Thank you for this ARC. I really did enjoy the rich storytelling and weaving in lore, I’m always sold on some lore, the way its waters rising and ‘folk’ intertwined with people, I could get on board immersing myself in the world. I did have a problem with the multiple pov with the world building. I felt like I couldn’t get a footing on what’s going on and even which character I’m on before the chapter changed. I would find myself asking who is this person?
The cover is GORGEOUS. Can’t wait to see more from this author

The world-building is lush and rich, and I enjoyed exploring the sociopolitical system and learning about various types of mythological water creatures. The only gripe I have with this book is the characters, for it took me a while to learn names, and I didn't find them as compelling as expected. However, the story has a lot of potential for growth, and I look forward to what the author writes next.

Dnf at 40%

I’m really just not feeling this book…

The writing is okay. The main characters are sort of interesting but their interactions all feel really forced and their internal conflicts feel inconsistent with their actions. All the side characters have been really lackluster.
I’m not totally sure what the plot is either… like Nami was exiled and is supposed to find information on something. Mira and Kai are trying to pass a bill. There’s the Serena Cordelia plot that is totally adjacent to everything.

Maybe it picks up further in but 40% feels too far in to not even have a solid plot line going yet.

It's too bad that New Adult has been taken over mostly by romance, because this is exactly what NA should be. YA-like writing style and sexual content (ie, none) with rich worldbuilding, but slightly older characters who already know their identities.

What I liked:
- Worldbuilding! It's not clear from the marketing but it's Little Mermaid inspired as well as east Asian.
- I believe this is planned as a series, but I'm satisfied with the way that it ended.
- The dynamics between Mira, Kai, and Nami felt super realistic.

What I didn't like:
- Every single Asian-inspired love interest is named Kai. He also deserved a perspective.
- I could not stand Nami for a while
- I don't think my favorite character will be in the next book :(

Thank you to Orbit Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I absolutely loved the cover of this book and the use of mythology for its world-building; however, the story just didn’t agree with my preferred reading style. The first few chapters—the first one especially—felt like a huge lore dump, and for me, it was just an information overload. I did push through because I wanted to make sure I was giving the novel my entire due; however, there were just so many new things, relationships, and histories introduced early on that it didn’t really capture me and ultimately just made me feel overwhelmed. The first 20%–30% of the story was just too much at once for me. Add in the multi-POVs, and it became even more difficult for me to be enticed by the story. I didn’t really get too invested in any of the main characters—some of their behaviours were kind of repetitive, and I felt that aspects of their relationships were at times rushed. As a result, I didn’t get that overwhelming connection for any of the characters.

However, it should be noted that even though I didn’t agree with the structure of the narrative or certain stylistic elements, Eliza Chan’s writing was pure fantastical. The story’s strength lies in Chan’s sheer creativity—the setting, the emotions, and the details were beautifully written. It’s an interesting take on politics and current societal issues intertwined with mythology. And if you’re someone who enjoys that sort of political intrigue and in-depth detail, then 'Fathomfolk' would be an excellent read. Overall, I think it’s a well-written story with amazing painted imagery that ultimately didn’t suit my reading style, but I definitely think it's a great start for the universe.

Firstly, THE COVER. It’s absolutely gorgeous. I really enjoyed Eliza Chan's writing style, but had a couple reasons why I couldn't give this book five stars. 2 of the 3 points of view come from flawed characters so a good amount of time is spent on their poor decision-making. The other character was my favorite and she did not get as much focus that she deserved. The pacing was slow in the beginning, but if you stick with it the ending chapters are fantastic. Not a bad thing, but this book felt definitively YA; I came into this expecting adult fantasy.

I really believe book 2 will be able to explore the story and characters more because so much time was spent world-building and exploring the political climate. Overall, 3.5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3.5. I quite liked this! The writing is solid and the worldbuilding was particularly well done. Excited to see what this author writes next.

Thank you Net Galley for my ARC! A brilliant sweeping world filled with both Celtic and Asian mythological creatures trying to survive in the prejudiced world of humans . The descriptive narrative of politics and survival in Tiankawi for Fathomfolk will absolutely grab you and keep you intrigued.

My only issue really with the story telling is the relationship between Nami and Firth. I understand the need to have someone dragging Nami in and along but it seemed out of place as far as relationships go after having so many well fleshed out relationships throughout the book. Other than being handsome he doesn’t seem like someone of much substance.

