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A review by lovegirl30
The Wonderling by Mira Bartók
4.0
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.
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.