Set against the backdrop of a fantastical underwater world, the story follows three mermaids – Ela, Milla, and Carla – who embark on a hilarious and heartwarming journey to quench their insatiable thirst for adventure, fun, and, of course, beverages.

Leyh's artwork is vibrant and whimsical, bringing the underwater realm to life with vivid colors and expressive character designs. The humor is delightfully absurd, with the mermaids' antics and misadventures leading to plenty of laugh-out-loud moments.

What truly sets "Thirsty Mermaids" apart is its focus on friendship and self-discovery. As the mermaids navigate the highs and lows of their escapades, they learn valuable lessons about acceptance, courage, and the importance of being true to oneself. The dynamic between the three leads is endearing and relatable, with each mermaid bringing her own quirks and strengths to the group.

While "Thirsty Mermaids" is undeniably a fun and light-hearted romp, it also carries a deeper message about embracing individuality and finding joy in life's simple pleasures.

Way hey row we go. To the bottom of the ocean, in a ship long lost, with booze long forgotten, except by our three rowdy, randy, and soon to be really fucked up mermaids. Grab your rum and get ready everyone, because tonight it’s time to go on an adventure with some “Thirsty Mermaids.”

The first thing that struck me about “Thirsty Mermaids,” and I know it’s a strange observation to start a review with but bear with me, was that Kat Leyh is finally allowed to write with swears. Her previous works, “Lumberjanes” and “Snapdragon” were firmly G/PG and so she had to work within that framework for those books. Sometimes it worked wonderfully, pulling from the verbal lexicon set by series like Adventure Time or previous “Lumberjanes” writers to craft a vocabulary that felt like it was organically built from characters who do not swear for whatever reason. Other times the softening or substitution of a swear felt like what it was, a swap, and made the lines read as unnatural.

With “Thirsty Mermaids,” she’s free to swear up a storm…and yet she doesn’t. Sure, the characters punctuate their sentences with the occasional “fuck” or “shit” but Leyh’s voice, nor the voice of the characters, is ever subsumed by them. Read this book and then read an issue of Leyh’s “Lumberjanes” and they will have the same rhythm and cadence. That’s tough to do! When Eez screams “WHAT THE SHIT, YOU GOOBS?! M’AIR BLUBBLE POPPED!” on page five, the sentence retains a playful energy that might have turned belligerent under the pen of a less careful writer. It also makes the characters feel like real people, ones that I would totally see on the street or hang out with, rather than the cleaner version you might elsewhere. Many authors will abuse swears when given the chance but rather than do that, Leyh uses them to set a distinct mood and firmly establish the personalities of the three titular mermaids as well as the rest of the cast.

In fact, that sentence, and that page, is a microcosm of what makes “Thirsty Mermaids” work so well and demonstrates Leyh’s prowess as a cartoonist. It’s a three panel page where the driving action is the loss of the last of the shipwreck booze as the drunken antics of Tooth & Pearl cause it to become “diluted by the factor of n’…of N’ OCEAN!” Despite it being only three panels, Leyh creates clear throughlines that bounce and move with a frenetic, wobbly energy that is perfect for the scene.

We start at the top of panel one and fall past the booze that’s being diluted down to the top of Eez’s head, where a tiny yellow “ah” and four indication lines create a visual shorthand for Eez realizing what has just happened. Because her eyes are pointing up, and the lines create a false sense of motion, we’re bounced to the top of the next panel where Eez has her exclamation, dramatically rising as well in frustration, giving us our first good look at her long eel-like tail. As we follow that tail, we see Tooth & Pearl’s reactions. Pearl is playfully falling back, a smile on her face, while Tooth is sitting there stoically, as if enduring the force of the water is her natural state.

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Next to Pearl is her exclamation from the next panel, which because of its placement in panel 2 keys us into that fact, as the tail in panel 3 just kinda floats there so as not to obscure the characters or the setting. The last panel is the statement of intent for the rest of the series – “get more booze” – but it is also a joke sold through not so much through the characters than as through the setting. Leyh picks a wide, distanced shot, peering down through a hole in the wreck, as other sea life goes about its business, the thirsty trio tiny yet expressive. This reinforces the “factor of n’ ocean” statement and also solidifies the detail that they’re in a sunken ship.

