Tall Water

by S.J. Sindu, Dion MBD (Illustrator)

A coming-of-age teen graphic novel that follows one girl’s journey to Sri Lanka to reconnect with her long-lost mother during the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004.

Ever since she turned sixteen, Nimmi has wanted to see her mother. Though she has a loving but overprotective father and a budding relationship, she yearns to travel to Sri Lanka to confront the mother who refused to leave the island during a war, not even for Nimmi’s sake. Her father is going back for the first time as a reporter on assignment, but he refuses to take her, deeming Sri Lanka too dangerous.

But then Nimmi's mother appears to her in a dream, asking her to come find her, and Nimmi knows she must go. Her father is livid when he sees her at baggage claim, but by then it’s too late, and he reluctantly agrees to help Nimmi make contact with her mother. In Sri Lanka, Nimmi tags along with her father and his guide, past checkpoints and armed soldiers and increasing hints of the war that rages there.

However, the day after Christmas, disaster strikes and a tsunami ravages the island. Stranded amid the devastation and destruction, can Nimmi reunite with her mother? Through her journey, Nimmi might just learn that the person she most needed to find was herself.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Comics, LGBT, Fiction, Queer

256 pages, Hardcover

First published August 12, 2025

About the author

SJ Sindu is a Tamil diaspora author of two novels, Marriage of a Thousand Lies and Blue-Skinned Gods, as well as the hybrid fiction and nonfiction chapbook I Once Met You But You Were Dead. A 2013 Lambda Literary Fellow, Sindu holds a PhD in English from Florida State University, and teaches at the University of Toronto.

Reviews

[Bookishrealm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whew...

CW: violence and death on page

This was a powerful, but tough read. Shout out to Sindu for using the specific art form to capture a conflict that many Western individuals (including myself) know little about. I've been searching for more books that take place in Sri Lanka or have Sri Lankan representation. Especially books that are written for a middle grade/young adult audience. Though I've read Sindu in the past (Shakti), this book is strikingly different. It encourages readers to engage with history in a different manner and forces us to reckon with conflict on a global scale. Though I was aware of the impact of the tsunami of 2004, I had no idea that the Sri Lankan civil war occurred at the same time. Through the development of Nimmi as a character, readers learn more about the emotional, physical, and mental ramifications of the civil war as well as the tsunami. This is one I definitely recommend checking out.

[Andrea Beatriz Arango]

Where are my SHAKTI fans at? 👀 S.J. Sindu is back (with Dion MBD illustrating), this time with a YA graphic novel set in Sri Lanka during the 2004 tsunami.

In it, aspiring journalist Nimmi travels to Sri Lanka to finally meet her Tamil mother for the first time since the civil war separated her parents when Nimmi was a baby. Except it's 2004 and the war is still happening, and Nimmi is as unprepared to witness that as she is to live through a climactic disaster.

I've personally only ever read one other kidlit book set in Sri Lanka during the war (the middle grade I Am Kavi, which I highly recommend) so I was thrilled to pick this one up to add to my rec list. It's heavy, but well worth the read, and like all of Sindu's kidlit so far, includes really lovely casual queerness as well.

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nimmi Campbell's family was torn apart in the 1980s by the Sri Lankan civil war when she was an infant. Raised in South Dakota by her American father, she longs to see her Sri Lankan mother, long kept apart from them by the continuing conflict and governmental red tape. In December 2004, 17-year-old Nimmi is finally able to travel to Sri Lanka for a reunion, unaware that another disaster is looming over her family.

A nice story about family, identity, and survival that provides a welcome glimpse into the culture and history of this far-away country.

[Jess Renaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn’t prepared for how deep and heavy this would be. It made me tear up multiple times and the art is stunning on top of a fantastic story. 4.75 stars I wish it went into a bit more of the mother daughter relationship, especially considering their circumstances but this was stunning.

[Sacha · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

I absolutely love Sindu's writing, but based on what I've encountered so far, I did not anticipate a YA graphic novel. This - though serious in its themes - was a pleasure to encounter.

Nimmi is in her teens and facing the impending challenge of college admissions, a birthday, and a reminder that her mom is more distant (in all ways) than she'd like. She's determined to get to know her mother, who lives in Sri Lanka (Nimmi does not), and she takes drastic measures to try to make that happen.

