Hunger’s Bite

Emery Botwright and bespectacled Neeta Pandey have lived most of their lives sailing the Atlantic Ocean aboard the ocean liner SS Lark. Cracks in the teens’ tight friendship begin appearing as they near adulthood: Emery wants to follow his father’s captainship and remain aboard the Lark, while Neeta yearns to use the education she’s received as a ward of the Botwrights to make something of herself, and “it’s not going to be on this ship.” Everything changes when the Lark is bought by American Mr. Honeycutt. Neeta’s brother Aamir, who works as part of the waitstaff, says “greedy old miser” Honeycutt has “been changing the way of everything just to pinch a few pennies.” But it soon becomes clear to Emery and Neeta that there’s something more sinister at play. As the truth behind Honeycutt’s schemes are revealed, Robin’s expressive art morphs to match the slowly shifting mood. What starts as a charmingly funny interpretation of diverging adolescence evolves into a feverish nightmare that uses abstract paneling and character designs to examine capitalism and greed, resulting in a jumps-off-the-page thrill ride. The Pandeys are of Indian heritage; other main characters cue as white. Ages 13–17. Agent: Kurestin Armada, Root Literary. (Feb.)