What a brilliant conclusion to this unique and rich fantasy duology. We return to the city of Tiankawi with Mira, Nami and Cordelia living in the aftermath of the tsunami, and a looming danger from across the ocean. However, the classicism, racism and political manoeuvring aren’t solved by Kai’s sacrifice. Our three protagonists find themselves fighting for this new world against unexpected challenges, new factions and old foes. Eliza Chan brings each of their stories to a satisfying conclusion with complexity and an unflinching acceptance of their imperfections.

Tideborn picks up pretty much where Fathomfolk left off and for me, provided a great end to this duology. The city of Tiankawi and its inhabitants are dealing with the new reality in the wake of Kai’s death and the killing of the titan and everyone is scrambling for power.
There are really two separate storylines, the first is where Nami, the young water dragon leads an expedition to find the sand dragon, the lifelong mate of the murdered titan, and try to prevent if from harming the city, the second is focused on the city itself where Mira is left to deal with the politics of running the city and trying to prevent power from falling into the hands of the wrong people.
Mira’s story line is still the one that gripped the most. She is dealing with her grief at Kai’s death throughout the book but is forced to be a leader and to try and take the place of her husband. This seems like an impossible task and every time she makes progress, something happens to send things crashing down again. I loved Mira’s relationship with her mother who supports her throughout and enjoyed reading their scenes together which provided some lightness and warmth.
I did like Nami a lot more in this book though. She has grown up a lot after her brother’s death and is a lot less self=centred and impetuous. The relationship between her and her obnoxious boyfriend is still there but she gradually comes to see him for what he is. I also loved the character of Gede who I guess, partly took on the role occupied by Kai in the previous book. Mira was really hard on him but he kept on being one of the good guys and I enjoyed his story arc.
The political side of the story was really well-done. We see all the sides of the conflict and the nastiness and anger of the racism was well shown. However, we also see people who are much more balanced and can see a future for the different races to live together. The two plot lines form a nice contrast as Nami faces in miniature on the ship, the same problems that Mira is trying to fix in the city.
The world building was brilliant too and I loved the descriptions of the abandoned city of Lyoness as well as the scenes in the Tiankawi especially in the palace. I did feel that the book was lacking in detail about the fathomfolk themselves and it was a lot less clear in this book what the different folk could do.
I felt that the book was well-paced and the final quarter was a real roller coaster of events that were packed with action and built up to a climax that felt quite calm after what had gone before. It wasn’t a happy after resolution but that wouldn’t have been realistic with the problems faced by the characters but I did find it a satisfying ending and I loved the epilogue.
This was a really enjoyable read and huge thanks as always to NetGalley and the publishers, Little Brown Book Group for providing this ARC in ex

The second installment of The Drowned World duology, Tideborn, picks up right where its predecessor left off, with a city in ruins and the central characters grappling with various forms of loss. As they navigate their new reality, the core themes of survival, rebuilding, and shaping the future take center stage for Mira, Nami, and Cordelia, seeking to rebuild their lives.
What truly sets Tideborn apart is its complex and thought-provoking themes. Building on the multicultural tensions introduced in Fathomfolk, the novel delves deeper into the question of how disparate cultures can coexist. It explores a wide range of perspectives, from extreme viewpoints to those somewhere in between, ultimately crafting a conclusion that feels just and balanced, acknowleding that harmony is always a work in progress.
Eliza Chan’s talent as a writer shines through in her nuanced portrayals of Nami and Mira. Through them, she explores themes of personal growth, with Nami's evolution from an angry, rebellious mermaid into a more mature figure, and Mira’s journey toward healing after profound loss. However, Cordelia’s character arc left something to be desired. Although she undergoes a redemption arc, it often feels as if the narrative struggles to forgive her past actions, leaving her development a bit flat and lacking the emotional depth seen in other characters.
Ultimately, Tideborn is a novel that will resonate deeply with readers who enjoyed Fathomfolk. It offers a satisfying conclusion to the duology while also enriching its exploration of culture, community, and the intricacies of relationships. Though at times uneven, Tideborn succeeds in providing a thought-provoking, entertaining, and emotionally resonant journey.

thank you very much to the publisher and netgalley for the e-arc!!