The book is set in the thick of violence, and Sindu does not shy away from this. The depictions are appropriate for older teen readers, but they are there, so I'd suggest a quick content check for all prospective readers simply to make sure they're in the right headspace to encounter all of this. There are scenes of war-related violence and Mother Nature's wrath, and both reflect reality, difficult as they may be.

I really appreciate a book that not only comes through with engaging characters and plotting but also that has a lot to offer in a cultural and historical context that will be new to many. I'm looking forward to sharing this one with students (and recommend it highly to prospective readers of all kinds) for many reasons.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and HarperAlley for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Tall Water" is a coming-of-age graphic novel that teaches readers about the importance of perspective, empathy, and bearing witness. Nimmi's family is separated by more than just distance as her parents were forced to take different paths during the Sri Lankan civil war. Having never met her mother and having maintained correspondence only through letters and awkward phone calls, Nimmi is reunited with her mom for the first time since she was just a baby and has to confront her emotions of being left behind.

The novel moves quickly and smoothly aided by the clear and beautifully illustrated pages. Unlike some graphic novels, the characters in "Tall Water" feel well developed and complex. While there were times I felt Nimmi's actions were a bit childish for an eighteen year old, the reasons behind her behavior felt realistic.

I would definitely read another of Sindu's books, and I'll be on the look out for more of Dion MBD's gorgeous work!

[Elizabeth A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set around the time of the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 this coming of age YA graphic novel explores a biracial teen's journey to connect with her Tamil mother in Sri Lanka.

Illustrations by Dion MBD and his color palette choice are really good, though I was confused as to why our protagonist looks like she's a tween and not 17. While I appreciate the rep, complex themes were too lightly touched on for this adult reader. Can see how this would work better for the target audience.

Ratings for S.J. Sindu books
Marriage of a Thousand Lies - 4
Shakti: A Graphic Novel - 3
Tall Water - 3

[Cece ✿ · Rating 1 out of 5]

1⭐️
My opinion: I wanted to dnf immediately, but decided to finish it because it was so short. I really didn’t like the drawing style in this book and it was unexpectedly really graphic which made me uncomfortable. This is my fourth 1⭐️ ever, a rating I reserve only for books I truly hate. I rated it this way for a few reasons: mostly because of how unsettlingly graphic the violent scenes are, but also because the whole book felt kind of unnecessary. The story is about the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, which I was interested in learning more about. Nothing really sets this book apart from other recounts or retellings of this event though, nothing I haven’t heard before. If you’re interested in reading Tall Water, I highly recommend watching the movie ‘The Impossible’ instead, which portrays the event so much better.

genre: graphic novel, historical fiction
pov: first person, present tense
trope: -

Age rating: 14+
Violence: so. much. blood. People shed blood from getting scraped on their arms or legs, a guy gets a black eye, a guy gets hit in the head with the butt of a gun, he bleeds a lot, the illustrator drew the pages with violent scenes to look like they’re splattered with blood - it’s actually very unsettling. Kids drown (kind of graphic), de@d people float face down in the water
Romance: the fmc has a boyfriend
Drinking/drugs/smoking: people are seen smoking in the background of a couple illustrations (which I felt was unnecessary)
Language: 1 h3llh0le
Other: a girl kisses fmc on cheek twice throughout the book, there are obvious romantic feelings between them, but nothing happens more than that (this felt very unnecessary to the story)

Trigger warnings:
- blood (on-page)
- death (on-page)
- war (off-page)

Publish date: 12-August-2025
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

[tillie hellman · Rating 4 out of 5]

quite intense and deals with some really dark historical events but also about resilience and family and caring for others. beautiful artwork and strong characters

[Liralen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nimmi has grown up in the US, living with her father and communicating with her mother only through letters—but when her father has the opportunity to return to Sri Lanka, where Nimmi is born and her mother still lives, she's desperate to go too. Sri Lanka is still at war, though, and Nimmi soon feels in over her head. And: It's December of 2004. None of them can know what's coming.

This is a graphic novel for young adults, but it's one for readers who can take heavy themes. The major themes are the war in Sri Lanka and the Boxing Day tsunami—Nimmi finds herself witness to the first and right in the middle of the second. (I was going to say that it doesn't hold back, but I don't think that's entirely accurate—for all that Nimmi witnesses, she's on the periphery of violence and presumably has significant protection conferred by her dual citizenship; this would be a very different story if it were about someone living in the thick of it. Nimmi hears some of those stories, but she and the reader are spared the worst of it. She sees bodies (I remember reading news story after news story and just not being able to comprehend the scale of the disaster), but the reader is again spared the worst of it.

