The Owl Service is beautifully written, but in a way that rarely calls attention to itself. The book starts with a line of breezy dialogue, "How's the bellyache, then?" which continues to carry the story forward. Garner never dresses up the language of his characters. They speak in slang, wisecracks, and fragments. While perfectly natural, the language manages to convey the character's attitudes with remarkable authenticity, such as Gwyn's cheeky insecurity or Alison's pettiness.

This subtle precision is a major concern of Garner, who likens it to the craftsmanship valued by his workingman ancestors. Just as the carpenter notices a wall that is a fraction of an inch out of plumb, the literary craftsman is sensitive to the slightest misuse of language, although in either case no one else might realize there is anything wrong.

Garner excels in rendering local dialects: "These rats should be up...