The Witch Owl Parliament (Clockwork Curandera, Volume I): (Clockwork Curandera, Volume I)
Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards Nominee 2022
Discover a graphic novel unlike any other--a brilliant 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.
Energetic illustrations by Pura Belpré Award winner Raúl the Third bring to life the words of award-winning author and poet David Bowles. Don't miss this amazing first volume of the Clockwork Curandera trilogy!
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"This 19th-century mash-up of magical steampunk and Frankenstein is rich." -- School Library Journal
"A fascinating blend of magic and culture." -- Booklist
"A fast-paced genre mashup sure to find a cult following." -- Kirkus Reviews
"With gorgeous, action-packed illustrations and evocative, thought-provoking prose, Clockwork Curandera delivers a must-read, magical adventure!" -- Guadalupe Garcia McCall, Pura Belpré Author Award Winner
"This visually stunning graphic novel delivers on all fronts." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"A blend of tradition and history combined with steampunk-esque technology lend a new twist to this traditional story about resistance against imperialism in the homeland." -- School Library Connection
"David Bowles and Raúl the Third's dynamic Clockwork Curandera Vol. I: The Witch Owl Parliament is a decolonial breath of fresh air where Indigenous belief systems are centered in a visual otherworldly alternate historical narrative. . . This is an important, impressive kickoff to a series that resurrects notions of good and evil, nature versus the unnatural and unknown, the world of science and the spiritual realm, environmental corporate thievery encroaching upon the elemental." -- Tony Medina, author of I Am Alfonso Jones
"Combine David Bowles's storytelling prowess with Raúl III's earthly yet hauntingly otherworld art and you get an alchemical explosion of mythic magnificence. . . this is Latinx futurism at its most exhilaratingly sublime and imaginatively epic." -- Frederick Luis Aldama, distinguished university professor & award-winning author of 40+ books, including The Adventures of Chupacabra Charlie and Latinx Superheroes of Mainstream Comics
"Clockwork Curandera is a manga feverdream steampunk lovechild born of Promethean nightmares and Mexican legend. IT'S ALIVE and it's a smash!" -- John Picacio, Hugo Award-Winning Artist
Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards Nominee 2022
Great Graphic Novels for Teens Nominee 2022 - American Library Association (ALA)
International Latino Book Award Silver - Empowering Latino Futures
Jean Flynn Award for Best Young Adult Book Winner - Texas Institute of Letters (TIL)