It’s these little details that craft a verisimilitude for the readers of this story, allowing Leyh to use background details to do plenty of subconscious storytelling without them being easily dismissed or lost. It helps too that her lettering is clear and evocative, with uneven balloons that bend and break and morph as the situation calls for it. I particularly love the way she transitions between parts, with these huge chapter titles that enhance rather than break the flow of the scene. Honestly, I was having fun at the start but it wasn’t until I saw “Part 1: The Hangover” towering over the splash page of Eez vomiting after waking up while Tooth lies face down in a pile of garbage bags next to Pearl that “Thirsty Mermaids” had me hook, line, and sinker.

There was also never a point in “Thirsty Mermaids” that I felt lost, narratively, even when Tooth, Pearl, and Eez start having independent storylines and Vivi’s is added to the mix. The theme of found family helped keep it all together and the individual triumphs and struggles of the characters kept it all engaging and moving while also being a raucous, wild ride all the way through. If I had a complaint, it’s that the aunties’ presence is a bit underdeveloped but I don’t think more of it would’ve benefited the narrative.

I will miss the adventures of Tooth, Pearl, Eez, and Vivi as I move onto other books. This is not a one night of drunken reverie type of book. Rather, it is a lifetime of bar talks, parties and fishing tales. It’s a story that stays with you long after you last heard it, one where you find yourself remembering the smallest parts, as well as the whole, and find that it calls to you in those moments. If the ocean has a sound, it’s the burp of Pearl and the laughter of these three thirsty mermaids, and there’s no sweeter sound out there.

Very fun, very queer.

Three mermaids accidentally strand themselves on land after a drunken night. All about friendship and found family. Kat Leyh is a real winner every time.

This was a heartwarming tale of mermaids caught on land. The friendship the podmates have is beautiful, and the way each of them navigate being stuck on land in human form is interesting.

This was a very comical and queer graphic novel. I loved the characters. The color choices were amazing and the art as a whole was beautiful. The girls made me laugh with how unique and quirky they were. I couldn't help but giggle with each girl. As humans that had me going. Enjoyed this.

Three mermaids walk into a bar...sounds like the beginning of a joke, but it is not too far from the plot of this adult graphic novel. Three mermaids run out of the alcohol that they found on a ship wreck. The mermaids decide that to get more, they need to make their way onto land. When they figure out a way, they then realize that they are not sure how to get back into the water and they are not sure how life on land really works! The mermaids have to learn how to survive on land and how to work together with humans, while trying to figure out how to get home. This is a really fun story. The humor is great, the commentary on human culture is fun, and many of us just really needed a grown-up funny mermaid story! Great for libraries where adult graphic novels circulate.

This was a fantastic graphic novel. I loved Pearl, Tooth, and Eez and Vivi too. The artwork was gorgeous and the story was very well put together. I loved every second of reading this and I will definitely be checking out more of Kat Leyh's work!

I truly did not expect to love this book as much as I did, but with Kat Leyh as the author I should have known. I loved every single thing about this graphic novel, from the plot to the quirky characters to the stunning art. A truly unforgettable story with so much heart and a lot of fun. I would highly recommend it. Please note this is an adult graphic novel due to language and slight nudity.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. In this somewhat hilarious graphic novel, three thirsty mermaids run out of beer and decide to be humans to get more beer. My only issue is that mermaids appeal to little kids and the cover may have them picking it up and wanting to take it home.

Unfortunately this book expired before I had the chance to fully read it and therefore cannot give a full review.

Do not mistakenly think this is a middle grade book like the author's last book. It is not. The mermaids are thirsty because they want to get drunk. These are party mermaids looking to have fun. One of the group says, hey I can give us legs and we can walk on land to find more bubbly drink. And she does exactly that. But she forgets to tell them she doesn’t know the counterspell. This book is about the mermaid's life on land, and the hunt for the counter spell. It is funny, it is heartfelt. This is not the little mermaid. It is better. It is about a found family, and all the joys that can bring. It is incredibly inclusive, and it feels natural, not forced. I loved this all around and think my book club will as well.

