The Cannibal Owl

This arresting novella from Gwyn (All God’s Children) chronicles the early life of minor Texas historical figure Levi English. In 1825, eight-year-old Levi’s father is murdered in Arkansas, and he moves in with his aunt and uncle, who then take him to Texas. Levi’s uncle abuses him, causing him to run away and eventually take up residence with a group of Comanche. As Levi enters his teens, he learns the Comanche language and adopts their traditions under the guidance of elderly bow-maker Poe-paya, who recounts stories of Mupitsi, a cannibal owl that punishes bad children. Levi, Poe-paya, and Poe-paya’s daughter, Morning Star, take note of rising tensions between leaders of their group, and on his deathbed, Poe-paya warns the boy of potential violence ahead. The narrative shuttles at a dizzying pace through Levi’s search for a proper home amid bloodshed and betrayal, but there’s a hypnotic cadence to the lyrical prose (“The trees they passed were like bones; the wind gasping across the prairie was the breath of bones”). Gwyn’s story thrums with life. Agent: Peter Straus, RCW Literary. (Jan.)