Description
A stunning and deeply moving literary debut of grief, loss and female friendship, set against the backdrop of two cataclysmic natural events.
When six-year-old Marissa loses her mother, she is taken by her father to live on a small Thai island in the Andaman Sea. There, she forms a deep friendship with Arielle and together they explore the fragile wonders of its forests, reefs, and beaches. Holding their breath for minutes at a time, they learn to dive into the deep, as effortlessly synchronized as the manta rays they come to know by name. Then, on Boxing Day 2004, when the Indian Ocean tsunami makes landfall, they are swept up by the first wave and separated.
Eight years later, Marissa is living in New York. She spends her days wandering through the city and her nights seeking solace in the beds of strangers. As the city prepares for a devastating storm, Marissa reflects on her past and learns how to sustain herself in a precarious world.
Under Water is a story about friendship and grief, but also ecological change and natural disasters. It is a meditation on loss, a tribute to our dying oceans and forests, and a love letter to the disappearing coral reefs.
“A novel of remarkable delicacy and power, Under Water is about grief, friendship, home, and longing. Menon writes exquisite sentences, sensual and particular, each containing an entire world.”—Katie Kitamura, author of Audition and Intimacies
"Tara Menon beautifully evokes the intensity of a young woman's lost friendship, and the extraordinary natural world - on land and in the ocean - in which that friendship was forged. Under Water, in equal measure compelling and heart wrenching, is a remarkable debut. " —Claire Messud, author of This Strange Eventful History and The Emperor’s Children
“Reading Under Water is like being under water: immersive and stirring, pellucid and mysterious, shot through with light and with shades, overwhelming and exquisite–in a word, sublime.” —Namwali Serpell, author of The Old Drift and The Furrows
Product Details
Writer: Menon, Tara
Release Date: 2026-03-31
FOC Date: 2026-02-24
Page Count: 224
All comics ship bagged and boarded.
SKU: 9781398559264
Barcode: 9781398559264
NZ Best Price.
We price match + give Pop Perks.
1400+ 5 Star Reviews
Our reviews are independently verified by Judge.me
90-Day Returns (*1)
Return your items hassle free for a full refund. Items must be unopened/unread.
Similar To Under Water:
Recently viewed
Shipping
No, we ship all over the great country of New Zealand. Shipping starts from $4.50 for most of Christchurch, $8.50 for NZ and $13 for Rural delivery and will be shown at checkout.
It depends on where you are. From the moment your order has been packed and processed by Pop Weasel it will take 3-4 business days to arrive.
Rural
Rural deliveries will add an extra 2-3 days.
Availability & Delivery
Please refer to the product page for specific delivery timeframes and estimates, such as Available From Supplier or a listed Release Date. These details come directly from our suppliers and can change frequently.
Once the item arrives at Pop Weasel, we’ll carefully pick, pack, and ship your order via your chosen delivery method.
All timeframes are estimates only and may vary.
Delivery details will be provided in a tracking information email.
We use NZ Post. Christchurch Deliveries maybe hand delivered.
Pop Weasel Guarantees
We always aim for make sure our customers love their orders, but if you do need to return an order, we’re happy to help. Just email us directly and we’ll take you through the process. Pop Weasel has a 90 day return guarantee for unused items. If your item has been opened get in contact and we will work with you to resolve any issues. Our terms exclude special order items which we deal with on a case by case basis.
Our Price Guarantee
* If you find a lower price on an in stock identical product, we will beat it by 5% and give you our famous Pop Perks.
Excludes special order, quotes, on account (credit and cash) purchases, stock liquidations and commercial quantities.
The same product must be available to you for delivery or collection and must be in-stock within New Zealand at the competitor. Includes GST and delivery charges. Price matches are limited to one per person per product.
About Pop Weasel
Pop Weasel has a team of 4 who all enjoy Pop Culture. We are based in Christchurch and enjoy spending time playing board games, reading and just hanging out.
We love reading and the story telling that goes into comics, graphic novels and manga inspired us to open a comic book store to help share that passion with others.
We sell online only allowing us to offer some of the best deals around. Pop Weasel is a comic bookshop based in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Any other questions?
If we still haven't answered your question, you can contact us below and we will get back to you as soon as possible.