Review: Owlet by Emma Michaels

Fragility can be it's own strength, and in Owlet, by Emma Michaels, Iris, a seventeen year old girl who has grown up secluded and weakened by debilitating asthma finds herself waking into the adventure of her dreams while beginning to discover her true strengths in a past which has been kept from her. On her own island of Never-Never, Iris begins to face the past she lost and the improbable future ahead of her while under the threat of the Eyrie, which wants her dead. Enchanted by her once-would-be assassin, she faces this new world with an unbridled thirst for the truth, even when the answers may be more dark or peculiar than the tragic past she'd constructed to fill in the gaps in her memory.

Written in lavish prose, Owlet moves between dreams and the present with fluidity and grace. The author uses poetry and song to weave a spellbinding and emotionally charged journey on a far away island that juxtaposes the surreal with the mundane. After all, Never Never is still close enough to get Chinese take-out.

My one reservation is that for much of Owlet , the first book in the Society of Feathers series, the story happens to Iris, with little agency on her own part. Debilitated with each exertion and constantly being watched and micromanaged, even half of her soul bosses her around without her own full understanding or complicity. Iris' amnesia provides a good mechanism for learning about her world as she does, but in keeping the main character in the dark about so many things, while relying on dream revelation and the monologue of others, the story does not move forward so much as it unfolds around Iris. At one point, her inner voice reminds her, "You are not inadequate: you are perfectly Iris," though at that time, she is very much the helpless damsel in distress, having not yet come into her own strength.

I enjoyed the dreamlike prose and Micahels' subtle approach to the paranormal and modern fantasy YA genres. I like that Michaels chose to write a differently abled lead character, reminding readers that fantastical adventures and beautiful new worlds are not reserved for the demigods among us, but even the slightly frail and less than hale. I am looking forward to the continuation of the series, and am optimistic that reading along as Iris grows into her potential will be a satisfying fairytale. 

Interview with Emma Michaels

We first met author Emma Michaels when she featured an excerpt of her novel OWLET on the blog last year. Now Emma's back to talk more about OWLET, and we get to find out more about Emma herself!

Welcome to We Do Write, Emma. Tell us a bit about yourself.

Thank you for having me here! I am a book blogger turned published author and cover artist who simply adores all things literary. My novel Owlet is so close to my heart, I am thrilled to see it released out into the world for readers to get to see!

How long have you been writing?

My first publication was my currently out of print 'A Sense of Truth' series which debut in 2010. Since then I have switched publisher and now work with Tribute Books and Spencer Hill Press. Before that, I had been writing since I learned how to hold a pen, though for most of my life it was in secret. I would hide all of my notebooks to ensure no one could see my creations.

Tell us about OWLET. What’s the story about?

Owlet is about Iris, an asthmatic teen, who lost her memory when she was younger. She realizes her father has been lying to her and goes on a journey to uncover the truth, only the journey turns into one of self discovery as memories start to resurface.

Sounds interesting! How did the idea of the story come to you?

It started out as just a concept in a dream. It was an odd dream really and one I can hardly remember but it inspired a set of drawings and from there it all expanded!

Do you have a critique group/partner or beta readers, or do you self-edit?

I self edit, then have a critique partner go over it, then have my editor edit, then... Lets just say I love edits (and rewrites).

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Both. I write out an extremely intricate plan of action then it all goes to the wind a few chapters in when I decide on a new plot twist. I normally end up at the same destination I had originally planned but the journey almost always changes as I go.

What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

Believing I can. Writing is very natural to me but when I know I am writing something the public will see I sometimes end up tripping up and getting more nervous. The trick for me if just getting past that and then enjoying the writing journey!

Right? I hear you on that one. What do you absolutely have to have nearby when writing?

...My mind. lol. I am pretty free with writing. Give me a napkin and a pen and I will probably start to doodle or jot down ideas. I do prefer typing though, so my laptop comes in handy for longer writing sprints.

If you could have any super power, what would it be?

The power from the movie 'Dark City' to reshape cities. I think it would be extraordinarily helpful after natural disasters to just be able to rebuild the city and move the rubble immediately.

Wow, that's a good one. And original! What's the weirdest thing you've googled?

Oh wow... as an author there are a lot of them. Probably how to get away with murder or bury a body. I had a mystery kick a while back that thankfully never reached publication but was a lot of fun to write. The research was very... enlightening. Afterwards I decided to stick to YA.

Quick writing test! Use the following words in a sentence: owls, howling, and wander.

As I wander through the forest I can feel the owls glaring above me and hear the howling of wolves but the darkness is overwhelming and I cannot escape it.

Finish this sentence: If I'm not writing, I'm probably ...

working on cover art (or reading).

Here’s the part where you thank the people who are supporting you. Let's hear your shout outs.

A big thank you to absolutely everyone support and special thanks to Megan for setting up this amazing tour! To Tribute Books for their constant support and to all of the readers out there who make this journey so rewarding and magical.

And finally, where can people find you and your books online?

I have links to all the venues on my website www.EmmaMichaels.com! Feel free to stop by and find out more!

Emma, it was great having you on the blog. Good luck with OWLET, and I hope you come visit us again soon.

Thank you so much for having me on We Do Write! It has been a hoot! :p