Rain Must Fall by Nandita Basu is such a beautiful read! I devoured it in one sitting, and I loved it.
Anya, Rumi’s best friend, asks whom Rumi would like to go on a date with. Rumi makes the mistake of being honest and saying ‘you’. After all, you can be truthful with your best friend, can’t you? And it isn’t really as if Rumi has a romantic interest in Anya; it was just a game. Wasn’t it?
Maybe not.
Because gossip and cruel jokes begin on the school group. Soon, Rumi discovers that neither parents nor schoolmates can accept the idea of a non-binary individual. Schoolmates think it’s a joke, and Rumi’s parents think therapy is the “solution”.
Away from it all, in a small town, Rumi discovers and befriends a ghost, Rain. Both Rain and Rumi are trapped, alone and misunderstood. As human and ghost get to know each other better, Rain begins to remember snippets of his life, and Rumi finds a friend. Together, they unravel themselves and discover the healing power of friendship. Rain and Rumi can offer each other something that no one else can – comfort – and eventually, strength.
I love it when books make you pause, smile, and agree wholeheartedly. Rain Must Fall did that for me time and time again. A graphic novel about identity, love, affirmation and acceptance, it’s full of heart.
| Title | Rain Must Fall |
| Author | Nandita Basu |
| Tags | Late Middle Grade, Graphic Novel, Gender |
| Age-group | 11+ |
| Rating (out of 5) | 4.5 |
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