ahhhh. i liked this so much better than Fathomfolk. yes the ending of the first book ripped out my heart but good god i don't think it could have replicated what Tideborn did to me. i am close to tears at the end of this!!

i'll start by saying i like how the tideborn (humans with gills), fathomfolk and freshwaters talk about racism. it's a lot about choice, and how they are treated and i liked that we see characters on all sides of it; Jiang-Li as fathomfolk, Samnang and the new radicals as tideborn and Gede, Qiuyue and Mira as the freshwater folk who sit uncomfortably inbetween. i love how in your face yet nuanced this whole theme is throughout the series, and coupled with politics and titans, this was super interesting to read.

i loved Nami's arc, and how she went from lowkey insane radical who fights first and asks questions later to someone who tries to reason with a titan who has lost their love and wants to destroy Tiankawi. her juxtaposition with both Sobekki and Firth was really well done, considering the latter was her supposed love interest in Fathomfolk. in fact the way his manipulation played out seemed inevitable, and honestly, i loved her new romance with Eun. imagine,, a water dragon who fights and an archivist librarian!!

Cordelia's story with her family is full of feminine and motherly rage and i loved it. her revenge against Samnang takes the cake, but the family dynamics was also interesting to explore, considering how Gede and Qiuyue turned out. actually Gede might be one of my favourite characters in the series. he was *barely there* from what i remember in Fathomfolk, but i liked his partnership with Mira a lot in Tideborn, and the way he stands up for his sister, and still loves his mother despite everything. he embraced being fathomfolk and that is so cool.

my heart still breaks for Mira after what happened with Kai in Fathomfolk, and i love how his presence echoes throughout this installment even after his sacrifice. it is seen in Mira's grief, and the actions of everyone else including Nami and Jiang-Li, and how it brings out peaceful change. god i could go on about this.

bottom line is,, i love this book and it was an epic conclusion to the story.

I really love the world that this series is set in, such a unique concept and a lot of fun to read. I was glad to be following my fave character from the first book again, and to spend more time with the others. The characters were well developed and interesting to read about.

I do wish the different mythical creatures were explored and explained more. Personally I was a little lost still on what powers each being had and it made me feel a little disconnected from the action sequences, same as with the first book.

Overall this was a fun read, just not a new fave.

AD/PR: Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The messier status-quo the main cast find themselves thrown into post-Fathomfolk makes for a stimulating but imbalanced story.

We continue to follow Mira, Nami, Corelia in this novel. Grieving Mira, now Minister of Tiankawi, is left to deal with Jiang-Li, Nami and Kai's mother, and the uneasy controversies stemming from the consequences of Kai's wish at the end of book 1, leading to clashes with extremists old and new. Nami is sent on a mission across the sea to plead and stop the titan mate of the titan whose body is the foundation of Tiankawi from destroying it in its grief. Meanwhile Corelia is swept up in her own world, taking advantage of the chaos to profit while working to take custody of her children from her crooked ex-husband.

I liked that we get a varied examination of grief, familyhood, leadership, and social harmony through these characters' lens and plotlines, electrifying the different character dynamics and uniting their stories into one. The balance between small family squabbles, political strife, and the threat of mythological-scale deity exacting its grievous wrath is enjoyable. I'm only mildly unimpressed with the resolution of the titan's threat with the last-minute timing of the solution being a well-worn trope. I also did get a bit bored with Nami's plotline at times, just 'cause I wasn't surprised at any twists involving Firth. At times, I'm visually lost because of the few descriptions grounding such scenes.

A decent read.

Thanks to Netgalley, Little, Brown Book Group UK and Orbit for providing me with the e-ARC/DRC in exchange for an honest review.

A thoroughly enjoyable sequel to Fathomfolk. I found great pleasure in re-immersing myself in this world, and I will be looking out for any future works by this author.

The seaweed is always greener in somebody else's lake.

Tideborn is the second book in Eliza Chan’s Drowned World duology, that started with her bestselling Fathomfolk. Set in the half-submerged city of Tiankawi, home to both humans and the eponymous people of the sea, the books speak to a variety of real-world topics through a lens of British and Asian folklore inspired fantasy.

At the end of the first book, Tiankawi had been saved from disaster at great cost, and the human population had been left transformed in a very real sense. Rather than calling things a happily ever after and leaving the story there, Tideborn talks about what happens next and it is not exactly pretty.

