Under Water by Tara Menon Review

“There is no place in our language for grief about friends, or love for them. Our language is overwhelmed by the love and loss of lovers.” -Tara Menon, Under Water

This book broke me. I have never read anything like it. A beautifully written literary fiction novel, Under Water by Tara Menon is a portrait of the experience of lingering grief years after a loss, and how it can shape you every day.

Set in dual times of Marissa in present day (2012) New York readying for Hurricane Sandy and Marissa’s childhood memories of her late best friend Arielle and the times they spent together in Thailand in 2004.

In the present day, Marissa is haunted by Arielle memory, and while the reader isn’t immediately told how Arielle died, it’s clear that the storm approaching is bringing up memories of previous trauma for Marissa. Through both timelines it’s clear Marissa is no stranger to grief, she lost her mom and a young age and Arielle took Marissa in, offering to share hers. Marissa is affected daily by the loss of Arielle in a way that is incredibly lonely and realistic.

There are exceptional details in here that endeared me to the characters- Arielle and Marissa listening words describing groups of animals, Marissa writing work articles on her notes app. This book gives such immersive settings too, in both Thailand 2004 and and New York City 2012. It shows in a way that is very hard to describe how water can be so beautiful and life giving while also so deadly and life ruining. I’ve experience hurricanes (luckily have only lost belongings) and aspect of loving and fearing nature at once.

This book is beautiful and both sad and redemptive. Can’t recommend it enough to the literary fiction crowd. Thank you @Riverheadbooks for the copy and thank you Tara Menon for writing this work of art.