This debut fantasy was filled with sea creatures, scheming characters and political plots. This book follows our four main characters, Mira the half human half siren officer; Nami the rebellious dragon; Serena the social climbing mother; and Cordelia the plotting sea witch. The characters were interesting to follow and they had well developed backstories. However, at times I felt like the characters seemed a bit one dimensional at times and one of the characters was pretty annoying.

The story takes place in a dystopian world where humans and fathomfolk (magical sea creatures) must find a way to live together. The world reminded me a bit of Crescent City - with the sprawling city filled with all types of creatures and modern technology like trains but also a little like the movie Waterworld where no one is living on land anymore. The world building could be improved but I did enjoy the sprawling melting pot type of city the author created.

The story was intriguing and reminded me of These Violent Delights with the rebellion/political aspects. This does create some intrigue and helps drive the plot along. The plot was interesting and I felt like it wrapped up well but could be predictable at times.

I would not recommend this to anyone looking for romance as I wouldn’t say romance was a strong aspect. Overall I enjoyed this book and would recommend this to anyone looking for a more unique political fantasy that can overlook debut book issues or enjoys more young adult reading books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Fathomfolk is a debut novel set in a half-submerged city filled with humans and fathomfolk - mystical sea creatures borrowed from a variety of cultures. The book follows three folk women: Mira, a half human/half siren who has lived her entire life in Tiankawi; Nami, a water dragon who comes to the city to see her brother; and Cordelia, a sea witch who is extremely politically motivated.

The story is very clearly meant to be a metaphor for numerous social issues: immigration, racism, climate change, etc. These topics were handled a bit heavy-handed for my taste, though it felt similar to Babel in that sense. This book dealt a lot with world building, both physically and politically, and the author clearly took time to think through so many aspects of this world. The plot of this one felt a bit rushed toward the end, but I think it set up for the next novel pretty well. The author did a great job of giving her POV characters distinct voices and personalities. I wanted to smack some sense into Nami, while I wanted to hear more about where Cordelia came from and what she was planning. Her use of folk as a metaphor for race was obvious, but it was handled well in my mind. This book walks the line between YA and adult very well, and I think that is a fairly impressive feat.

Thank you to Orbit and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

DNF @ 17%

This book had such an intriguing concept and I was really excited for it but it just didn’t live up for me.

I was really confused the whole time - it felt like I had been dropped into the middle of a story. It was just too much happening all at once at the start with no explanation or world building to set it up.

I think it could have been really great if there was more time spent developing the world and characters and other aspects were streamlined. I found all the different folk very confusing. I know they’re based on different mythologies, but if you’re not familiar with all of them, you’re left not knowing anything about them. We don’t even get physical descriptions when one is named. This just added to the confusion of the book because we’re given names for things we don’t understand in the greater context of the world.

This might work for others but I didn’t have the patience to keep going. It was a really interesting idea though so maybe I’ll give it another shot one day.

This is a promising debut - deeply character-driven, with multiple rotating POVs and an intricately-built pan-Asian/post-apocalyptic/semi-drowned world. I loved how many sea creatures exist among the Fathomfolk - kelpies, sea dragons, sirens, mermaids, and more - and how Chan is blending mythological inspiration and fairy tales (East Asian dragon lore meets The Little Mermaid makes for a great premise).
I'm still grappling with a few of our characters, though, and their roles as the series progresses. Mira, in particular, half-folk and a border agent for the city, attempting to affect change from within, has me unsure of Chan's intention for the story and thoughts on resistance to violent systems. I'm interested to see where the series goes from here, as I really enjoyed the expansion of the world at the end, the potential directions the sequel can take, and the many possibilities that lie ahead for all of our characters. I am grateful to have multiple POVs, and probably enjoyed our sea witch's story the most. These are all flawed characters, grappling with their own insecurities and ambition as they question their loyalties to each other, and fantasy readers who particularly enjoy character work will appreciate this series start.
Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit for an advanced reader's copy!

It actually pains me to DNF this because it seems like a book that’s right up my alley. The third person past tense writing & the insane info dumps at the beginning & the plethora of characters who have no individual/distinctive personalities prevented me from being able to immerse myself in this high fantasy world. The writing style was objectively hard for me to digest and at chapter 15, I just could do it anymore.

I think this could be a great book for people who annotate high fantasy and are willing to go back/review what they read just a few pages ago. Huge thanks to NetGalley and the author for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review

(2.75)

folks 👏🏻

this was…something. a good something? not particularly

let’s start with what i enjoyed:
the world. this was asian inspired and the world was very unique, although it wasn’t fleshed out well. the author just kind of throws you into the deep end (pun intended) and you’re just supposed to figure things out with no support

now, onto my gripes.