This is a story about grieving in many ways. From the various losses our characters experienced, not to mention the distraught god that’s now heading their way. It also tackles a rise in extremism that feels, shall we say, uncomfortably familiar at the moment. Despite all that, things do ultimately end on a hopeful note, so please do not let the talk of the heavier themes put you off. It’s still a tale full of adventure, and a very rewarding journey to go on.

The story is told from the widely different perspectives of Mira the half-siren, Nami the dragon, and Cordelia the sea witch. All have grown a lot since the first book. Nami, in particular, has finally realised she’s in a toxic relationship, and steps up to lead a mission to try and save the city once again. Even Cordelia, who is dealing with personal losses of her own, is an increasingly nuanced character. And yes, we do get a lot more of Eun, everybody’s favourite librarian.

Eliza’s writing is very pleasingly textured, and I enjoyed the turns of phrase and worldbuilding throughout. This is a very satisfying end to the duology, and I would highly recommend you read both books.

Thanks to Little Brown Book group for the advance copy.

A very enjoyable sequel/finally to Fathomfolk.
Very much enjoyed being in this world, and I will be keeping an eye out for any books this author brings out in the future!

This was very much okay? I still loved the world, the descriptions and the social commentary but after reading this I wished this duology would have been one longer standalone.
The pacing felt a little off being very slow for the first ~80% and then rushing through the ending.
While story progression was slow I found myself being able to read this really quickly and the writing has a nice flow.

I still had some problems with the writing during busy scenes, not really being able to picture what exactly was happening but I think it was better than the first book in this aspect.

I love Cordelia and wished she'd gotten more room in the story. Mira really didn't interest me much in this book and I have to say I think the author botched Nami's Arc by throwing her instantly into a new relationship after getting rid of her abusive boyfriend. The romance felt a little forced to me and like it needed to be in there so that one can say that the book has a love story and not because it made sense.

I'd give this 3,5 stars and will keep an eye out on what the author does next.

Eliza Chan’s sequel to Fathomfolk is an emotionally charged, politically relevant, and beautifully written conclusion to The Drowned World Duology. While the first book established the vibrant underwater city of Tiankawi, Tideborn shifts focus to the consequences of its fractured society—exploring prejudice, identity, and the struggle for unity in a world on the brink of destruction.

Nami’s character arc was a standout for me. Watching her grow from the arrogant dragon princess of book one into someone truly striving for peace was incredibly satisfying. Mira’s grief was raw and painful, and I found myself just as desperate as she was to hold onto hope. Gede and Cordelia, two characters I didn’t expect to love as much as I did, added depth to the story with their complicated, emotional journeys.

While the novel’s themes are far from subtle, they feel timely and necessary. The lack of extensive worldbuilding this time around may be a drawback for some, but for me, it allowed for a stronger focus on the characters and their struggles. I only wish we had more visual descriptions of the fathomfolk, as the concept of their world holds so much promise.

This duology could have worked as a longer standalone, but I’m grateful for the time spent in this rich, immersive world. Tideborn delivered a gripping, emotional conclusion that exceeded my expectations.

I already read the first book so naturally I wanted to see how the story progresses from where we left off. In the second book Chan gives us less imaginary than in the first one, but it's not bad for the story, since we already know where we are and what is going on.
For me the second book was better than the first, the characters seemed more complex and the emotions got conveyed better. Chan reflects on the world and how things are going and still manages to write a unique story.

Unfortunately I couldn’t get on with fathomfolk and felt the same about this one.

I did really enjoy the authors writing though and would love to read something different from the in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book. A gorgeous 4 star read book from me. What an exciting plot, vivid storytelling and relatable, rich characters. I couldn't put this book down – absolutely loved it.

This might have worked better as a longer standalone, yet I really enjoyed being immersed (get it?🌊) in this Asian inspired city of human and fatholmfolk again.

Following the emotional end of book one, despite the sacrifice (or maybe because of it), riots breaks out across the city, heightening discrimination and prejudice between humans and the folk.

Chan does a great job at reflecting current political climates on this fantastical world. Everyone is angry, scared and adrift. People are reactive and defensive and offensive.

<b>As if identity was such a tangible and knowable thing, unchanging through time and the same for each one of them.
</b>
Seeing Nami develop from the haughty, arrogant, fiery personality she was in book one to someone who is desperate for unity and peace was great!