It's well done. I didn't need the mini romance of the book (I never need the mini romance), but there's a lot of complexity packed into a relatively short story. War, natural disaster, romance, identity, family history, family reconciliation...I hope this ends up in a lot of high school libraries.

[Sarah Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not know much amount the Sri Lankan Civil War or the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and earthquake before requesting this graphic novel on NetGalley. While reading, I was overcome with grief for the people affected by both of these devastating tragedies. I was moved by the storytelling, art style, and emotion striking each page. The visual portrayal of Nimmi’s hopes and dreams juxtaposed with her fear and pain is heartbreakingly beautiful. I appreciated how Nimmi’s coming-of-age experiences, like high school, applying to college, self-discovery, relationships, and family dynamics, were incorporated, too. She felt real and relatable, so I was invested in her as the story progressed and the stakes increased exponentially. It was impossible not to make connections to current events and recent history about which I have read, studied, and/or recall. Amongst many others, some of the events I could not help but think about while reading were Israel’s genocide of the Palestinian people, the United States quickly descending in fascism, the Sierra Leonean Civil War, and Hurricane Katrina. The role of the media and journalism is crucial to this story, the other aforementioned examples, and countless more. As Nimmi’s father reminds her, “Never look away.” It is my greatest hope one day this kind of story will no longer be considered timeless and timely. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

[Katy Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tall Water is the story of Nimmi and her desire to reconnect with the mother she hasn't seen since she was a baby. Nimmi's father is a journalist who was reporting on the war in Shri Lanka when he met Nimmi's mother and they started dating. Soon after Nimmi was born, conflict erupted in that area, and Nimmi's father fled with Nimmi while her mother stayed behind. Nimmi and her mother only have a relationship through letters because her mother doesn't have access to the internet at the orphanage she runs and hasn't been able to get a visa. When Nimmi's father tells her he's going to Shri Lanka to report on a story, she decides to hijack his trip and meet him at the airport. Nimmi gets more than she bargained for as she discovers the tumultuous country her mother lives in. The author did a great job of balancing the horrors of Shri Lanka and the war with the beauty as well; we get a balanced view of the place and the people, and we grow to understand why her mother wasn't able to leave -- both logistically and emotionally. One aspect that I didn't like about the story was that Nimmi starts having feelings for someone on the trip while she has a boyfriend back home. I think the aspect of self-discovery is important, but I wish she'd been honest with the person she starts having feelings for and tell them about her boyfriend. This would be a good read for high school readers who like history, world cultures, learning about other places, and, of course, graphic novels. The artwork is very engaging and well done. I really loved how, in one part, when difficult things were happening the colors got darker to help reinforce those ideas. Overall, I think this is an important story and well told. This was a four-star read for me.

[callistoscalling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you the publisher for a gifted copy of this book; all thoughts are my own!

📖 Book Review 📖 SJ Sindu & Dion MBD whisk readers on an absolutely beautiful and heartfelt coming of age journey. Like any young adult, Nimmi feels a strong sense to connect with her past as she grows into her own identity. While she lives with her father in the Midwest, her mother stayed in war-torn Sri Lanka and her hope is to reconnect with her prior to attending college in the states. In her own act of rebellion, she joins her father on a press journey to Sri Lanka in 2004, facing risks greater than they would have ever anticipated. As the ocean surges in a massive tsunami, this family - and country’s -true strength is tested. Tall Water explores the invisible string that exists between families no matter the distance, the magic of dreams, and the awesome yet terrifying strength of natural disasters. Grief and healing comes in waves and this powerfully cathartic graphic novel speaks volumes to this nature.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a gut wrenching and beautiful graphic novel. Nimmi hasn't seen her mother since she was a baby because she lives in Sri Lanka. Her father refuses to take her when a job comes up for him but she sneaks over anyway. Nimmi finally sees her mother again when they go to the UNICEF orphanage she runs. Unfortunately, they are there on December 26, 2004 when the big tsunami hits. This is a story of loss, love, abandonment, and what it means to be a parent, child, and refugee. The illustrations absolutely bring this story to life.
I was provided an advanced copy of this book which has not affected my review.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredibly moving, personal and eye-opening YA graphic novel about Nimmi, a biracial American Sri Lankan teen who tags along with her journalist father when he goes back to a war-torn Sri Lanka in December 2004, just before the country is ravaged by a freak tsunami.

