This was a nice book, but it´s been a while since I last read it. I remember it being a bit too full of description, but otherwise, it was entertaining and light-hearted.

This was really cute.

Previously posted on The Young Girl Who Loved Books

This is such a delightful little tale about a character named Number 13. He is a cute little half human, half-fox. He is unfortunately stuck inside an orphanage, and the situation is quite grim. He is dying to get out, to explore who he is and what his destiny to come might be. He is forced to work in the horrible orphanage factor until he can escape with the aid of his friend Trinket.

The world building in this story is so interesting. It is comprised of both humans, regular animals, as well as human and animal hybrids, that are called groundlings. These guys can speak and act like typical humans but they have some physical characteristics of animals. I found this to be an interesting part of the story it really captured my interest.

The writing in this novel is beautiful and eloquent. It is filled with meaningful words and magical stories. The writer describes things in great detail without diving into word vomit, which can be a hard line to walk. I think the best part about the writing is that feels very authentic.

One of my favorite things about this book is how there is a bewitching focus on music, songs, and the musical sounds of nature. Since Number 13 has been prohibited from any musical contact for most of his life, once he leaves the orphanage he begins to experience different types of music for the first time, and he is full of awe as his starving heart swells with the sounds. The intimacy of his reactions to music pulls the reader into that appreciation for things we usually take for granted. As a musician, I always love reading stories with music at the center.

Disclaimer: I was fortunate enough to receive an e-copy of this book from Candlewick Press through NetGalley, in exchange for my honest, and completely unbiased review. All thoughts are my own.

THE WONDERLING was a marvelous, fairytale-esque story! I was rooting for Arthur and Trinket the entire time. The illustrations are beautiful, the story is engaging, and I definitely recommend it.

Grim, but beautiful like a mix of fairy tales, Oliver Twist, and A Series of Unfortunate Events. Arthur's story is realistic and filled with hope in times of darkness. I like that Arthur didn't end up becoming a messiah figure like many other fantasy books. He has a few extra skills, but his greatest strength comes from his ability to see the good in others. He trusts those of whom people are usually suspicious of, and he remains truthful and polite. He's not the stereotypical sly fox, which is wonderful in a book about battling class and race discrimination. The only fault I found was in the pacing. Parts one and two are more slow and steady, while everything sort of jumps into action all at one in Part three. It gets a bit action-crowded compared to the rest of the book.

I tried.

A Dickensian-steampunk-middle-grades-Fantasy?? Yes, please!
As the Wonderling begins we are introduced to Number 13, a foxlike human/animal hybrid, and the cruel and unforgiving world in which he lives. The aesthetic of this book and the world created by the author are lovely despite the cruelty we find. The Dickensian inspirations are evident, so much so that I wouldn't have had a second thought had a character uttered the phrase, "Please, Sir, I want some more." The groundlings we meet have been abandoned to the care of Miss Carbunkle and her home for Wayward and Misbegotten Creatures. They are a rag-tag group of creatures and all the requisite roles are filled. We have the group of bullies with their vicious ringleader who deals with his own troubles by torturing others, the band of allies who pull together when they are needed led by a singular but true and loyal friend and the ultra-good adult who subverts the cruelty of the villianous Miss Carbunkle. Of course, adventure is had and questions are answered, though, not all of them.
Overall this was a really enjoyable read, but I do wish Arthur (number 13) had done some things. He is simply pulled along by the plot, he doesn't make any decisions for himself or have any say in his fate at all. He reacts, he doesn't act. The aesthetic and atmosphere of the book bump it up a star for me, the narrative was fine but not groundbreaking.
I would recommend this to middle-grades fantasy-adventure fans and animal-adventure fans.
I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is an orphan story (think Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist, with all the poor, miserable orphan characters who somehow manage to rise above their circumstances), about a strange little fox-like creature called the Wonderling. He has only one ear and lives in the world's worst orphanage -- The Home for Wayward and Misbegotten Creatures. He can hear and understand all creatures, but exactly how he came to lose his parents is never revealed. The friends he makes along his journey to freedom are amazing in and of themselves!

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