by TJ Klune (Amazon's #49 Best Book of 2022) ★★★★★
Linus Baker is a caseworker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. His job? Check in on orphanages housing magical children and file extensive, dispassionate, factual reports about the conduct and conditions at those sites. Linus generally hates his job, and is fairly depressed by his life, but he takes pride in being good at his job and his ability to be by-the-book (literally -- he keeps a copy of the employment manual with him at all times for review and study).
His fastidious attention to detail and ability to keep all emotion out of his reports lands him on the radar of “Extremely Upper Management”, who need someone just like Linus to investigate a very peculiar orphanage and report back the facts, leaving all editorial commentary aside.
What follows is a lovely and fairly simple story. At its core it’s a story of a man coming to grips with his identity, his challenge to escape from the controls placed on his life (both those imposed by his job as well as by himself), and ultimately his quest to evolve into the truest version of himself. It’s funny in a cheeky, British way, and it’s a little bit (okay, a lot) sappy, but ultimately heartwarming and totally worth the kooky journey.
Previous Best of 2020: #8 - Long Bright River
Next Best of 2020: #6 - Things in Jars
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