Book Review-The House in the Cerulean Sea by T. J. Klune
I was told about this book by a friend, and I’m so glad he recommended it. It’s such a beautiful mix of silliness and serious subjects.
The book begins with a look into the dull life Linus Baker, a human in a world where creatures from folklore are real. He works a caseworker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth (DICOMY for short), inspecting orphanages to make sure the children are being treated well. Linus is miserable at his office, but he follows the rules and truly believes he’s helping the magical children he’s assigned to. When Extremely Upper Management assigns him to visit and report on an orphanage by the sea, he has no choice but to do his job and go, despite being kept in the dark about what awaits him until he gets there. When he reaches the orphanage on the beautiful Marsyas island and gets to know its inhabitants, he begins to learn about himself and how unjust the system is just as much as he learns about the children and their mysterious caregiver.
The House on the Cerulean Sea is beautiful and hilarious and at times, heartbreaking. Klune builds a world that is absurd and over-the-top but still somehow feels completely relevant. It’s not hard to grasp the main points of this story. Magical people are feared by humans because they are the unknown, just like people in the LGBTQ+ community and people of color. One quote that stuck with me in particular;
“Hate is loud, but I think you’ll learn it’s because it’s only a few people shouting, desperate to be heard. You might not ever be able to change their minds, but so long as you remember you’re not alone, you will overcome.”
It’s a strong message about acceptance. And the characters are all wonderful. The children are endearing and funny, especially Lucy, a very intelligent six-year-old with a dark sense of humor.
If you enjoy British humor, fantasy, and queer representation (and throw in the antichrist to top it all off), you’ll enjoy The House in the Cerulean Sea.