The Witch Owl Parliament

Clockwork Curandera #1

by David Bowles, Raúl the Third, Stacey Robinson

A graphic novel steampunk reimagining of Frankenstein set in colonial Mexico.

In the Republic of Santander, non-Christian magic is frowned upon, if not outright prohibited. But when Cristina Franco, an apprentice shaman, is killed by witch owls, her brother Enrique cannot let her go. With forbidden alchemy and engineering, Enrique brings her back to life: part human, part machine. Though her very existence is an abomination to Santander's citizens, Cristina vows to use her new abilities to protect her country from attack.

With help from a handsome skinwalker named Mateo, Cristina and Enrique track down the witch owl coven and uncover a sinister plot to bring Santander under the rule of the Witch Owl Parliament, whose legendary cruelty would dismantle the country's hard-won freedoms. At the same time, Indigenous folks and immigrants are disappearing from Santander--including Enrique's beloved, Gaspar. Could the attacks and the disappearances be related? As the witch owls attack more trains and more refugees go missing, the trio must uncover the witch owls' origins to understand their weakness.

Genres: Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Comics, Young Adult, Steampunk, Fiction, Science Fiction

112 pages, Paperback

First published October 19, 2021

About the author

David Bowles is a Mexican American author and translator from south Texas. He has written several award-winning titles, most notably THEY CALL ME GÜERO and MY TWO BORDER TOWNS

His work has also been published in multiple anthologies, plus venues such as The New York Times, Strange Horizons, School Library Journal, Rattle, Translation Review, and the Journal of Children’s Literature.

Additionally, David has worked on several TV/film projects. In 2019, he co-founded the hashtag and activist movement #DignidadLiteraria, which has negotiated greater Latinx representation in publishing. He is presently the president of the Texas Institute of Letters.

Reviews

[Karina · Rating 3 out of 5]

― Rating: 3.75 Stars ★★★ 3/4
Clockwork Curandera delivers on a fascinating premise, a Frankenstein retelling set in Colonial Mexico, where steampunk, magic and alchemy co-exist as a brother and sister work to stop a mysterious owl coven. Its quite fast paced, includes much lore, but is propelled by mystery & a great cast of characters!

The concept of this graphic novel drew me in and it was incredible to see Latin America (specifically) Colonial Mexico represented in graphic novels where its not often seen, so that is fantastic! I am intrigued to see where the story goes in future volumes because there's so many questions that haven't been answered. I will say also this is TRULY unlike any other graphic novel I've ever read before and honestly my rating doesn't really reflect all the other fantastic elements of this book, its just reflected of an overarching critique I had personally. But genuinely had a great time reading this and diving deeper into the world!

Set in an alternate 1865 Mexico, the story follows Enrique & Cristina Franco Pedregón, brother and sister meeting up at a train station when witch owls attack, harming Cristina, a curandera apprentice, gravely injured. With his skills in alchemy and engineering, Enrique brings his sister back, but with mechanical limbs and must come to terms with her new life, with the use of alchemy greatly affecting her curandera powers and her status in her community of fellow healers. Along the way, the Cristina and Enrique team-up with a shape-shifting friend to figure out how to stop the coven and their sinister plots.

Raúl the Third’s signature artwork is what elevates the story in a more dynamic way, with the black, red, and occasional green ink bringing a vintage aesthetic to the story alongside the sepia-style backgrounds. The artwork was very reminiscent of old-style comics which added to the distinct look of the story as a whole.

As mentioned before, the lore from the curanderas, indigenous communities, magic and the setting is heavily delved into over the course of this graphic novel which I enjoyed. I also appreciated how the worldbuilding brought a familiarity as a Latina reader, despite not being from a Mexican background there was that joy in understanding the minute details woven within the artwork and dialogue. However despite its 112-page length, the pace felt way too fast for all this information to settle (for me personally) and I was left wanting to stay with the plot threads just a bit longer. There's a lot of journeying and despite the plot building in an intriguing way, there's moments where it felt like there wasn't enough time to sit with all the details. However you can sense the passion for this story which is clear from all these pieces coming together, including a bonus short story (which I have yet to read). There's a lot of buildup for what I'm sure will be an action-packed, detailed story, I'm just left feeling like there was a lot packed into this first volume and not enough time to sit with all of it.