1) you could make a drinking game out of this book. take a shot everytime the word fathomfolk is used. you’ll be drunk by chapter 3

2) i didn’t care about any of these characters. you’re supposed to feel betrayal and love and all these emotions clearly, but i just could not care any less about anyone in this book. who am i even supposed to be rooting for? i have no idea cause everyone is flat and confusing

3) what in the world was the plot? things just kind of happened for the sake of happening and it felt like nothing really served an overarching purpose besides at the very end. i don’t like that.

4) the pacing. we would be with these characters for hours and then the next paragraph would be a time jump for some unknown reason. you never really understood when or where you were until halfway through the chapter and then it jerks you the other way again. was very jarring and i hated it

if you liked the movie raya and the last dragon & also love the little mermaid an ungodly amount, you might find aspects of this enjoyable

i’ll still read the next book because i’m mildly curious where the hell we’re going from here, but i’m not shaking in my boots for it

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of Fathomfolk in exchange for an honest review.

I liked (?) this book but I wasn't very connected to it. It wasn't a quick read because of the world building, but that was okay because I thought the world building was the coolest part. I thought the descriptions of Tiankawi were beautiful and I thought the settings were unique. However, I do wish the author had leaned a bit harder into the descriptions of the fathomfolk because they sounded really cool but I couldn't picture them in my head. I think this is a book that could have really benefitted from a few illustrations as well.

I think the struggle for me was the characters and character relationships. I really didn't like the naivety of Nami and it was so blatant that the whole character became unbelievable. I've never been a fan of the characters that rush into bad situations and make it harder on everyone else, especially when it doesn't further the plot. They had to rescue Nami so many times that it became repetitive.I also didn't love Kai and thought his and Mira's relationship was very bland. Mira was okay. I loved Trish's character. I also liked Cordelia. I think the author excelled at writing a good villain or at least a unique/interesting villain. But, I don't feel like I truly knew what her goal was besides to add chaos to the plot.

did NOT like the ending. I feel like it just skipped the point of the entire book???

If the little mermaid has traded her voice to save her mother's life, if the sea witch were a crime lord, and if the prince were a dragon, the story would still pale before Fathomfolk. We've got kelpie rowdies trying to change the world through violence, migrants smuggling themselves out of the water, and crackling wit throughout. This is one I'm putting on my Hugo list for next year.

Fathomfolk was so unique and imaginative - There were so many times that I did find myself confused and felt that with such a rich and fleshed out mythical world it was really hard to keep track of.

I went into this with really high hopes but unfortunately it fell flat for me. I really tried, but ended up DNFing.

Fathomfolk would be an amazing material for an epic fantasy. In the way it is presented to a reader, it is not sufficient. Unfortunately, for me, the story and plot are superficial and lack the depth of the world that is as unique as they come. Two worlds, two types of people. The magic and ability of sea folk look like humans. The resistance towards prejudicial government. One character works for them but comes from the underwater world. Like, I hope, when you read those tropes, you feel like o wow, that hasn't been done yet! I felt the same, at the beginning. Yet as time passed, each chapter seemed to create more lore upon more lore to the point, that I was confused about what creature can do what. The one thing stayed with me tho, and it was the way how the author decided to discuss the theme of fighting prejudice. It sends a clear message: there is no clean-cut solution, and everything depends on goodwill and trauma resolution within each group. I consider it rather interesting and enjoyed exploring this approach within this world. Within the set of characters, there were distinct roles and personalities, which I also appreciated. I feel like this book could be a successful epic tale with a slow build that lets the reader enjoy the journey and learn about the creation of the author's imagination. Instead, we are served fast food a story that jumps all over the place.

I really wanted to love this book, but ultimately I was left wanting more and feeling disappointed. The premise is amazing, I just couldn’t connect with the characters as much as I wanted to. I will continue with the series and hope that the series gets better with the next book.

thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange for a review!

this book had its slow points, but its strongest point was certainly the worldbuilding and atmosphere. the cities and locations felt real and connected to the magic system, with logical and plausible community phenomenons occuring as results. the descriptions of places were gorgeous, and I liked the connection to all five senses that was used to immerse the reader.

mira and kai were by far my favorite characters in this one---i loved their connection and how it was a constant anchor for mira. nami seemed much too naive for her age, and if she had been a few years younger i would have accepted her actions and beliefs much more easily. i'm glad her romance wasn't sold as a positive thing, because there are definitely power dynamics in there that are not great. and cordelia was just pretty evil? i'm not sure why exactly we needed her perspective, to be entirely honest.

i had some personal gripes with the writing style, and i'm not a big fan of cliffhangers (i know it's the first in a series, so slightly more understandable) but the setting description and interesting political system help make up for it for a solid three stars.

