The Tide Watcher of Zeeland

About this book

In an alternate 1953, the North Sea Flood never receded, leaving the Dutch province of Zeeland permanently submerged under a authoritarian regime known as the Water Board. Society is strictly divided by elevation: the elite reside in the dry, fortified Crownline dike-cities, while the impoverished struggle in the Mud Wards, a damp shantytown on stilts where the tide dictates every waking moment. Young Kaviya, a talented mechanic from the Mud Wards, spends her days repairing old patrol engines and dreaming of the open sea. Her life changes when she discovers a waterproof capsule containing a rusted, illegal map suggesting that the floodwaters are being artificially maintained by the Water Board to ensure their control. Hunted by the ruthless Inspector Anouk who enforces the safety zone laws, Kaviya teams up with Malik, a disillusioned Crownline engineer, and Nuka, an elderly keeper of pre-flood history. Together, they must navigate the treacherous canals, evade the searchlights of patrol boats, and unlock the secrets of the massive sluice gates before the Water Board initiates a 'Final Drainage' that threatens to wipe the Mud Wards from existence. This is a story of resilience, friendship, and the fight for dry land in a world drowning in secrets.