I tend to go into books relatively blind, so I knew very little before starting this. I assumed (incorrectly lol) that this was a general overview of what it is like to live in an area where tsunamis happen. While that is true to some degree, this focuses on a specific tsunami event and the details of the families with lost loved ones. I was hardly 17% in before I had already been crying my eyes out. This book is beautifully done. It gives a detailed play by play of the events leading up to and after the tsunami. It is an absolutely heartbreaking read, one I was not at all mentally prepared for lol. In the end, I felt like the author did a great job telling the stories of those involved, and I felt honored to be a witness of their story and felt really connect to the families. I definitely recommend this. It is a book I have often thought of since reading, and it will always stay with me.