Though mad when he discovers Nimmi came against his wishes, her dad does allow Nimmi to come with him as they travel to visit her mother's orphanage. The mother she hasn't seen since she was a tiny child. Along this journey, Nimmi is shocked by the occupation, the treatment of soldiers and eventually is able to make peace with her mother's abandonment, while also catching feelings for the cute young female guide who helps her and her father.

Highly recommended with absolutely GORGEOUS illustrations! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review! I loved this book a LOT and can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy when it's released later this year.

[MSabatiniReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the opportunity to read a pre-publication/ARC of this and although some of the transitions between scenes were lacking, the overall story is a must read. A suggested read for those who love a good graphic novel memoir (or in this case, historical fiction graphic novel) about a teen trying to find her identity after having been separated from her Sri Lankan mother her entire life. She travels to Sri Lanka "with" her father only to experience a mother who she feels did not try hard enough to come to her and build a relationship with her. She experiences violence, the effects of war and poverty on a nation that she is a part of, but does not really connect to. In one trip and one tsunami event, she learns more about herself than she ever anticipated. A tiny insight into Sri Lankan history, the limitations of the visa and asylum systems and how knowing where one comes from can bring power and confidence.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tall Water is a YA graphic novel by SJ Sindu and follows the character of Nimmi, a teen girl living in the US with her father while her mother, who she does not have a memory of, still lives in Sri Lanka, unable to get a visa to come to the US. Nimmi wants to go meet her and gets the opportunity when her father, a journalist, gets his visa reinstated to go cover the war in Sri Lanka. While there she learns more about the civil war going on in Sri Lanka and its effects on the people in the region. While there, she also experiences the 2004 tsunami and the destruction it brought to the region. So, while the readers enjoy Nimmi's coming of age story, they are also learning more about the history of the region. Thank you to the publishers and Net Galley for this ARC.

[mariel !! · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book hit my heart in all the ways it was meant to

[disco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Following your dreams to the unimaginable.

[Heidi Burkhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent GN based on true events in Sri Lanka. Highly recommended.

[Samantha Porter]

📚Printz Book Club #2📚

[Mariana · Rating 4 out of 5]

The date should’ve clued me in for what was gonna happen but it took me by surprise. I think this is a wonderful story portraying a subject that I don’t know much about so it was interesting to learn. I can’t imagine the courage it took Nimmi to defy her father like that and book a flight to Sri Lanka but I’m so glad everything turned out ok. Great graphic novel!

[Tutankhamun18 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This does not flinch away from violence and terror, but I think does so in a manner I assume is realistic. It tells a very small and narrow story, but does so well. However, the characters, like the colour palette of the art, is somewhat flat. I would have liked to have seen more conversations that Nimmi had with friends, her boyfriend, father or mother (or anyone) to give her character more depth. I felt it was there but never saw past the surface and this was a little disappointing as a reader.

[Carson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 stars (rounded down)

I can tell this book had a lot of emotion and care in it, and it has some strengths, but I think some of the ideas were underdeveloped. it’s a coming-of-age story about a sri lankan american girl named nimmi secretly accompanying her journalist father back to sri lanka for the first time since she was a baby, and getting to meet her mother in person, since her parents were forced apart during a civil war. then a hurricane hits the country and they have to deal with the aftermath. I don’t know much about sri lanka, and i learned some things about it in this book, so i enjoyed that aspect. and it’s partially based on the writer’s actual life, so I’m glad they got to tell their story.

there’s actually not a lot of text, which I don’t generally mind, but the book is trying to cover a lot of ideas and content and while the art is adequate it’s not strong enough to carry the story. so the book feels too short to accomplish what it wants to do, even though in page count it’s is a decent length for a graphic novel.