The colors in this graphic novel were super vibrant and I love how they stood out on the page. Unfortunately I was not as into the story as I thought I would be :(

This was a seriously wholesome comic about a pod of three tipsy mermaids venturing on land but not knowing how to get back because they're stranded (hah) in a coastal city without magic to turn back into their original bodies. I think saying more than this would spoil the fun, and while this might not work for everyone, it did work for me with its mix of humor, tender found family feelings and captivatingly honest art.

I really loved the casual diverse rep: the mermaids have different body types, there's queer and trans characters of color, there's anxiety (and depression?) rep. Despite its overall wholesome feel, the comic doesn't shy away from showing difficult moments, but it's at its heart a hopeful story that took me by surprise and I would recommend checking out if you're into diverse graphic novels.

TWs: getting drunk, discussion and portrayal of body dysmorphia, accidental almost-drowning that can be interpreted as the character being suicidal

While the concept has been done many times before(even this book referred to the many times) it's NEVER been done like this! The trans representation ; the found family AKA pod! Not having to give up home for true friendship and NO ONE loses a voice OR soul! This is the QUEER AF little mermaid! I AM LIVING for it!! The artwork is amazing and I CRIED tears of JOY in the end!!

I loved Snapdragon and was a little nervous reading this, afraid it wouldn't be as good, but I loved it just a much. The bawdy, heartwarming band of mermaids in the book completely swept me off my feet. Their zeal for life and their struggles with the same kinds of human adulting things that make us all weary made for a great reinvention of the mermaid-getting-legs fairytale. Eez was a perfect foil to her gregarious friends, trying to understand her power and things that set her apart from mermaid culture while having her soul crushed by her new human body. Thoughtful, inclusive, and just the most fun I've had reading a book this year.

I loved this so much. Tooth, Eez and Pearl are three tipsy mermaids who find themselves stranded on land after a bender. While they try to break the spell that gave them legs, they attempt to get jobs, learn about the human world and just make the best of the outrageous situation they are in.

This graphic novel seems silly and ridiculous, which it is, but it so much more than that! Thirsty Mermaids started off a little rough for me, but I quickly grew to love this comic and these quirky mermaids. There is fantastic representation in here — different body sizes and types, characters of color, LGBTQ characters. Additionally, body dysmorphia and depression are touched upon. The part I appreciated the most, though, was the themes on chosen family and acceptance. This is just such a positive and loving set of friends. I highly recommend picking this up.

This was warm and funny and touching and just a great read. Three merfolk- Pearl and Horn, who are mermaids, and Eez, a sea witch- get drunk on shipwreck booze and decide Eez should do a spell that turns them into humans so they can keep partying. When morning and a huge hangover comes, Eez realizes she never learned how to reverse the spell, and now they're stuck as humans. As they learn how to deal with this, they make some new friends- a group of LGBTQA+ peeps to add to their pod. There's all kinds of rep here, and themes of found family, friendship, acceptance, and more, blended with magical elements and not your average merfolk- I really love the way these three were portrayed, and how confused they were by mermaid movies! The story was really sweet, and dealt with some heavy issues with a deft touch. The artwork was bright and colorful, so much fun and detail, it really added a lot to the story. Definitely recommended!

#NetGalley

Three mermaids run out of beer while they are drunk and get the bright idea to become human so they can go on dry land and get more beer. The only problem is magic no longer works as a human. Befriended by a local bartender, these three have to figure out how to live as humans by getting jobs and paying rent.

I really like how all different body types are represented. However, the art is quite rudimentary. Still it's a quick, entertaining read.

For this one I had to DNF. The formatting does not translate well to Kindle and so I could not read it in the correct order.

I love wacky fish out of water stories and this one literally had me laughing out loud. Thirsty mermaids is the story of three best finned friends who decide to gain legs and go on land for a night of drinking and frivolity. Then the hangovers start and their realize they don't know how to change back into merpeople. Thus begins a funny story of various adventures in job hunting and trying to be human. I love the artwork and all the tiny details that are drawn in the background. Kat Leyh didn't stick with the standard mermaid look and went for a much different, and cooler, look for the siren gang. This was a fun read!