Comics don’t often get nominated for serious book prizes originally designed for serious novels. Which makes Swallow Me Whole‘s nomination in the Young Adult Literature category of the LA Times Book Prize worthy of note.
Nate Powell’s story delves deep into the lives of two step-siblings as they try desperately hard to make sense of a nonsensical world. With a sympathetic understanding, Powell tackles difficult issues like broken families, schizophrenia and obsessive compulsive disorder, creating a dark but ultimately hopeful story of teenage life.