What a nice, straightforward, palate cleanser of a book. You've got an orphan raised in a theatre, an abrupt turn to a life of crime, a journey to higher learning only to shift right back to that life of crime. Like the summary says, this book is practically Dickensian in its approach though it keeps itself from dragging on due to its humor and somewhat personable lead. August March is an absolutely petty, petulant, and snobbish boy, but it's done in a way that makes him entertaining rather than irksome. 

Story-wise, it's fun, comical, and outlandish at times, all with an underlying love for the arts and a complete contempt for its more dreadful aspects. It definitely reads as something spurned from the mind of a lover of the arts and will naturally call out to anyone that shares its sentiments. 

It's difficult to say what I exactly liked about it other than it had a clear voice, a clear direction, and never tried to be too grandiose. It's a book with just the right amount of ego, if that makes any sense. 

Definitely give it a try if you find yourself in a reading rut.