T;LDR: A beautiful tale about a found family and speaking up for those who need it most, The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune is every bit as good as everyone says it is.
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Linus Baker, a caseworker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth (DICOMY), lives a routine, boring life. It is shaken up when he is sent by Extremely Upper Management to review an orphanage on Marsays Island for a month. What happens next shocks Linus right out of his dreary life as he realizes what is important.
Everywhere I’ve looked – reddit, Instagram, Goodreads – people rave about this book. I waited six months on the hold waiting list at the library to get it and the wait was 100% worth it. It is an amazing book that tackles some heavy duty themes in a way that feels right with the story line. Because it is a beautiful story, I give it my highest rating of five stars.
The Plot
Linus Baker leads a humdrum life. He works as a case worker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth (DICOMY) and spends his days determining if the magically gifted orphans in the government homes are being well-treated. He likes his job and feels it is his duty to do it to the best of his ability.
When he is unexpectedly summoned to stand before Extremely Upper Management, he is given a new assignment, one that is top priority and secret. He is to spend a month on a remote island reviewing an orphanage with extremely dangerous children and an obscure caretaker, Arthur Parnassus.
Linus travels to Marsyas Island at the end of the train line, only to find that one of the children in the orphanage’s care is the Antichrist (literally), and the others are spectacularly unique as well. As Linus begins to care not only for the children but also the caretaker, Arthur, prejudice and secrets are revealed.
T;LDR: Linus Baker must determine if the world’s most dangerous magical youth are being properly cared for, while also investigating their caretaker. When secrets are revealed, Linus must make the ultimate choice: destroy the only home the children know or watch the world burn.
What I Liked & Liked Less
The main character of Linus is so well set up that even his larger character arc change makes sense and fits with what we learn about him in the first chapter. There is no moments where you’re left wondering how the character got from A to B – it is smoothly and seamlessly laid out before you like a seven-course meal.
I also liked that the children were very unique. These are just some werewolves or vampires running around the island, but fun and different twists on the usual fantasy tropes. I also like that if you take away their external uniqueness and magical abilities, they are at their hearts just children looking for love, safety and adventure.
The plot is straightforward in its simplicity and yet tackles deeper and more complex issues. It is done with a light delicate touch, which keeps the tone of the book consistent and easy to read. The author isn’t afraid to shine the light on prejudice and fear and yet he does so with a soft touch.
There were two cons for me – I wanted to know more and see more about Arthur Parnassus and I wanted Linus to see himself more clearly. Out of all of the characters, Arthur’s was the most obscured from the reader (for good reason, but still…). I would’ve loved to understand him better so that the cues I missed in the conversations he has with Linus weren’t missed. It was almost as if the author didn’t want to fully commit with the portrayal of Arthur or that the secrecy around him was too densely woven in the story. I liked his character and I never felt he acted in a way that didn’t fit, but I also would’ve liked to see the relationship unfold from his POV more.
Linus wanders around like a bumbling idiot, never seeing his impact and never seeing himself clearly. He spends a lot of the book wondering why the children even talk to him, let alone Arthur. And while I understand why the author did that, I just wanted a bit less of it. I wanted Linus to see his good qualities sooner and with more clarity than he does.
But those are my wants, which may have changed the book in a way that would leave me dissatisfied. So while I wish for them, I don’t want them to come true.
To Sum Up (Too Late!)
Overall, this is a beautiful found family tale, with adventure, humor, discovery and some heavier themes. It focuses on the importance of kindness, meeting people where you find them, and finding the courage to speak up for those who can’t speak for themselves. And it’s told in a light and endearing way that feels like you’re wrapped up in a warm blanket, sipping cocoa on a cold day.
For all of these reasons and more, I highly rate it at five stars.
About the Author
TJ KLUNE is a Lambda Literary Award-winning author (Into This River I Drown) and an ex-claims examiner for an insurance company. His novels include The House in the Cerulean Sea and The Extraordinaries. Being queer himself, TJ believes it’s important—now more than ever—to have accurate, positive, queer representation in stories.
If you wish to purchase this book, pick your vendor of choice here, or just cave to the man and get it from Amazon here.
This book fulfills another square in my Fantasy Bingo Card — the square with Found Family.
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