Fathomfolk is a story about a semi-submerged city populated by humans and Fathomfolk, water creatures of myth who have magical powers. The Fathomfolk are treated with suspicion and are not welcome in the human parts of the city. The story follows several characters from various backgrounds as they try to uncover political plots and try to make the city a better place for everyone.

First, I want to say that there has been critiques regarding the Asian representation in this book, particularly that the book is an combination of many different Asian cultures without a lot of discernment between the very different cultures throughout Asia. I am not a part of the AAPI community and therefore will not comment, but I recommend reading other reviews for more information.

For my part, I enjoyed this book. I love fantasies that combine myth and a fantasy setting and particularly love water-related creatures of myth. I thought that decision to do a semi-submerged urban fantasy was such a cool choice. To me, the plot and setting seemed very inspired by real life issues with belonging, immigration, and identity. I liked getting to see it explored in a fantasy setting.

The writing, plot, and pacing were a little off for me. I felt like it really dragged in the last third of the book and I found myself skimming to get to the end. The plot is really politics heavy, which isn't really my cup of tea, so there were some points where I wasn't sure why things were happening. This is a three POV book and I liked two of them. The third and main villain seemed to just be Ursula from the Little Mermaid, which was honestly pretty fun.

Overall, I enjoyed this book but recommend reading other reviews before deciding if this is a book for you. 3.5 stars from me rounded up to 4. Thank you to Orbit Books and NetGalley for the eARC of this book, my thoughts are my own!

I really wanted to like this, but it was just okay. I did like the world and the race struggle. The different races of the FathomFolk and the problems with their world were interesting to learn about. I wish this was explored more, The romance was lacking for me, The main romance was already in place before the book started. The one break in their romance lasted like a chapter and was resolved so easily. The other romance is toxic and dumb. The one character is quite immature, but she is supposed to be young. Some of the things didn’t bother me because she was supposed to be young, but other things went past that. The third point of view, her motive and end goal was unclear. I agree that none of the characters had much depth and left you wanting more, I thought the death was an easy solution and somewhat of a waste, The one part of the ending, did add something that will be interesting to see how it plays out in the sequel,

[4.25/5] FATHOMFOLK at its heart is a novel about diaspora, prejudices, and fighting for basic rights. Tiankawi, where humans call home, has become a haven for the fathomfolk--kappas, sirens, and kelpies--who flow in from their destroyed ethnic homelands. But this new place they call home has polluted waters and even more foul politics. Tension between the fathomfolk and humans is ever present. Some try to make it a better place, either peacefully from within or via more forceful means. Others do whatever it takes to stay ahead of the game.

There are three main points of view in FATHOMFOLK: Mira, Nami, and Cordelia. Mira is half human and half siren and worked tirelessly for her promotion to captain of the border guard. She hopes to use her position to affect better change for the fathomfolk. Nami is a water dragon and fathomfolk princess, and the sister of Kai, whose partner is Mira. She finds herself exiled from her homeland to Tiankawi with a mission. And Cordelia is a seawitch who foremost cares about making bargains with the desperate to benefit and further her ambitions. Each point of view offers a very different personality and background to show how everyone's life experiences vary.

It can take a few chapters to start to sink into the story. This is because there are several POVs and backgrounds and the author needs to set the scenes. But there are enough subtle reminders, even deeper into the story, to help the reader along. The writing style is easy to follow. It's not a very lyrical style, but I appreciate that for this story. It doesn't distract from all of the important themes and discussion points that surface throughout.

These themes encompass immigration, the diaspora, racism, fear, and power. I really love how the author weaves these points into the story, whether it's through the characters' actions or interactions. While FATHOMFOLK isn't necessarily a "think piece" in the academic sense, it broaches a lot of feelings and topics experienced by folks who may not reside in their historical ethnic homeland.

One such experience is the assumption that someone whose appearance differs from the perceived norm is someone who isn't from Tiankawi. Nami, as someone who was born in Tiankawi, represents this. She is also half human and siren, representing those who might feel like they don't quite "belong" in either culture. She feels distant from her heritage, but despite growing up in Tiankawi, isn't fully accepted as Tiankawian by most humans because of her fathomfolk heritage. This also creates the feeling of imposter's syndrome, despite fighting to suppress it, even though Nami worked hard to achieve her position.

Although humans exhibit plenty of racism and prejudice against fathomfolk, some fathomfolk are guilty of this as well. Having grown up in Yonakuni with all of the creature comforts, Nami doesn't realize her prejudices until she arrives at Tiankawi. Through her the reader sees that fathomfolk hold their own prejudices and classism within their culture. Nami also represents someone who desires action without knowing the full story, yet acts anyway. This naivete attracts fathomfolk rebels who prefer demonstrations for the greater good. It also attracts manipulators who prey on emotions and vulnerability. And then there are those, like Cordelia, who don't particularly care about changing anything. They just look out for their own welfare. Those who take advantage of refugees fall into this category.

