Although its publisher is comparing "Freakslaw" to Katherine Dunn's great "Geek Love," the reference point you might want to keep in mind is the Pied Piper of Hamelin.

In tone, "Freakslaw" — which could be described as light horror with strong queer representation — is nothing like "Geek Love." It's more playful and brighter, despite subject matter that could come off as grim: The titular circus of outsiders slides into the small Scottish town of Pitlaw, almost without anyone noticing. It quickly becomes clear that the circus has more than fire-breathing and strong-manning on its mind. For reasons that take a while to develop, the Freakslaw crew is bent on revenge.

The zesty title of Jane Flett's first novel is perfect, not only because it hints at the band of unconventional artists who make up the circus, but also because it will help readers decide whether or not it's for them. Either you want to read a book called "Freakslaw" or you don't.

The characters, however, are not binary. Instead of a bearded lady, there's a fabulous drag artist named Gretchen Etcetera. There is a "fat lady," named Miss Maria, but she's celebrated for her beauty not derided for her avoirdupois. The human pincushion, too, has a modern update — when she swallows swords and takes in other sharp objects, there's a punk feel to it, like Lydia Lunch sticking safety pins in her ears in the '70s.

That fits nicely with what Flett wants to do in "Freakslaw," which is to show that the "freaks" are just slightly more exaggerated avatars of the freakiness in us all. In a foreword, Flett writes that she wanted to celebrate people "who've been cast out of conventional society for one reason or another, whether that's sexuality, gender, race, weight or disability."

The close-minded residents of Pitlaw don't want to celebrate those people. But a few Pitlawians are intrigued: Ruth, a brilliant teenager who's chafing at the academic career already mapped out for her; classmate Derek, who may not be as strait-laced as he outwardly projects; and Curl Up and Dye proprietor Shona, whose willingness to experiment with bangs foretells an eagerness to dive right into the slaw and explore the possibilities.

Freakslaw

Flett creates vivid characters (although a few too many of them to keep track of) and finds interesting ways to reveal the similarities between the freaks and the townies, often blurring their boundaries so that it's difficult to say which is which. Are circus folk who just want to eat their lunch in a diner "freaks" or does that word better describe the bigoted Pitlaw residents who won't leave them alone?

Flett isn't as successful at figuring out what to do with her characters when they start interacting. Once the writer has cited the Pied Piper, we have a pretty good idea where "Freakslaw" is going, which makes the process of getting there feel more drawn-out than it should. And, although the shocking violence that erupts jibes with the anything-can-happen vibe of "Freakslaw," it doesn't always feel earned by the behavior of the characters.

These seem like the kinds of minor missteps a first-time novelist is supposed to make, though. Flett is a confident writer who's especially good at showing-not-telling, as in this rhythmic bit about Derek: "He's going to wait until his birthday, then stand on a wide stretch of flat road and stick his thumb into the air and see what happens next."

Plot is not Flett's strong suit but when you have a cast of characters as memorable as the ones in "Freakslaw," maybe that's not such a big deal?

Freakslaw

By: Jane Flett.

Publisher: Zando, 353 pages, $28.