Fathomfolk, book 1 in the Drowned World series, was one of my absolute favourite books last year, I put it on my “underrated books you need to read” list, I love it dearly and I was so, so excited when I got to read Tideborn, its sequel!
Synopsis:
The people of Tiankawi have been irrevocably changed. Once divided into two factions – humans and the underwater ‘fathomfolk’ – now every citizen is able to breathe underwater. But this new commonality is not enough to heal the scars of years of oppression. Mira, a siren and activist, must uncover a deadly conspiracy while persuading her divided people to band together to rebuild their city after a tsunami. And dragon princess Nami must undertake a daring sea voyage to do the to find a way to convince a Titan not to destroy their city for its crimes.
Book: Tideborn | Series: Drowned World #2 | Author: Eliza Chan | Publisher: Orbit | Release Date: 25.03.2025 | Pages: 384 | Genre: fantasy
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!
Rating:
YOU MIGHT ENJOY THE DROWNED WORLD IF YOU LIKE…
political issues | multiple PoVs | complex characters | established romantic relationships | morally grey characters | interesting world building | moral issues | power games and intrigues | complex families | “living for the hope of it all” | mythical beings | waterfolk | ocean setting | urban fantasy
Have you read Fathomfolk yet? What are some of your favourite books with multiple POVs? What are your most anticipated releases for the rest of 2025?
Until next time,
