This is a really tender, sweet book that made me cry in a good way. It has the kind of anti-authoritarian whimsy of a grownup Roald Dahl book (but without the anti-semitism, fatphobia, etc. Or, there is a bit of fatphobia directed at the main character by some minor antagonists but not by the narrative.). For me it was a little slow-moving and I was a little confused by the world-building--it seemed like it was going for a kind of dreamy timelessness ala Lemony Snicket, but like, they had computers but seemingly no cell phones or way to listen to music besides records? And the whimsical vibe stands in the way of deep character development. But all the same, I enjoyed it very much and I think it's an adult fantasy book with a lot of teen crossover appeal. This is great for readers looking for a hopeful, gentle read.