Review: The House in the Cerulean Sea

The House in the Cerulean Sea

TJ Klune

Publication Date: March 17, 2020

Hardcover, 398 pages, Tor Books

Genres: Adult, Fantasy

Goodreads

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’m pretty sure I could leave this review as “incoherent sobbing,” and it would be 100% accurate to how I feel about The House in the Cerulean Sea. It’s such a beautiful book. So loving. So sweet. So needed in the crazy times we live in.

The protagonist, Linus Baker, is a case worker for government-controlled magical orphanages. He’s dedicated to his job, and he loves what he does and the way he can help his charges. Honestly, he’s so naïve and adorable. I’ve never felt that way about a rotund, balding, forty-year-old man before, but that’s what Linus is. And I’m so glad TJ Klune gave readers an older protagonist to follow; it’s such a breath of fresh air.

Unsurprisingly, when Linus gets assigned to a new orphanage, he becomes attached to its inhabitants. I don’t want to give anything away by saying who the children are and what they can do, as it’s better if you go into it blind like I did. I will say I had a favorite magical child, though. He hid under beds and had amazing career goals.

Now, the reason I took off half a star is because I wanted just a little bit more from the romantic relationship than I got. For some readers, less romance is good, but I like it. I’m a sucker for the happily ever afters. This book isn’t a romance, though. It’s about found families. I simply think Linus and Arthur deserved more time alone together. Their interactions made me smile.

Oddly, the overall tone of this book reminded me strongly of Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events. Obviously, this book is much happier, but there’s a vibe in Unfortunate Events that makes it seem as if it simultaneously takes place in the past and present. Plus, there are orphaned children with unique skills, so the comparisons there are obvious.

Overall, this book is totally different from what I normally read. I had just heard so much about it, and I loved Klune’s Green Creek series. So if you’re wary of reading outside of your comfort zone, don’t be. This book will make you forget you even have one. It’ll also leave you a bawling, incoherent mess, but that’s just a given when reading about cute, magical children. Oh, and it's perfect for middle-grade, teenage, or adult readers. It's a tale for anyone who needs some happiness in their lives.

*Note: I purchased a copy of this book myself. This in no way affected my opinion/review.