"The House on the Cerulean Sea" by T.J. Klune- Book Review

The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune. Tor Books. 2020.

Linus Baker is a quiet man middle aged man living an uneventful life as a caseworker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth (DICOMY), where he always follows the rules. Every report is turned in on time, he never questions authority, and above all keeps to himself. Even in the comfort of his own home, Linus lives a quiet comfortable life with his cranky cat, Calliope, listening to music and avoiding his nosy neighbor. 

 Linus’ monotonous life takes a turn when he is summoned by Extremely Upper Management. He is assigned a secret task to visit the Marysas Orphanage in a remote island for a month and report his findings back to Extremely Upper Management. From the looks of the reports Linus is given, the children in Marysas are unlike any he has ever seen. 

Upon Linus’ arrival to the island he meets the six children living in the orphanage. Talia, an opinionated garden gnome, is the first of the children Linus meets. Next, he meets Theodore, a wyvern. Phee, a dirt covered forest sprite. Sal a nervous were-Pomeranian. Chauncey, who is describe as being a green blob with tentacles. Lastly, the child Linus has been terrified to meet, the son of the devil six-year-old Lucy. Then there is Arthur Parnassus the master in charge of the orphanage and the children’s loving protector. Although at first Linus is taken aback by the dynamic between the adults and the children in Marysas he slowly warms up to the them and their powers. Linus who has always been levelheaded but now suddenly his heart has open not only for the children who have been ostracized by the humans but also for the handsome master, Arthur. 

I completely fell in love with all of the characters in The House in the Cerulean Sea. Although, this is a fantasy book the relationships between everyone in Marysas feels real. Down to its core this is a story about love and acceptance. As Linus’ feelings towards the children shift, we get to see a family form. His misconceptions towards the children are erased as he spends more and more time with the children and Arthur, giving the reader the idea of how important it is to not judge a book by its cover. The romantic relationship between Arthur and Linus is also beautifully developed. The dynamic of a found family is reminiscent to that of the family in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs, although Riggs’ book has darker undertones. Over all I am very excited to share this book with my 4th and 5th grade students. The story is easy to follow, the characters are unique, and the description of the magic adds a fun and whimsical element. All of which is enveloped by the beautiful message that love can conquer all. 


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