Appetite

A propulsive, heartfelt, and utterly original debut about a young chef trying to find her way in a world that’s not built for her to succeed—and the pro wrestler she idolizes who derails everything

How far will you go to feed your ambitions?

Zarina, a prep cook at a fancy New Haven restaurant, is underpaid, overworked, and might as well be invisible. The only upside? She gets to take home leftover ingredients and whip up modern spins on the Bangladeshi dishes she grew up eating—all while enjoying her second greatest passion, professional wrestling: namely, her hero Sierra Myst, the massively successful, high-flying heel who’s built like a superhero and is every bit as daring.

One night, Zarina posts about Sierra Myst, and the impossible happens: Sierra responds. Zarina is elated at the chance to become closer with her idol. At first, their friendship is everything she’s ever dreamed of. But as the weeks fly by, Zarina starts to feel more like Sierra’s unpaid personal assistant and relationship counselor—and her desire to make Sierra happy soon threatens everything she’s worked for.

Deliciously unsettling and ultimately uplifting, Appetite is about the unique torture of being a twenty-something who’s torn between the person someone else wants you to be and the person you really are.