I wanted nimmi to have more of a character arc/growth, especially in her relationship with her mother, who she has complicated feelings. and I think thematically there were some missed opportunities. nimmi feels called to find her mother after having a dream where she has wings and is floating over a stormy ocean, and her mom comes to her. there are a couple visual callbacks to the dream, but I really wish they leaned into the metaphysical a bit more. for example, the hurricane hits, and there’s a pretty long sequence of the characters being thrown around in the water, swimming, trying to find each other, etc. which feels like the climax of the book in a physical action sense? but then after that, they’re recovering and rebuilding from the hurricane, and nimmi has a fight with her mother (well, it’s pretty one-sided, nimmi just kind of blows up at her), and her mother explains how hard she tried to get back to them but was prevented from going so. and they make up and nimmi is inspired to take a gap year after high school to come back and work at the orphanage. so that feels like the emotional climax of the book. I wish these two events were one thing. consider this: what it the hurricane… was also a metaphor? where nimmi and her mom were having this conversation during the hurricane. or at least nimmi was having some sort of flashback/abstract experience where the chaos of the hurricane was paralleled to her emotions, and she was having visions similar to her dream. because that’s the kind of thing you can do visually in a graphic novel! idk I wanted the hurricane to be a symbolic culmination of the story in some way, but instead it was just a Plot Event.

one other thing I though was interesting was that the color palettes of the pages were quite dark. the cover is much more pastel, and then you flip through the book and it’s primarily dark greys and blues. I did like the infrequent but effective use of red shown in the moments of war, but I don’t think I liked the overall lack of contrast and I wish the coloring felt a bit more purposeful.

finally I got this at a queer book sale, so I did assume it was going to feature a queer story more than it did, especially because the author is queer — not the book’s fault, just my expectation. but then I started reading and nimmi had a boyfriend in america who she seemed to really like, so I thought maybe I was misled. BUT THEN nimmi has a weird flirtation with this other sri lankan girl that never really materializes into anything, but it’s clear they’re kinda into each other?? what?? like I’m glad they didn’t get together or anything because nimmi has a boyfriend but it was kinda weird. I wish that aspect was either developed more or removed entirely, because it felt really out of place.

I’d recommend tall water to people because I liked learning about sri lanka, but I mourn the world where a better version of this book exists

[Tori North · Rating 4 out of 5]

First and foremost, thank you to Netgalley and HarperAlley for providing this ARC copy in exchange for my honest review

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⚝ Rating ⚝: 4✩ / 5✩’s

⚝ Review ⚝: Taking place in the early 2000's during the height of the Civil War in Sri Lanka, Tall Water follows Nimmi, a 17 year old girl who was born in Sri Lanka, but raised in South Dakota. She has never met her mother, their entire relationship being built on letters and a few awkward phone calls over the years. For Nimmi, the most important thing in life is for her and her boyfriend to both get into their dream colleges so that they are only a couple hours away and their relationship can continue. But Nimmi has started to have dreams of her mother back in Sri Lanka, and her mother is begging Nimmi to come find her.

After what she considers a disastrous interview at her dream college, Nimmi's father informs her that he is returning to Sri Lanka for work, but due to the ongoing war, Nimmi is to remain home. Instead of listening to her father, Nimmi uses his credit card to book her own flight to Sri Lanka, arriving close to the same time as her father. Understandably, her father is furious and threatens to send her home, but Nimmi convinces him to let her stay so she can meet her mother.

Traveling through Sri Lanka both for her father's work as well as to get to the orphanage where her mother works, Nimmi is faced with the reality that, much like what her father told her before they traveled to Sri Lanka, she wasn't ready to see many of the things they saw: Violence, abuse, discrimination. Her father also tries to warn her about her relationship with her mother to brace her, but Nimmi still isn't prepared for the fact that her mother is a complete stranger to her. While visiting the orphanage and attempting to get to know her mother, a tsunami strikes--the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami that is estimated to have killed 21,715 people.

Now Nimmi and her father are stranded in Sri Lanka.

I learned a lot about some of the recent history of Sri Lanka through this graphic novel, especially as I was only around 12/13 during the events in this story.

As for some critique, I feel there were several important areas of the story that were kind of glossed over or moved over too quickly, and at times, it felt like a panel or even page was missing as sometimes the story seemed to jump just a bit too suddenly.

⚝ Illustrations⚝: Illustrated by Dion MBD, the illustration/style of the graphic novel fit with the story so well.

⚝ Representation ⚝: AAPI, Queer

⚝ TWs ⚝: War, Death, Blood, Child Loss, Grief, Natural Disaster, Violence

[The Book Nerd's Corner · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick graphic novel read that acts as a great introduction to the wars in Sri Lanka and the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004.

Nimmi has dreams to be a journalist just like her parents. She loves her father, but she still yearns to meet her mother, who never made it out of Sri Lanka. When Nimmi's father gets an opportunity to cover the Sri Lankan wars, Nimmi secretly books herself a flight and travels to Sri Lanka alongside him. She's finally given the chance to meet her mother and to discover the truth behind why her mother never left the country of her birth. Unfortunately, danger lurks around every corner in Sri Lanka, both human and natural.

