The House in the Cerulean Sea by T J Klune

The House in the Cerulean Sea (The House in the Cerulean Sea, #1)

by T.J. Klune

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.

Reviewed by Leigha on

5 of 5 stars

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Case worker Linus Baker investigates an orphanage full of magical misfits in this charming and whimsical adult fantasy.

Romance novels are my go to feel good stories. They have drama, no doubt about it, but their entire being is focused on developing meaningful relationships between characters along with characters finding their happily-ever-after. While I would not classify this as a romance per se (although romance is a strong component to it), it gave me the same feel good experience. Readers will find themselves falling in love with all of these children and their caretakers.

Linus is a blank slate at the beginning of the novel – he accepts his humdrum life without much thought or complaint. His dreams, if he had any in the first place, have been beaten down by the minutia of everyday life. It’s not until he arrives at the island and meets the zany cast of characters that we see him slowly recognize his need to connect to others and to experience life outside of his structured routine. Learning to be open to new experiences and to new people are important lessons for us all.

The worldbuilding expertly captures the whimsical and heartwarming tone. I loved all of the various magical creatures incorporated into a setting very similar to our own. Does the ending tie up loose ends a little to neatly and quickly? Yes, it does, but I’m okay with it as it ties back to the “anything and everything is possible” theme. In this world, dreams really do come true.

tl;dr An absolutely charming read with a vibrant setting, heartwarming tone, and a loveable cast of characters.

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Reading updates

  • 6 December, 2020: Started reading
  • 6 December, 2020: on page 0 out of 352 0%
  • 13 December, 2020: Finished reading
  • 29 December, 2020: Reviewed