The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune was a rogue addition to my reading list this month, as my husband randomly surprised me with it one day. Not known for buying me books outside of birthdays or Christmas, I was very touched when he said he saw this and thought I would like it, so I gave it a read immediately. And you know what? Love it.
Opening sentence: ‘Oh dear,’ said Linus Baker, wiping the sweat from his brow. ‘This is most unusual.’
Feel-good fantasy
Our lead character, Linus Baker lives a hum-drum dull life, going through the motions every day, working for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth – yes, this is a fantasy book. But it’s unlike any others I’ve read (probably Piranesi comes closest) and the fact that some children and people have magical powers is so plainly stated, you just go with it.
Linus assess orphanages, meeting a range of magical children. He’s good at his job and catches the eye of Extremely Upper Management who give him a unique assignment. They send him to a remote orphanage (yes, the house in the cerulean sea, as seen in the gorgeous cover illustration) where six of the most dangerous children are housed, including… the Anitchrist.
Don’t judge without knowledge
When Linus gets there, things are absolutely not what they first seem. Yes, these magical children (including a gnome, shape shifter, wyvern – no, not that one – and, of course, the Antichrist himself) have strong powers but are they out to use them for evil? Linus must live with them for a month and make his assessment. To close it down or not?
Humanity is so weird. If we’re not laughing, we’re crying or running for our lives because monsters are trying to eat us. And they don’t even have to be real monsters. They could be the ones we make up in our heads.
There is also the matter of the master of the orphanage, Arthur Parnassus. Kind, magnetic and with a soft spot for Linus, he has his own secrets and his and Linus’ relationship is truly a joy to read about as it develops.
When I say The House in the Cerulean Sea warmed my heart and had me crying, I’m not exaggerating. With a story that unravels at the perfect pace and packed full of beautiful moral messages, its a feel-good reminder to us all to drop the prejudice and follow your heart.
- Get your copy of The House in the Cerulean Sea here;
- Published by Tor Pan Macmillan 2020;
- 398 pages;
- My rating:
Books on the 7:47 