CW: blood, speciesism?

Welcome to Tiankawi, a semi-submerged city that is a shining example of humans and fathomfolk-kelpies, sirens, seawitches, kappas-living in harmony. The reality is not quite what the city paints as humans look down on the fathomfolk from their skyscrapers and fathomfolk live in refugee areas and polluted waters. Half siren Mira is the newly promoted captain of the border guard which gives her a chance to help reform the city. Nami is an aristocratic water dragon that sees the lack of progress and aligns herself with an extremist group. Both of them must figure out what to do when violence erupts at the boat races and if the cost to change is worth it.

I was so excited to read this book because of the East and South Asian inspiration for water creatures. It is definitely up your alley if you ever wanted to be a mermaid. I really liked this book becausw of how it is written and the vivid imagery that the author lays out for you. There were certain plot lines that were a little too predictable for me, but others that shocked me completely. I like the growth of both characters a lot, and now I really can't wait for the next one!!

This was a highly anticipated read which left me with mixed feelings. 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.
One of the book's strengths lies in its worldbuilding. The city of Tiankawi, deeply rooted in Eastern Asian culture, provides a rich backdrop for the unfolding narrative. The incorporation of Asian delicacies added a layer of authenticity and made the setting come alive. However, the frequent mentions of street food hawkers became somewhat tiresome and repetitive, detracting from the overall experience.
The storyline deals with heavy themes, including the xenophobic tensions between Fathomfolk and regular humans, set against the backdrop of a decade-long civil war. The exploration of these complex societal issues adds depth to the narrative, making it politically charged and thought-provoking.

The narrative is told through the perspectives of three main characters: Mira, Nami, and Serena. Unfortunately, connecting with any of these characters proved to be a challenge. Their behaviors often felt inconsistent, and the lack of detailed history and development left them feeling underwhelming.
Romance plays a minor role in the plot, with two distinct arcs. One romance evolves from an already established relationship, offering a glimpse into the challenges of a mid-relationship struggle with social status. On the other hand, the second romance plot feels rushed and lacks believability, with the characters succumbing to insta-love. The abruptness of this connection, coupled with the disregard for evident red flags, left this romance plot very frustrating to read.
Despite its flaws, Fathomfolk remains a fascinating and politically charged read. The potential for a more immersive experience is evident, particularly in the development of characters. As the first book in a series, there is hope that the issues identified will be addressed and expanded upon in the sequel.

Thank you, NetGalley and Orbit Books and Little, Brown Book Group UK for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This cover is amazing and the synopsis drew my attention. I love mythology inspired stories especially from lesser represented countries. The siren lore sounded so cool. However I dnfed this book 7 chapters in. Nothing about this story was grabbing my attention. I kept forgetting character names and things seemed a little to drwn out for my liking.

Wow! What a stunning first book in a new series. Fathomfolk takes place in a very unique world, where humans and "fathomfolk" coexist. The fathomfolk (underwater creatures who can shapeshift to humans) are greatly mistreated on the island of Tainkawi, and the main characters try desperately to find acceptance through a variety of ways. Mira, a siren and captain of the chinthe guards, tries her best to help pass laws that will allow more tolerance and acceptance to the folk, along with the help of her seadragon boyfriend Kai. Kai's sister Nima gets involved with fathomfolk radicals who have a grand plan to upset the current state of Tiankawi. While their goals are the same, their means differ, and our main characters will have to find a way to fight for the acceptance of their people.

The setting of this book was so creative! I loved the half on land/half under water setting. It was really interesting to follow multiple different characters to see what they were up to and how their stories connected. I wish we heard more from Kai, and I was routing for his and Mira's love story the whole time! The ending was so sad and bittersweet; it made me want to read the next one right away, especially because we know something is coming, and also their are hints that the main bad guy was not who he was pretending to be(which was pretty obvious, but the question lingers...just who is he?)

I think you will love this book if you love water settings, sea creatures such as sea dragon, sirens, and kappa, want a story with a bit of romance, a bit of political upheaval, and a bit of betrayal. This is great for adult readers but could totally be read by teens as well.

5/5 stars

Thank you so much to netgalley and Orbit books for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the Author Eliza Chan.

