THE SUNDAY REVIEW | THE HOUSE IN THE CERULEAN SEA – TJ KLUNE

This book is magical. And I’m not just talking about, you know, the actual magic.

I hadn’t really heard anything about either this book or this author before. Then it seemed like, overnight, it was everywhere. And I noticed it because, well, have you seen the cover? It’s stunning. But it turns out that the story is just as gorgeous.

This book is about Linus, a government lackey who is in charge of inspecting orphanages for magical children (and creatures). He’s been doing the same job for years, and excels because his personality is quiet and, let’s face it, a bit boring. He sees what people want him to see, and he assumes what he doesn’t see is the same. His days are all the same, and he is one of a long line (literally) of similar public servants all doing the same job in the same room.

Because of his lack of imagination or desire to step outside of his box, he catches the attention of Extremely Upper Management, who are looking for someone to check on a special orphanage – and someone who won’t ask too many questions. Linus seems perfect for the job.

He sets off for Marsyas Island with his slightly odd cat, with no idea that life as he knows it is about to be blown up and pieced back together in a way that doesn’t even resemble the original. Things start to take a turn for the weirder as soon as Linus arrives in the small town nearest Maryas Island, and he is collected by a fairy. But that’s just the beginning.

When Linus arrives on Marsyas Island, he discovers that the occupants of this particular orphanage are even more different than the usual. I won’t tell you exactly how, because discovering that is part of what makes this book so surprising. But trust me, they’re…..amazing. But even more than the things that make them different, what makes them so lovely is that each one has had hardship, each has reason to fear the world, and yet each chooses to open themselves to the possibility of human (or, in some cases, interspecies) connection. Kindness. Home.

Linus spends only a short time on the island, but there is a shift that happens in him during his time there. He begins to see more clearly what his organization does in the world, the impact it has, and his role in it. By the time he needs to leave, he has become inextricably linked to the island and its inhabitants, and he has a difficult choice to make about their future – and his own.

This book isn’t overly complex in its story, but it thrives in the details. There are so many hilarious one liners, so many memorable interactions, tiny details and brilliant scene-setting. The characters are charismatic and impossible to resist. Even the less pleasant ones. And there are moral lessons woven into a lovely romance and a thoroughly enjoyable story of love and compassion.

I can’t do this book justice, but trust me, if you’re suffering from prolonged COVID-19 malaise or just really need something that will help you see the possibility for some good left in a world that seems to have imploded, this book will help with that. And it’s just a great time.

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. – Goodreads

Book Title: The House in the Cerulean Sea
Author: TJ Klune
Series: No
Edition: Paperback
Published By: Tor Books
Released: March 16, 2020
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, LGBTQIAP+, Romance
Pages: 396
Date Read: July 21-25, 2021
Rating: 10/10
Average Goodreads Rating: 4.48/5 (163,419 ratings)