The Wonderling, by Mira Bartok, begins in the Home for Wayward and Misbegotten Creatures. It's an orphanage by an evil headmistress, Miss Carbunkle, who believes her charges live only to serve and suffer. However, this institution houses "groundlings," who are part animal and part human. They work in menial and dangerous factory jobs, forbidden to enjoy anything regular children have, most particularly singing and music. "Number Thirteen," also known as Arthur, is our protagonist, a painfully shy fox-like creature. Eventually he manages to escape with the help of a birdlike creature named Trinket and together they head out into the world to try and discover Arthur's dimly-remembered past.

The book reminded me very much of Oliver Twist, with a fable or fantasy-like setting. It was quite melancholy and meandering -- Arthur seemed to have little agency or inner strength of character, and his naive approach and acceptance of events grated on me after a while. Not to my taste, unfortunately.