Thirsty Mermaids

Kat Leyh is a pretty huge name in middle grade comics. To my knowledge, Thirsty Mermaids is her first take on an adult story, and I found it a roaring success. The type of book I finished in a single day because I kept telling myself ‘just one more page’. Sometimes graphic novels can really push you to slow down and grapple with difficult ideas, but other times you just want a fun romp of a mermaid cracking leg jokes as she tries to figure out how they work. This book was perfect for a lazy Saturday, though I sort of wish I’d read it in the middle of summer while at the beach.

Elevator Pitch
When Pearl, Tooth, and Eez drunkenly decide to try out being humans, they don’t have a plan on how to turn back. They find themselves stranded on land without an understanding of money, housing, or how to walk without stumbling. They’re taken in by a generous bartender, and each faces their own struggles as the trio try to find their way back home. This book is silly, emotional, and vibrant.

What Worked for Me
At first, I was not a huge fan of the characters in this book. They’re all exaggerated in both art style and characteristics. Tooth is loud, brash, and larger than life. Pearl is the nominal leader of the group, but rarely knows what she’s doing. Eez is weird and quiet, and possesses far more elbow than any character has a right to own. Leyh really managed to nail the tonal shifts in this story though. As the plot progressed, shifting from an early stream of comedic jokes as the mermaids try to find their legs (literally and metaphorically) to a more serious story of self-acceptance and confidence-building, their personalities mellowed and became more serious. The transition was natural, smooth, and lent itself really well to an immediate lighthearted hook that slapped you in the face with more emotions than you were quite prepared to deal with in a book called Thirsty Mermaids. 

The art in this story is extremely cartoonish; it would be easy to imagine this animated and put on adult swim with some modifications. You’ve got lots of bold and bright color choices, clear contrast, and layout choices that don’t force you to slow down to parse what’s happening. However, I thought Leyh nailed the emotive style necessary for this type of graphic novel to work. Eez in particular (who I think has the most compelling character arc out of our three leads) had some great pages that really gave you a peek into her heart and soul. You’ll find vibrancy, movement, and smart choices throughout this whole book. 

What Didn’t Work For Me
If you come to Thirsty Mermaids expecting a lot of thematic heft, you’ll walk away disappointed. There’s some good, if basic, character arcs happening, a straightforward but effective analogy between the mermaid’s experience and how trans people feel pre-transition. However, it never gets terribly profound, and isn’t going to ask you to radically reimagine your own views. Even when sad, it’s with the knowledge that the ending is probably going to be happy, and that the character’s pain will inevitably lead to a satisfying catharsis. This was actually a choice that I was fine with, but I guess I need to find something to criticize about this book.

As long as you come in with the right mindset, I think most will find a lot to like in this quick and enjoyable graphic novel!

Conclusion: quick, fun, and delightful. Not terribly deep, but surprisingly emotional for how silly the beginning was.

• Characters: 3
• Setting: 3
• Craft: 4
• Themes: 3
• Enjoyment: 5