Continuing with what I loved, the characters were incredible, Cristina, Enrique, Mateo, the sisters and curandera community, the cast was just fun to read about, plus the dynamics between them were so well done. The sibling bonds were fun too. Both the world and characters became my favorite parts of this graphic novel, so when it reached the end I was left wondering how they'll expand even more in the following volumes.

Despite the pacing though, this was a fun, detailed graphic novel with lots to find yourself immersed in.

The Witch Owl Parliament is a richly drawn retelling of Frankenstein with threads of cyberpunk, steampunk set in a detailed Colonial Mexico! The great cast of characters, plot teeming with mystery and magic, detailed lore and fast-pace is sure to leave you interested in figuring put what happens next. Definitely recommend reading this if you need a new graphic novel genuinely unlike any other!

[Renata]

Hmmm...I think the art is gorgeous and the concept is cool but this Vol 1 is so abbreviated, I wish they had waited to release this until they had more of it.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

C/W:gore, blood, violence

I found the steampunk, alternate history take on Frankenstein really neat. The art was unexpectedly horrifying in the best way -- those witch owls are scary! The world of The Witch Owl Parliament was rich and full of things to explore. I found the pacing of the story a bit overwhelming as so much was thrown at the reader at once that it was hard to get a grasp on what was happening and why. I almost think the bonus short story at the end of the volume would've worked better at the beginning to provide a primer to the world. The Witch Owl Parliament wasn't for me but was definitely a unique graphic novel.

[MikeLikesBooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the graphics and the spin on Frankenstein. It didn’t take too long to read and it was done in a couple sessions. Steampunk isn’t really my thing so I don’t know if I’ll continue but I can tell this was nicely done .

[♠ TABI⁷ ♠]

so much love for steampunk retellings

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I backed the printing through Kickstarter and I'm glad I did. The story is engaging and the art is dramatic and evocative. I am looking forward to the next installment!

[TheNextGenLibrarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Raul the Third has such specific artistic gifts. I could tell right away he illustrated this graphic novel. I loved the Latin American aspects of this Frankenstein reimagining graphic novel. All the Latinx love here!

[Yahira · Rating 3 out of 5]

It doesn't have a sequel and it left me in na cliffhanger!

[Kelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a peculiar and fascinating reimagining of Frankenstein, set in colonial Mexico.

There’s this aesthetic and ideological blend of steampunk and indigenous cultures that creates a really rich, and expansive world. I appreciate the attention to conveying different life ways and perspectives.

The art is also quite aesthetic and compelling. I’ve never quite seen an article style like this one. It’s deceivingly simple at first glance but proves some interesting depth to the story.

I’m looking forward to reading more!

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very interesting reimagining of Shelley's Frankenstein with a Latinx steampunk influence. Clearly drawn from close research of Mexican/Texan native populations and folk beliefs, I can't wait to see more of this world and its adventures.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a lot of fun, with a richly imagined world and wonderful art. Very cinematic in execution, with little narration or inner monologue—I think this would also make a great animated series. And I always love a book with a map in the front.

[Bonnie Lambourn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't review this any better than Karina did - so read her review, even though she gave it a 3, because her words say a 4.5.

I might take off half a pt for the same reason except this book has so many overlaying themes - Just check all the shelves I put it under, and I'm not being specific to the culture represented here through myth and political history. The story and art managed to draw me in, even while I was gasping for air at times to understand a detail now and then. Usually after I read further it felt resolved.

Yes, there will be more parts coming soon, and I expect to read them. I don't really feel like I'm left hanging in this one, because of being saturated with all that's in this one. So maybe that's something to consider.

I do think some teens may find it fascinating, though not sure how much they'd understand, but they'll catch many or most of the details in a fantasy way even if they don't catch on completely to the history and cultural myth portions interwoven with the author's fantasy.

Plus - they can always write him to start a dialogue. I am certain he'd love that!

