Book Review – The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune
A magical island. A dangerous task. A burning secret.
Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages.
When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he’s given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they’re likely to bring about the end of days.
But the children aren’t the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn.
An enchanting story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place – and realising that family is yours.
My rating:
I picked this book up because a friend had started reading it and said how wonderful it was. And it did sound like exactly my sort of thing, albeit in a detached sort of way. Well, consider me a T.J. Klune convert!
This book is so wonderful, heartbreaking, beautiful and full of love. It is not a children’s book, but honestly, I thought it really could have been a middle-grade book instead of an adult one. It has such broad appeal, and such joy to it that is rare in an adult read. Plus it has silly things like “Extremely Upper Management” which helps the book appeal to all ages.
It’s also all about found families, which is always one of my favourite things to read. The kids in the book are so wonderful, I want to hang out with them. Even if Lucy would probably not like that at all!
I love the way it deals with prejudice. From defining the kids as “other” to how both Linus and the wider world see them. Even Linus, who tries to be fair but good, hasn’t ever really challenged things until he gets to the island for a longer review. And we see his contrast in the villagers who only ever consider the kids as bad, but also get to see this challenged. I would have liked to see Linus challenge the beliefs around his body image (both internalised and those of others) more though.
Then there’s the relationship between Linus and Arthur, which is frankly adorable. Their friendship to something more routine is the slow burn we all deserve. They are so pure. Arthur is so kind in making Linus see things from a different perspective – something we could all learn from when we come across those who views may not quite match our own.
This is definitely going to be a book I need to reread regularly, as it will make me laugh and cry. Often at the same time! 5 well deserved stars.
Buy The House in the Cerulean Sea from Waterstones.
Note: This is an affiliate link. If you purchase something using one of these links, I’ll get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks!