Review: I want to say this book gave me “The legend of Korra” and “the little mermaid” vibes some how mixed into long winded political system. The first part of this book was a bit slow for my liking, but once you meet everyone and start to understand them a bit better it becomes amazing. I want to say after the first 20% you start to catch the world a bit better . I would advise to use google if you don’t know all the creatures. The author describes them perfectly. Absolutely loved this and wish I had a physical ARC. I will be buying once it releases!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this e-arc. I had high hopes for this book and the cover really is just stunning, but something just didn’t click for me. The story is interesting but I found that I just didn’t connect with the characters, which made it difficult to get emotionally invested.

I ended up really enjoying this book. I struggled a bit with the multi-POVs, and I won’t lie everything felt a bit chaotic in the beginning, but then things started picking up and strings started coming together and I found myself completely immersed in the story. The world building in this story is so unique and amazing, and the growth of the characters from the beginning to the end was great to read about. As a reader to see the manipulation of one of the fmcs was difficult yet really impactful to the story. I found myself sympathizing with all three main characters, which was a bit annoying when it came to Cordelia. I am super bummed the story is over and I’ll have to wait a year for the next one. I have so many theories and I can’t wait to see how everything pans out.

Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for allowing me to read a copy of this!

A third of the way through, I turned to friends and said "Oh, no. I like it. I'll be getting the [BOOK BOX]"

Because usually, Little Mermaid spins aren't a sort of thing my mind clicks with, but all the heart, complexity, and vividness of Fathomfolk eased the book in and smoothed over the Little Mermaid callouts. Mira, and how she kept trying, and trying, with her refusal to give up. Nami, righteous, and hurting, and hopeful, easily swept into the waves. Cordelia the Sea Witch, with her own plots and plans.

I loved seeing the different heritages and cultures in the book in both names and fathomfolk. Every time there was a new one I recognized, it felt like a little lightbulb, and for those I didn't, there was more I wanted to look up to learn about. Fathomfolk had a slow build, but I think it kept to the story-- after all, six months were passing in-book! The climax too, felt natural after the build, and I am truly interested to see the fallouts.

such a beautiful cover!!!! the book started off extremely slow for me, and usually i put it down if it doesn’t intrigue me within the first couple of chapters, however, i soldiered through and it was worth it. the worldbuilding was amazing and such a cozy book to read

Follow half-siren Mira, water dragon Nami, and Sea Witch Cordelia as they try to improve the lives of the Fathomfolk (water spirits and creatures from all types of cultural mythos around the world) in the half aubmerged city of Tiankawi, the psuedo-paradise where humans and folk should live in peace and harmony.

Of course that’s not always the case. The folk of Tiankawi are second class citizens, forced to wear pakalot bracelets that block their water magic and harm them if they try to raise a hand against humans. While this infuriates our three main pov characters, they each try to solve it differently.

Mira is the first of the fathomfolk to earn a position in the military: Captain of the Border guards, but though she follows the law to the letter everyone is still suspicious and nasty to her because of her siren heritage. Nami, princess of the underwater city, cannot stand the injustice the folk face above water and joins the rebellious Drawbacks in trying to sabatoge the city. Cordelia uses her magic to pretend to be human and win an affluent position for her family while keeping their heritage a secret.

Mira was perhaps the most likeable character, even though her refusal to face the racism and daily suspicion she recieves from both humans and the folk (who are all scared she will use her siren song to enchant them) is aggravating for the reader. She is perhaps a little too idealistic, believing that her hard work and following the rules will improve her situation. However she does go out of her way to help the folk and make their lives easier. Her will to ensure the peace and prosperity of the city is perhaps her strongest point. Her relationship with Kai (Nami’s older brother) was my favorite in the book, as it felt the most genuine and loving. Her love for her mother (dying from gill rot brought about by the human pollution of the waters around the city) was one of her strongest motivators.

Nami I found to be a bit naïve, a little too trusting of those she just met because they supposedly have the same ideas as she does, which constantly gets her into trouble. She ends up being the catalyst in a lot of Drawback plots and then continues to join them despite their constant betrayals and crossing the boundaries she has set for herself. Her romance with Firth came off a little too sudden (as if she was too young to know the difference between love and attraction) and quite manipulative on his part, which makes it hard for the reader to enjoy as you know he will not only betray her several times but it will hurt her quite badly. Sadly her only real relationships in the city end up being Mira and her mother Trish.