This one was a super short read, which is why I believe that this is a great introduction to the Sri Lankan wars and the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004, but it isn't much more than that. It is also a story of a girl reconciling with her mother and learning truths about herself that she's never been brave enough to face before.

The general existence in Sri Lanka seems to leave everyone very on edge. There are countless check points, armed guards, and people are killed if the government catches a single whiff of the resistance. I honestly knew nothing about Sri Lanka before reading this book, so I definitely learned some things, I just feel it wasn't in depth enough for me to really take much away from it.

The art style was also subpar to me. The way that the art is done makes everything appear very flat, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but something that just sort of rubbed me the wrong way.
During the course of this book, Nimmi gets to reconnect with her home country and the mother she never knew. She definitely still has a ton to work through, but her healing journey has officially begun. She also begins to realize that she may be bisexual, and that her feelings for her boyfriend, Daniel, may not actually be all that strong.

I think my biggest problem with this story is that I didn't connect to anything all that much. Yes, I appreciate the historical narrative and my heart goes out to all those that have suffered during these events, but I had a hard time personally bonding with any of the characters.

Overall, "Tall Water" was a decent enough graphic novel that works as a good introduction to the Sri Lankan wars and the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004. I learned a bit about what life is like in Sri Lanka, which was enlightening because this is a country I knew absolutely nothing about prior to reading this book. Unfortunately, I didn't connect with any of the characters all that deeply and the style of art wasn't my favorite. It was a super speedy read though, so definitely worth it, just not something I'll probably remember for all that long.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.9/4?

Coloring is gorgeous and color reproduction is high. Short read and clear storyline. Appreciate how it covers civil war and hurricane, which did happen in Sri Lanka. Shows how beautiful Sri Lanka is! Enjoyed the illustrations in the dream sequences.

I love the portrayal of Nimmi, from her hair to her facial expressions to her clothes! Also loved how her cat made it into so many frames!! I really appreciated how the work showed Sri Lanka in nature, in civil war times, and post-hurricane. The author drew from her experiences and for history and I think it was so well-done. The scenes where the driver has rebel ties and gets assaulted, the checkpoints with soldiers and guns, and where Nimmi’s dad gets a black eye shows the seriousness and brutality of a country embroiled in civil war. The scenes at Nimmi’s mom’s orphanage show the effects of war too, and of natural disasters on a country already struggling.

Really liked the relationship Nimmi has with each of her parents as they share their stories with her. There were a number of scenes that got me a bit emotional - when Nimmi throws her arms around her dad after he appears beaten, and when Nimmi hears her mom’s story for the first time. Nimmi is relatable in questioning why her mom never came back for her and being anxious about meeting her mom for the first time, feeling like she is a stranger. The struggles with visas and leaving a country will be things people can relate to. It’s also jarring to see the physical beating of a soldier, and I liked that Shelia (Sri Lankan guide) said that it’s hard to see that for the first time. There also were multiple illustrations with blood (just 1-2 that were more graphic-ish, but the rest were fine) and one with a dead body discovered. Again, the work doesn’t shy away for the difficulties of life in death, war, injuries, natural disaster, poverty, and orphanages, and I appreciated that, as I know very little about Sri Lanka, much less about their civil war or hurricane.

I liked how the book gave us a lot of context information about Nimmi’s life through the format of her writing letters to her mom, who is in Sri Lanka. I also enjoyed the emphasis on journalism, passion about making war and genocide heard, and how Nimmi’s parents were both journalists and Nimmi wanting to be a journalist herself.

Not really sure how I felt about the budding romances with Daniel at home and then Sheila in Sri Lanka. Queer representation, Asian representation.

Blood, death, civil war, government checkpoints, violence, fleeing, and hurricane.

[Hami Gua · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heart wrenching and incredibly human depiction of civilians impacted by war and a natural disaster

This graphic novel was a masterpiece in storytelling. At the end, in the author’s letter, she says that the events of the book were based on experiences she and her friends and family had. Every moment of the story felt so real, I had no doubt that it was based on real experiences, even before reading that letter. I loved going on this journey with our main character, 17-year-old Nimmi. My biggest pet peeve when I read books about teenagers is usually that their actions and logic don’t make sense. Of course, from an outsider’s perspective a teen’s logic can be very skewed, but inside someone’s mind, they always have reasons for what they do. From the very first few pages of this book, though, I was struck by how fleshed out Nimmi’s character was. Sometimes I didn’t agree with her choices, but I could see exactly where she was coming from. Her anger, passion, fear, and sadness all made perfect sense to me.

