Tara Menon's Debut Novel 'Unter Wasser' Explores Grief and Nature's Power

Tara Menon, a Harvard professor of English literature born in India and raised in Singapore, has published her debut novel 'Unter Wasser' (Under Water). The book follows protagonist Marissa, who survived the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami in Thailand that killed her best friend Arielle. The narrative alternates between 2012 New York, as Hurricane Sandy approaches, and flashbacks to 2004 Thailand. Marissa now works for a luxury travel magazine that sanitizes nature, while her 20-centimeter scar from the tsunami remains a hidden secret. The novel critiques the illusion of controlling nature and explores trauma without focusing solely on healing. Menon's father was a marine biologist, and Marissa's childhood loss of her mother is also addressed. The book was recommended as a top pick for July 2026.