The amount of nuance and layers in this story – you have to read it to understand. There’s really nothing I can say that can accurately convey the heart and soul that has clearly gone into the writing of this book. The House in the Cerulean Sea has so much depth, and that’s what sets it apart.
Title: The House in the Cerulean Sea (Cerulean Chronicles #1)
Author: T. J. Klune
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult, Fiction, Queer, Magic
Publication Date: Mar 16, 2020
Review Date: May 12, 2025
Number of Pages: 398 (hardcover)
My Rating: 5/5
Buy here:
Book Blurb:
Linus Baker is a by-the-book case worker in the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. He’s tasked with determining whether six dangerous magical children are likely to bring about the end of the world.
Arthur Parnassus is the master of the orphanage. He would do anything to keep the children safe, even if it means the world will burn. And his secrets will come to light.
The House in the Cerulean Sea is an enchanting love story, masterfully told, about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place—and realizing that family is yours.
Book Review:
This book seemed to have Lemony Snicket vibes at the beginning but so quickly took on a life and personality of its own. By the end of the book, I liked it even more than Lemony Snicket. “Like” is misleading, because I love and adore The House in the Cerulean Sea.
Every single character, every scene, every description was simply beautiful. The amount of nuance and layers in this story – you have to read it to understand. There’s nothing I can say that can accurately convey the heart and soul that has clearly gone into the writing of this book. Klune is a genius, and I’m glad he wrote this book. The deft handling of the topics at hand are the work of a skilled author, and one I have no hesitation recommending unreservedly.
The cadence and progression of the plot is so well measured that you feel like you’re right there, witnessing what’s happening and seeing those little changes everyday. Meeting those lovely children and getting to know them yourself. Understanding things that you may not know, but that’s only because you haven’t had the opportunity to understand it. So take that chance and see how wonderful people have the capacity to be. That requires strength and vulnerability at the same time – this book conveys it and how!
You may think I’ve veered off track here, but honestly this book isn’t just about magic and feelings – it does that bit wonderfully – but also about so much more. It’s also about love, prejudice, support, joy, standing up for what’s right, and learning to know yourself. There’s so much depth to this story in so many different ways.
There are books about magical children, and then there’s The House in the Cerulean Sea. And there’s a great chasm between them. Maybe an entire salt bridge’s worth, with a precocious Antichrist thrown in. That’s what sets this apart, and that’s why I adore this book so much.
Recommended for fans of:
Lemony Snicket, magic, magical children, queer romances, slow burn love stories, second chances, and seeing people get to know themselves in the process of trying to help other people.