FATHOMFOLK also demonstrates that there is more than one way to affect change. The rebels, or Drawbacks, prefer violent demonstrations. Nami and Kai, however, represent those who prefer systematic, diplomatic changes from within. These two different ways of trying to change the system reflect the different extremes of achieving the same end goal. One way may feel too slow and ineffectual whereas the other can come across as wreckless and terrorism.

There is so much more to discuss about this book, like law enforcement brutality and the physical restriction of fathomfolks' freedom. There's also a short aside about how the younger generation of the race in power tries to show they're not racist. But the way in which they go about it is offensive and performative and misses the point. There's also the fact that to the humans the fathomfolk and their innate powers (and change) are a threat to human dominance in Tiankawi. And, there's a reveal at the end I wish I could talk about, but it's a spoiler, so I refrain.

In short, Eliza Chan created a colorful fantasy that reflects what many in immigrant and diaspora communities may experience or experienced. This world is a shell that houses the many complexities that arise from a changing world, whether good, bad, or ugly. FATHOMFOLK artfully incorporates these issues and is a great read for those who appreciate a mix of fantasy, politics, and social issues that mirror those in the real world.

My favorite thing about this book was the world building, it was beautiful and rich. However, it took me awhile to get through this book, and I am still not sure if I will continue onto the next. But I definitely see why it is popular and why people enjoy it, it just wasn't that for me. I do think it can do well with others, though.

Review of “Fathomfolk” by Eliza Chan

Disclaimer: Please note that I received an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

⭐⭐☆☆☆

Honestly, “Fathomfolk” left me feeling torn. It had all the makings of a great story, but I just couldn’t click with characters like Mira, Nami, and Serena. While the East Asian mythology in the book was pretty cool, it didn’t quite deliver the magic I was hoping for.

I was totally hooked by the book cover and description, but once I started reading, I found myself losing interest pretty quickly. I gave it a shot, but around the halfway mark, I just couldn’t force myself to keep going.

I hope many others pick this book up and enjoy it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was so highly anticipating this book, and it did NOT disappoint! The worldbuilding was the strongest part of it, by far. I loved all of the different Fathomfolk living together, the interesting culture of the semi-submerged city of Tiankawi, and the politics between the Fathomfolk and humans. It is a nuanced novel that deals with a lot of social issues relevant in today's world. It was so vivid, I could smell the salty air of the sea.

I loved the characters, especially how Mira and Nami are foils of each other. I think that fans of The Legend of Korra, especially those who enjoyed the first season, would LOVE this book. I will certainly continue the series.

<u> <b>Review for <i>Fathomfolk</i> by Eliza Chan</u> </b>

<u> <b> A huge thank you Orbit for the early copy! All opinions are my own.</u> </b>

<u> <b>My Thoughts </u> </b>
<i>Fathomfolk</i> is set in the half-submerged city of Tiankawi, where humans and fathomfolk alike are attempting to coexist peacefully. However, the humans look down on the fathomfolk for their differences which affects all of the politics of Tiankawi, and a rebellion is brewing.

I was SO excited to receive an early copy of this as it had shot up my most anticipated releases because it was set in a half-submerged city, with folk who are kelpies, water dragons, sirens, and seawitches. I have such a soft spot for water or ocean-based fantasy, see my love for <i>The Bone Shard Daughter</i>, and this was paired with mythology so I should have loved it.

Unfortunately, this missed more than it hit for me. I loved the vivid imagery around Tiankawi and would’ve gladly read more of the worldbuilding, and all of the different sections of the city since they were so well-realized. This is doubly true for any of the scenes with food, or group gatherings since you could tell the author knows this city in and out.

The characters are mostly where the book lost me. I didn’t care about Nami or Cordelia or their struggles or situations, which is unfortunate because I lost investment in their chapters very quickly and just wanted them to be over. I had a bit of a soft spot for Mira, the underdog of our story, and she’s the only reason that I was able to complete this before DNF-ing.

Overall, I’m super bummed that I didn’t enjoy this one more, especially since it is the author's debut novel. Characters are always my number one reason for enjoyment in a book, and this just didn’t work for me. I may keep an eye out on Chan’s future works, as I do think I’d enjoy work by them if they were focused on one POV instead of hopping around to three main characters.

Thank you as always to Orbit for the review copy! I am so grateful to have the privilege of reading books early to give my opinions.

Go read this, and then find me elsewhere!
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DNF at 15%

I didn’t like the book at all unfortunately. It was very slow going and nothing caught my attention.