Owl and the Japanese CircusOwl and the Japanese Circus by Kristi Charish (The Adventures of Owl #1)

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Publisher: Simon & Schuster on January 13, 2015

Source: Library

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Fans of Kim Harrison, Jim Butcher, and Linda Hamilton will flock to the kick-ass world of Owl, a modern-day “Indiana Jane” who reluctantly navigates the hidden supernatural world.View Spoiler »

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Kristi Charish’s debut novel OWL AND THE JAPANESE CIRCUS is a fun, fast-paced, and clever addition to the urban fantasy genre. Charish is Canadian so there was no way I could resist giving her work a try – and I’m happy to report that I was pretty damn impressed with her originality and her plotting. While a few things grated on my nerves and the writing occasionally lacked polish, I can tell that this author is one to watch.

OWL AND THE JAPANESE CIRCUS has a ‘blockbuster summer adventure flick’ vibe, in the best way possible. As many bloggers have noted, Owl has a distinct Indiana Jane appeal: she is a former archaeology graduate student turned artifact thief. Yep, it was just as fun as it sounds! Without giving too much away, the basic story is that Owl has been tasked with retrieving a Japanese artifact for the mysterious Mr. Kurosawa, who owns a casino in Las Vegas called The Japanese Circus. Cue light bulb moment for the book’s title. But of course, the artifact and Mr. Kurosawa himself are likely more than they appear…

Unlike most urban fantasy series openers, OWL AND THE JAPANESE CIRCUS spends little time with world building. Generally I prefer a detailed world in my UF, but this time the less is more approach worked because Owl herself has very little knowledge about the supernatural because she’s human. Like, actually. Not a supernatural in hiding, not a ‘sleeper’ supe who doesn’t know her lineage. The genuine human article. Unfortunately Owl’s introduction to the supernatural was far from ideal, and it’s made her somewhat leary of them. Her personal motto is essentially never work for, work with, or steal from supernaturals. Three guesses how well that works out.

While there isn’t much in the way of world building, Owl’s continent-hopping and her subsequent encounters with unusual supernatural creatures lend colour and complexity to the story. For example, Owl has a quite nasty encounter with a naga in a Balinese temple while searching for archaeological dirt (HA). To my recollection I’ve never read a book featuring a naga before, so good on you Kristi Charish for unusual supernatural types!

The real heart of OWL AND THE JAPANESE CIRCUS is, perhaps unsurprisingly, the thief herself. Owl is a multifaceted character: she’s brilliant, reckless with her life yet cautious with artifacts, she purports to be non-violent despite a tendency to kick her assailants in the balls, and she might have a bit of a drinking problem. She’s messy and real and I like that in a protagonist. Unfortunately, there were times when Owl’s messiness and realness made her difficult to like. Sure, she’s been burned by people she trusted in the past, but is that any reason to treat her BFF and maybe-boyfriend poorly? I don’t think so.

Owl seems to do much better with social interactions online than she does in person, although she responds to conflict in both arenas by either lashing out or completely shutting down. Not a very mature response. I guess that was my real issue with her as a character: for a grown woman, Owl is pretty immature. But the fact that her friends don’t ignore Owl’s immaturity – and call her out on it – suggests that Charish has a solid plan for character development throughout the series, and I’m more than willing to read on and see for myself.

A solid urban fantasy debut that doesn’t take itself too seriously, OWL AND THE JAPANESE CIRCUS is perfect for those who like their summer reads with a side of smarts.

What unusual locations and creatures have you encountered in SFF? How do you feel about protagonists who are more than a little rough around the edges? And what was up with Owl’s obsession with Carona? It’s not even a good beer!