Title: The House in the Cerulean Sea
Author: T.J. Klune
Type: Fiction
Genre: Adult, Fantasy, LGBTQ+
Publisher: Tor Books
Date published: March 16, 2020
A complimentary physical copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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 realizing that family is yours.
⤖ My Review ⬻
I had heard such wonderful things about T.J. Klune’s The House in the Cerulean Sea since it came out last year, that I knew I absolutely had to read it! And I’m so glad that I did. Diving in, I remember thinking that it reminded me of a mixture of a number of other series I read or watched (Miss Peregrine’s House for Peculiar Children+ Wayward Children + A Series of Unfortunate Events).
And I didn’t see this as a bad thing! Rather, it made me feel warm and/or nostalgic (depending on which series I was reminiscing about). As I continued reading, also, I felt that The House in the Cerulean Sea became a story all its own. It also took me a bit to get used to the narrative style, but once I adjusted to it, I absolutely enjoyed every word!
This was my first T.J. Klune book and I now cannot wait to read more of his titles! I absolutely loved The House in the Cerulean Sea and wouldn’t at all be opposed to Klune turning it into a series down the road because I miss the character so damn much! This is definitely a book that I could see myself returning to as a comfort read (and most of you will know that I don’t often re-read books, so that says a lot).
This was definitely a character-driven book for me. So, when recommending this book to others, I wouldn’t necessarily start with “the plot was incredible and complex” but would rather explain how unique and lovable each character was. The character interactions were also great. And I also enjoyed the settings (especially the purpose they played in evoking emotions in the reader). I miss the magical island from The House in the Cerulean Sea and hope to be able to return someday soon. I also recommend others visit as well if they haven’t already!
⤖ About the Author ⬻
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Thank you for reading my review! Have you read this book? What did you think? And if you haven’t read it yet, do you plan to? Let me know in the comments!
This book made me so happy! I have lent it to so many people and it makes me smile when they give it back and tell me how much they loved it too! I am so excited to read his next book in September (or earlier if Netgalley ever approve it!)
Yeeeees! I smile every time I think about it ☺️
Great review! I absolutely love this book! Definitely a favourite of the year 🙂
So good right?!