Nirvana is Here

by | Jul 9, 2026

Note: This is a review of the ARC, which is 200 pages long and not the complete manuscript.

What should have been a normal trip to the local flea market for Tâm and her older brother Dennis becomes the start of a deadly mystery when Tâm helps a desperate girl, Hoa Bin, in a car. That chance encounter embroils Tâm and Dennis in a matter of life or death – as if navigating life as teenagers wasn’t difficult enough…

Nirvana is Here, drawn by Mikael Ross and translated from German by Nika Beauchamp, is a modern take on the classic thriller offset by a coming-of-age story. In a scene that echoes Stand by Me, Tâm and her schoolmate Alex follow clues that lead to the discovery of a severed finger and, ultimately, self-discovery. Though intriguing, the mystery and danger are the framework in which the character-driven story is realized. Nirvana is Here touches on universal themes such as family, young love, and growing up as well as immigration and LGTBQ issues, which not everyone experiences personally but can become more familiar through the nuance of stories like this. 

Despite the social issues it addresses, Nirvana is Here is never preachy. The characters are the core of the story, and Ross never loses sight of that. If there is a critique of Nirvana is Here, it is that the reader may wish for some of the side characters to be more developed: some are shown to be more than the tropes they embody and are interesting enough that readers may want to learn more, while others are one-dimensional. In particular, there is a subplot between Alex and an old woman named Jutta that will hopefully be reconciled in the final edition. 

 

Ross’ art is perfect for the tone of his story. Rendered in black and white, Ross uses loose, almost-cartoony lines and features for the characters, a style that can convey humor in one panel and then urgency and seriousness in the next. The fluid style of the characters is offset by the detailed and sometimes gritty backdrop of urban Berlin. Nirvana is Here is the ideal graphic novel in which the contrasting art techniques between characters and environments successfully works with the various themes of the narrative. Everything works.

 

The publisher’s age rating for Nirvana is Here is adult, but the story will resonate with older teens as well. There is violence, and the stakes are high for the siblings and Hoa Bin, and, due to the ARC only a portion of the story, how our characters ultimately fare is still up in the air. However, the story in the ARC rings of hope and a celebration of self and the people around you. Ultimately, it’s worth it for librarians and parents to check out Nirvana is Here to see if and how it will fit into their collections.

Nirvana is Here

Story and Art by Mikael Ross

Fantagraphics Books, 2026

ISBN: 9798875002649

Publisher Age Rating: Adult

NFNT Age Recommendation: Older Teen, Adult