[Timothy Grubbs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Step into an alternate North America where magic and faith exist equally in a colonial Mexico very different from our own…

The Witch Owl Parliament: (Clockwork Curandera, Volume I) by David Bowles and Raúl the Third is a world where good and evil exists…but recognizing it can be difficult due to the way evil can often hide itself…

The Republic of Santander contains many wonders as we follow a pair of siblings that are willing to risk their souls to protect one another…

This is a world of Christian mages, witch monsters, Yucatan shapeshifters, and alchemy steampunk…

While I imagine this is a lot to throw at kids, the cartoonish yet violent art shouldn’t be too difficult (even the severed limbs).

I liked the colonial Mexico setting and motif of the world…as it’s a very different style of western than we typically get to see in print.

A lot of interesting ideas in here mixing European colonialism with Central American folklore…

[Sandy]

I am so sad this graphic novel has not continued. I loved the mix of indigenous/Spanish cultures, religion, magic, Frankenstein, alchemy, and steampunk/arcane in colonial Mexico. I’m also sad it was so short!

I was looking through David Bowles’s work and came across this one and I could immediately tell it was special. It makes me all the more sad because I can tell how much I wanted to fall in love with these characters but didn’t have the space to really get to do that to the extent I wanted to.

Christina seems really cool and I really liked watching her navigate the two worlds she is a part of and has such strong connections to. It was also really cool having to watch her reconcile herself with what she becomes after her brother brings her back in terms of her powers, who she can be in community with, and what she will do now considering the way things have ended up.

[Gina · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was surprised by how much I hated this.

It was on a list of underrated comics. I get that the premise is pretty unique and that it is not very well-known, but I just don't think the story telling is that good.

That may partly be due to how unique the premise is. There is a lot to explain quickly, but it felt really stiff, and not bringing any wonder with it. There are other ways to do that. In addition there was a lot of telling instead of showing, when the showing would surely have been more memorable.

Finally, while I could accept that in this world you have owl witches and combine alchemy with Aztecs with Catholicism and Islam for the magic and steampunk technology, the characters and their emotions and the religious devotion didn't feel real. Maybe the creators needed to integrate more of their truth and feelings along with their fantasy.

[Amanda Waldschmidt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great Spin on an Old Story

This is the first installment of an adventure story based in a fictional Mexico/North America/ Yucatán land. It’s a steampunk version of Frankenstein with Curanderas, monestaries, alchemy, and skinwalkers! I love the story. However, the graphic novel format is a bit hard to follow. I couldn’t keep track of the characters when they were only mentioned on one or two frames. At the end of the book there was a short story about Cristina’s time before she became an apprentice curandera. The story was beautifully written! I would have loved to have heard this story in that format.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Challenges: Orilium Magical Readathon 2022/April Classes - Career: Herbalist - Restoration/cure wounds/book features healers; Reading Goal Posts/Stacking the Series - Priority Five/Series started in 2022. Striking black and red ink on buff background, frenetic in action, sometimes hard to follow and take in all of the detail. Curandera (one who cures/a healer) vs. witches in this folklore-based story of Santander Republic of Mexico. Life restoration sets the main character apart from other healers making it twice as hard to stand up to the power-hungry Witch Owl Parliament. Help comes from an unexpected direction; cliffhanger leaves the reader wanting to know what happens next.

[Dolores · Rating 4 out of 5]

When his sister Cristina is attacked and killed by witch owls, Enrique refuses to let her go. He resurrects her--in spite of the illegality and church's objection to such an act. Cristina awakes in a body that is partially metal, and completely alien. She struggles with the blasphemy of what her brother has done and mourns the life she has lost because she knows she will no longer be allowed to be a curandera. But her new body is strong and filled with magic and with the witch owls attacking more frequently, she knows she will be needed to defend her homeland and the people she loves. A really interesting start to the series.

[Alicia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I need a print version to make any final determination because the digital version was hard on the eyes. The pencil sketching with sparse color but with very intricate design because of the sci fi steampunk world left me reeling at each page at what to look at and then too distracted to readily fold in the narrative that went along with it.

