Set in a city reminiscent of Hong Kong, Owlish follows the life of our protagonist, Q, who encounters a series of surreal events. The story starts with our professor leading a seemingly ordinary life, then quickly spiraling into a whirlwind of strange events and a deep dive into the uncanny.

Dorothy Tse's prose is both poetic and evocative, which drew me into her vividly imagined world. Though difficult to follow at times, the novel's pacing is deliberate, allowing you to immerse yourself fully in the dreamy, surreal atmosphere of the mountainous city of Nevers.

Owlish is the kind of book that washes over you like a fever dream, wrapping you in its surreal and eerie world. Read this if you find yourself in an old, creaky attic filled with forgotten relics and dusty books—maybe a collection of antique dolls and a flickering light from the single bulb will surely match its bizarre mood.