The Wonderling by Mira Bartok
Middle grade fantasy
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I was given an ARC ebook of this title through NetGalley and Candlewick Press in exchange for honest feedback.
Hmm...where to start?
Imagine a cross between Oliver Twist, The Wizard of Oz and Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. The Wonderling is an imaginative middle grade fantasy novel that is filled to the brim with unique characters, talking animals, mythical creatures, magic and steampunk elements. There is something in it for everyone, which at times felt like a little too much- but more on that later.
Number 13 is a fox groundling with one ear. Groundlings are animal/human hybrids of all different sorts that are treated as second-class citizens. Some look very much like an animal and some look mostly human with one or two animal traits. Number 13 is poorly treated at the Home for Wayward and Misbegotten Creatures, which is a horrible institution run by the even more horrible Miss Carbunkle. Number 13 has no name and no recollection of his past; he spends his days in solitude trying to avoid the school bullies and stay below the notice of Miss Carbunkle. Number 13 has an unusual power that grows throughout the story; he is able to understand talking animals- full animals, not groundlings.
Luckily for our hero, Number 13 makes a friends in the form of a spunky kiwi groundling named Trinket. Trinket renames Number 13 Arthur and regales him with tales of King Arthur and the Knights of Camelot. Trinket and Arthur both believe a better life awaits them outside the home and attempt a daring escape before starting on their long journey.
The settings of The Wonderling are really great. I thought Bartok's descriptions were wonderful and so vivid; she even includes the description of smells. You really get a sense of the gloom and monochromatic atmosphere at the home as well as the hustle and bustle of the city, Lumentown.
The characters are also well-rounded and unique. I can imagine this being a fun audio book for someone to narrate down the line. Arthur is the perfect reluctant hero; he is unfailingly kind and a completely sympathetic figure. Trinket is a ball of energy that is happiest when she is tinkering and inventing (points for a female character interested in STEM). The cast of characters they meet along their journey is just as colorful and interesting, including a rat groundling named Quintus who takes Arthur under his wing and a chivalrous knight -mouse named Peevil.
I had some issues with the pacing and at times the book felt a bit too long. I was hooked and speeding through some sections only to lag in others. While I loved all the beautiful detail, it did feel a little bit like it had too much going on. It ticks nearly every box on the fantasy genre list. I think there is a great story at the heart of the narrative and it could have stood on its own without including so many fantasy tropes. Also, this book has quite the impressive vocabulary. I would come across words and phrases and think "a kid will have no idea what that means". Frankly, I came across some and thought, "I have no idea what that means."
I'm all for increasing a reader's vocabulary, but it sometimes felt like the author included large, uncommon words just for the fun of it. I worry this might be a deterrent for some readers.
Overall, I truly enjoyed The Wonderling. I was absorbed into the Dickensian-style world and the plight of Arthur and his friends. The way the story ends made me believe there will be a sequel, which I will be sure to check out. I could easily see this story being adapted into a stop-motion animation film and quite a beautiful one at that!
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