It has to be a slow read for that reason to connect the reimagining with the character motivations how it plays off of a classic story but also understand this world that's been created. It would take a dedicated reader.

[Rachelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extreme Book Nerd Challenge 2022
Challenge Topic: Book with Clock or Time in the Title.

So I have to check with the Library to make sure this one works for the Challenge, but when I borrowed it, the Title looks like "Clockwork Curandera: The Witch Owl Parliament" which would work for the challenge. But the way it is listed here... may not exactly fit.

As for the book. It wasn't too bad. It was a good mix of all the mythical creatures and Frankenstein into a steampunk kind of world. It has an intersting base for a seemingly good start to a story. We shall see.

[Bahman Naraghi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only thing stopping me from giving this 5 stars is the art.
"A steampunk reimagining of Frankenstein, set in colonial Mexico", according to the jacket notes. In fairness, it's a bit more than that, with it being an alternate Mexico, where Mesoamerican myth and magic is real, along with alchemical robots. The story is interesting, the characters are multilayered, the scripting is a bit disjointed from one page to the next, or even from one panel to the next.
My main issue was the nearly abstract art at times, though I do like the black, sepia and red color palette.

[Philip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magic and steampunk in an alternate 19th century Mexico? Sign me up!

I really enjoyed this graphic novel, and I can’t wait for the next volume in the series.

At first, I didn’t care for the art, but it grew on me, and now I think it is perfectly suited to the story. I especially like the use of red here and there, so it’s not just black and white.

I’ll definitely be backing the Kickstarter for volume 2.

[Kelly Jahng · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book for a particular sort of reader. You need to have a sophisticated taste in graphic novels and be willing to do some thinking about the setting and premise. Under those conditions, it raises some great questions: what does it mean to be human? What role should religion play in our society? How much should technology intervene in our lives? I appreciated this book a lot, even if it wasn’t my particular taste.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a soft spot for Raul the Third, so I jumped at reading this one. It's a re-imagining of Frankenstein, as many have said. The monster is aware of her monstrous-ness, and there's a whole thing with the church and owl people and they all seem to be really not into the idea of Cristina, even before she became a monster. I like the plant magic and I still like Raul the Third's style.

[Zoe · Rating 3 out of 5]

This graphic novel is drawn in a very neat and unique style, though the facial expression are often odd given their contexts and what the characters are saying. I like the mythology that's being drawn upon, but the story itself is rushed and not well established, likewise with some of the relationships. If given the chance, I'd read the second volume, but I'm not going to actively seek it out.

[Dina · Rating 2 out of 5]

This YA graphic novel is billed as a steampunk reimagining of Frankenstein, set in colonial Mexico. While the concept sounded intriguing, for me it fell flat. Neither writing style nor illustration style were my cup of tea. There were some great lines, but overall for me it was just "meh" and I will likely not seek out volume 2.

[Marco Subias · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strong characters, an interesting plot, and a world that makes me want to know much more about it. Better understanding the setting would have given me a greater appreciation of the story. The story doesn’t end in this graphic novel, but concludes in some future work which I hope to read someday.

If you’re Chicano, add half a star. The representation is sweet.

[Phobean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating premise but a bit stiff in the character development. I appreciate that this story focuses on opposite sex siblings and how they approach dilemmas. My buddy Raul the Third knocked that art TOTALLY out of the park. That fourth star is for his incredible inventiveness and sensitivity in rendering Bowles's literary vision. I expect this story will get stronger as it goes.

[Sesana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating world building. Set in an alternate, steampunk infused Mexico, inspired by Frankenstein and steeped in magic. Definitely an interesting world to play around in. I just wish I felt more invested in the actual story. I can't exactly put my finger on why, either. Just not the right book at the right time, I guess. Still, definitely unique and imaginative.

[Toby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another retelling of Frankenstein, set in a reimagined 1864 Mexico. This was an interesting story, described on the back of the volume as a “manga feverdream steampunk lovechild of born of Promethean nightmares and Mexican legend” by John Picacio. I concur, that is a very sound description! I’m sad that the next two volumes are not yet out.