Yes, this is very optimistic. Yes, this duology is very on the nose and not at all subtle, yet it’s come at a time where these topics are charged and necessary.

I would have adored illustrations or fanart because this world holds so much promise. I think this suffered from not having enough description. I couldn’t get a clear vision of the fatholmfolk and the cultural insertion I loved from book one was slightly lacking in this one.

Arc gifted by Orbit.

Wow, what a ride! Tideborn absolutely swept me under and didn’t let go until the final page. If you thought Fathomfolk was incredible, just wait until you see how Eliza Chan takes the stakes, the drama, and the world-building to the next level in this phenomenal sequel. This book is everything I hoped for in the conclusion to the Drowned World Duology.

Tiankawi is a city in chaos, but it’s also a city full of potential—and I loved how the story explores both sides of that coin. The fallout from the tsunami and the dragon pearl is raw and messy, with tensions between humans and fathomfolk simmering just below (and sometimes above!) the surface. And yet, there’s so much hope here too, with characters like Mira and Nami trying to push for unity, even when it feels impossible. Their arcs in this book are packed with growth, tough choices, and such deeply human emotions, even when they’re dealing with dragons, sirens, and titanic sea gods.

Mira’s journey hit me the hardest. Watching her grapple with her identity as half-siren, half-human, and her growing willingness to use her siren powers to fight for what she believes in? It’s both heartbreaking and empowering. And then there’s Nami, my favorite dragon princess, off on an epic voyage that feels like a fantasy pirate adventure mixed with the gravitas of someone trying to save an entire city. Her complicated feelings for Firth and her courage in facing the Titan sand god were just chef’s kiss perfect.

And let’s not forget Cordelia, the sea witch who steals every scene she’s in. She’s cunning, ruthless, and somehow still so relatable. You never know whether to cheer for her or side-eye her, and that’s exactly what makes her such an unforgettable character. Honestly, I’d read an entire spin-off just about her.

The world-building here is breathtaking—Chan balances the big mythological stakes with the deeply personal stories of her characters so seamlessly. The underwater city of Tiankawi, with its intricate politics and clashing cultures, feels alive, and the introduction of the Titan was nothing short of epic. But what I loved most was how the book draws parallels to our own world, especially in how prejudice and fear can divide us even when we should be working together. It’s thought-provoking in the best way.

If I had one tiny critique, it’s that I wished a couple of plot threads had been tied up a bit more neatly. But honestly? It’s hard to care when the rest of the book is so good. Tideborn is a stunning, deeply layered conclusion to a duology that I’m already itching to reread. Eliza Chan has crafted something truly magical, and I can’t wait to see what she writes next! If you love intricate fantasy worlds, morally complex characters, and stories that pack an emotional punch, don’t sleep on this one.

First off thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
Damn. I mean, damn I liked this so much more than I thought I would, the writing was so beautiful and the characters so much more interesting that I genuinely teared up a few times. I was rooting for all of Book 1 for Nami to rid herself of a certain individual and for her to finally do it and bloom as person, as someone who has just lost a sibling and was given an impossible task was amazing. Same for Gede and Cordelia - I did not expect myself to like them both as much as I did, and root for them to have a happy ending. In some twisted way I understood every emotion and motion that Cordelia went through, she was spiteful but also caring towards those that mattered the most in her life and I’m choosing to believe her ending in this book was an open one and not what I think it was (no spoilers!!)
Finally, Mira, my darling Mira. I spent the whole book hoping Kai would come back somehow, using some form of magic we haven’t been introduced to and I was just as broken and delusional as she was. I was so pleasantly surprise by this book ❤️

a second book that is every bit as thrilling and lush like the fist.
we did not get as many imagery as we did in book one, but the stage was already set so well it was not a negative.
all the characters have grown and their progress is written so well and naturally that it is beautiful to follow.
although i am someone who is no fan of the sea or what is in it this made me love it just a little bit!

Tideborn starts a few months after the events of Fathomfolk. This book is a great follow on from the first one and shows real depth of the main characters.

Tideborn by Eliza Chan is a masterpiece! I rated it 5 stars because I couldn't put it down for a second. I totally recommend everyone to read this book as fast as they can because it's really good and the characters are fantastic.