The House in the Cerulean Sea
Summary:
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. (Summary and cover courtesy of goodreads.com)
Review:
I cannot overstate my love for this book and T.L. Klune (that I have experience so far)! In the middle of the pandemic while the world was full of darkness, this book was a beacon of sunshine. And it continues to be a warm hug in the middle of a stressful time in the world. Everything about the story is vivid and overwhelms the senses. By the end you either feel you are Linus, or like he’s your closest friend. This was a surprise to me given that at the beginning of the story, Linus reminded me more of a very dry engineering professor I once had! Arthur and the children slowly creep into your heart, and each has their own idiosyncrasies that build up into a closely knit family ready to be completed.
In addition to these wonderful elements, Klune brings in some very heavy topics in a subtle way that I felt addressed more nuance than many other books that try to do. Starting with the assumed biases and categorizations that people put others into, and moving to confront our own ignorance. In sum, give this one a go and I don’t think you’ll regret it!
Rating: 5 stars!
Who should read it? Everyone – get your dose of happiness!
Want to read the whole series?
Somewhere Beyond the Sea #2