Cordelia was the most interesting character. Her magic allows her to shapeshift into other forms and she has a secret life as the human wife to the Minister of Defense and plots to get him a more prestigious position on the Council that rules the city all the while living a secret life as the villainous Sea Witch. I found it really interesting that she makes magically binding bargains that hurt her physically if she breaks them. While I enjoyed her arc the most it was sad to see her carefully curated life come crashing down around her. I suspect she will become quite nefarious in book two as she tries to rwbuild everything she lost and get revenge.

I most enjoyed the Asian inspiration that permeates the story, from the customs and food to the creatures themselves. While the book had a very political undercurrent that mirrors events happening all over the world today it was still easy to get lost in the characters’ struggles as they plot progressed. The book does have a bittersweet ending (not quite a cliffhanger) so be prepared to wait for book two.

I received an ARC of this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. Fathomfolk is one hell of an ambitious debut (and it lives up to its ambition!) With clear, confident prose, Chan weaves a vibrant world like none I've seen in fantasy novels before: a semi-submerged city where humans and various aquatic fathomfolk exist in an uneasy, unequal, and fragile cohabitation. As a Chinese Malaysian American, my heart sang at the many Southeast Asian influences - the rojak, the pandan and mung bean cake, the fishball skewers! - and the thoughtful, unflinching commentary on being a member of a diaspora resonated deeply.

With multiple complex, imperfect POV characters (including perhaps one of the best villains I've read all year), Fathomfolk tells a messy and interwoven tale of the hard choices we have to make and the different forms that progress can take: violent extremism, incremental reform from within, and something in between. Compelling, honest, and totally fresh - a brilliant debut.

A huge thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Orbit Books for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A beautifully crafted debut that incorporates real-world issues into a fantasy setting, and allows the reader to really dive into all the issues present in this novel.

The worldbuilding in this novel is intense, and while it took me a little effort to fully understand how everything worked, I really enjoyed the setting once I could easily picture it. The description of the city and the combination of where/how the humans live vs the folk I found really fascinating - especially with the opened up worldbuilding of the ability of the folk to live underwater. I think possibly a softer introduction to this world for the reader would have been nice, but overall it captivated me enough that I wanted to learn more.

This story is told through the multiple POVs of the main characters - Nami, Mira, Cordelia, and Serena. Since this is an advanced digital review copy, I have no idea if this will be the case in the finished novel, but I think a chapter title of the character’s names would make reading this easier. Nami and Mira have very similar character voices, and there were a few times I wasn’t sure which one was speaking until I saw their name written. I don’t think it’s that much of an issue that their voices are similar, as they have very similar motivations and beliefs - they just have their own way of reaching them. Cordelia and Serena have a very distinct narrative voice, so for their chapters I immediately knew which character was speaking.

There isn’t a great deal of romance in this novel, and the little that is I thought was mildly lacking. .Mira and Kai are already romantically linked by the time the novel starts, so while they have a fairly healthy relationship I found some difficulty connecting to them as a couple. I think it would have been nice to see their relationship develop, which could have provided a nice parallel to the relationship that Nami has later in this book. Since Mira and Nami are very much two sides of the same coin as characters, I think I would have preferred a more explicit parallel for the relationships they form in this novel.

I also had difficulty connecting with Nami and Firth’s relationship, as it was very close to insta-love and I had questioned why she was so taken so quickly. There were a few times Nami began to question Firth’s intentions, but once she saw him she decided to be with him anyway. I think it might have worked better if he was a folk who is known for using their allure, or something to force attraction, to make this work better. However, while we can sense some issues hiding under the water with their relationship, it never fully was too unbelievable that Nami was just simply attracted to him - it just happens that that’s not my preferred relationship dynamic.

Since this is an early digital review copy, I have no idea if this will be in the final draft. However, I want to suggest a glossary of terms in this novel to help the reader more easily learn what certain words or creatures mean, to more easily read through this novel.

All-in-all this was a solid debut with a strong voice and unique worldbuilding, and I highly suggest everyone to check this out. There are a few plot twists that I didn't see coming, some hints at a deeper world to be explored in the next novel, as well as some heartbreak that I will be devastated if it’s not resolved. This novel left me wanting more, and I am very excited to see where the author continues the story.