Jen Lee's Garbage Night chronicles the shifting dynamics between a group of animal friends trying to survive in a dark, menacing world. Since he was abandoned by his owners, a dog named Simon has worked together with Cliff, a raccoon, and Reynard, a moose, to collect food and stay alive. When their town's garbage supply has almost entirely run out, the animals are pressured into an uneasy alliance with Barnaby, another stray dog. Whereas Simon, Cliff, and Reynard are genuine and kind, Barnaby is shifty and street-hardened. Simon instantly gravitates toward his fellow dog, trying to impress Barnaby while Cliff and Reynard look on, feeling betrayed.

Barnaby leads the friends on a journey to find a new, inhabited town, where they can once again enjoy the feast that follows weekly garbage night. This adventure tests the friends' relationships with each other, and eventually they must reevaluate their priorities.

I'm a little bit unsure what this book was intended to be. The artistic style implies an intended audience of children, but the themes of abandonment and betrayal seem too advanced for a young demographic. There is no real conclusion to the story, but perhaps there will be another volume (there is a first volume, [book:Vacancy|23129889], which I had not read before picking this one up). Garbage Night presents a fascinating psychological journey hinging on the characters' experience of constant hunger and paranoia. I just can't figure out what I should be taking away from this reading.

I received a digital review copy of this title from the publisher through Edelweiss.