the book shows the dangers of fanatical arrogance. It is about balance, societal and of the world — with nature. About change and accepting its inevitability. An amazing finale full of power games, political adversity, societal turmoil and fighting the unfair status quo, for what is right. Adventurous and exhibiting thunderous action this was a great end to this captivating duology.