Thirsty Mermaids is an adult graphic novel that took me by surprise. When I put this book on hold I was expecting it to be full of cutesy mermaids and silly summer adventures. What I got was much more refreshing. The merpeople in this book come in all shapes and sizes and their motivation to come ashore was not to chase a handsome prince, but to pursue more of a drink that they discovered on a sunken ship — alcohol! In pursuit of more partying, Pearl and Tooth convince Eez to attempt a difficult spell that allows them to trade their fins for flip flops. The spell successfully gives them legs, but after a night of fun at the bar they find themselves not only hungover but stranded — they don’t know how to undo the spell so they can be merpeople again and return to the sea. With the help and kindness of the Thirsty Mermaid’s bartender, they learn how to navigate the world on land.
This adult graphic novel is a ton of fun to read, and I really enjoyed the fact that the art didn’t involve the cutesy mermaid vibes that I was expecting. The author also did a really good job illustrating the feelings of body dysmorphia in the character Eez, who needs to connect back to their body before they can connect back to their magic to get back home to the sea. I recommend this book if you were a fan of graphic novels like Nimona by Noelle Stevens and the Moonstruck series by Grace Ellis, Kate Leth, Caitlin Quirk, and Clayton Cowles.
Review by Megan Hultman, Circulation Assistant
Click here to request a copy.