The emotional impact of this graphic novel was intense. I didn’t know anything about the Sri Lankan Civil War before reading this. The depiction of war and natural disaster was so visceral that I am tearing up again just writing this review. It wasn’t gory necessarily, but the suffering came clearly through the pages. It was hard to see, but just like the tagline on the back cover says, you can’t and shouldn’t look away.

There was a tiny bit of wlw romance, and I liked how it was done. There wasn’t a lot of time spent building it up, but it also didn’t feel random. The mother-daughter relationship exploration was also well done. I did wish during a few moments that Nimmi’s Amma’s expression more clearly showed hesitation when she didn’t answer Nimmi’s questions, but the payoff of the reveals were good, so it wasn’t a big deal. The art told the story well enough, but there were just a few moments when the anatomy was off and that took me out of the immersion a little bit. Overall, it was an incredibly raw, realistic, and hopeful depiction of people trying to survive and find humanity during war. This is a very age-appropriate way to help highschoolers build empathy and activism for people going through global crises around the world.

[Julesy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nimmi’s American father is a journalist who has an assignment in Sri Lanka, where her mother has natively lived since Nimmi was an infant. Nimmi longs to see her mother again but her father forbids her from going with him was the war-torn country is quite dangerous for a teenager. Nimmi goes against her father’s wishes and boards on a plane to Sri Lanka anyway. Her furious father tells her the conditions of being in a war-torn country. After they were held captive and she witnesses a vicious beating of their bus driver, she sees firsthand that her father’s warnings are not to be taken lightly. Once they arrive at the orphanage where Nimmi’s mother works, the family reunites. After the Indian Ocean major earthquake, a tsunami hits Sri Lanka and sweeps away the orphanage. Who will survive?

I didn’t feel any real connection to the story. I know that war plays a significant part of Sri Lanka’s history but I felt like it consumed too much of the story. I was well aware of the earthquake and tsunamis that hit much of that part of the world at the time. However, there was not much on the tsunami and the aftermath, comprising only one-third of the entire book – the title is misleading. I was not impressed with the artwork nor the coloring. The lines on the illustrations were broken and not clear. The colors were drab and sepia toned, perhaps to set the mood for the story but I found it incredibly dreary. I also did not care for the growing attraction between Nimmi and the Red Cross volunteer. It seems like it was thrown in there just to appeal to an LGBTQIA+ audience. The interactions between Nimmi and her mother are heartbreaking yet hopeful. I am happy to see there is some representation for people from Sri Lanka. This is the first story I’ve read that included Sri Lankans.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy.

[Erin Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Harper Teen for the ARC.

Tall Water is a powerful YA graphic novel that blends personal identity, historical trauma, and survival into a brief but emotionally intense story. Set during the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and amid the ongoing Sri Lankan civil war, the novel follows Nimmi, a teen girl traveling to reconnect with her estranged Tamil mother for the first time.

The setting is compelling, and the inclusion of Tamil and Sri Lankan perspectives is long overdue in Western YA. S.J. Sindu writes with restraint and clarity, while Dion MBD's illustrations are expressive and memorable, though at times quite graphic. Some readers may find the depiction of blood, death, and natural disaster unsettling, but it matches the scale of the real-life tragedy being portrayed.

This is a coming-of-age story that doesn’t offer easy answers. The narrative is fast-paced, and while that makes it accessible, it also limits emotional depth in a few key scenes. The romantic subplot is very light, but it adds dimension to Nimmi’s character without becoming the focus. Ultimately, this book succeeds in giving space to lesser-known stories of survival and loss, and it may resonate deeply with readers who value emotional honesty.

• Striking visual storytelling that supports the emotional weight
• Rare Tamil and Sri Lankan rep in YA
• Thoughtful handling of trauma and identity
• Casual queer representation without needing explanation

• Some scenes may be too graphic for sensitive readers
• The pacing moves quickly and may feel rushed
• Lighter touch on some heavier themes that could use more development

Rating: 4 stars
Tall Water is a sobering and timely story, brief but important, and it opens a door into a region and history often overlooked in teen fiction. Recommended with care.