Super sweet story which I think would be well-aimed at a high middle-grade or YA audience. The influences come through loudly and clearly here (Pratchett, Gaiman, Wynne Jones all in style and character inspiration). At times I had trouble figuring out the time period or technologies available in this alternate world, and the book's messages were heavily signalled, but I enjoyed this story of a found family, of questioning the rules, and the mild romance.

Often when you look forward to something it does not live up to expectation. This story just didn’t work for me. That is not to say that it is a bad book or that it isn’t worth the effort.

The plot is simple and there are no secondary threads. It is focussed on acceptance of diversity, particularly in the young. The central character represents blind adherence to the norm and the purpose of the story is to see how he reacts when placed out of his comfort zone and is forced to look beyond what he believes is right.

The world-building is interesting with a vivid distinction between the three main locations. Each represents a different set of attitudes and the weather and description of physical features reflect the beliefs and behaviours of the residents. This a parallel world where some things are familiar and yet others are twisted into extremes; for example, the city bears similarities to those depicted in the movies: The Dark City and Blade Runner.

The island, the orphanage and its residents are the central feature of the story and these would have been more interesting had it not been for other books such as Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs. Nevertheless, characterisation is good and is strongest with the children, who have the most interesting personalities. The central adult character, as noted, is used as a vehicle for attitude change and when this happens there is no subtle transition and sadly his credibility is lost when this occurs. The other adult characters are not as richly developed and are, to a certain extent, kept at a distance. As such there are a number of instances where the reader would expect plot or character development and this didn’t happen. The children provide the humour and the nuances of personality that are lacking in the grown ups.

The book does offer romance, but it is not the central theme. The difficulty with this is that the central character is focussed on his role rather than extraneous influences and the other character is positive but remote through much of the story. When they ultimately get together it is fade to grey behind closed doors so this is kept rather chaste. Sexuality is not seen as an issue at all so there is no tension to affect the situation.

The pace of the story is steady. There is no real tension or sense in which the plot would not be resolved in an anticipated way. Where conflict arises it is interesting to note that the central character becomes the dominant voice both internalised and outwardly and things work out the way he wants them to. Where there is any indication of strife, this is often reported rather than experienced. As such there is little to drive the story forwards. The characters are likeable and offer personalities that are interesting and it is this rather than the plot that holds the reader.

The story resolves in a very predictable and positive way and the happily ever after is neat and leaves few loose ends. There are certain characters and their histories that are mentioned in the book but remain undeveloped, as such it is unclear whether there will be any further stories, although this seems unlikely as the plot is resolved.

To reiterate, this was not a bad book at all and made for a pleasant read but it could have been a lot more.

The House in the Cerulean Sea fits into an interesting space in fantasy literature. It is heavily concerned with the fantastical, but uses that backdrop to tell a meticulously paced story of a caseworker observing an orphange full of kids. If the latter does not grab you, the former won't do all that much except add a delightful color to the characters and story.

Still, overall, T.J. Klune writes with a lot of heart, and with several unique, defined characters. The protagonist, Linus Baker, takes a wonderful journey with an excellent character arc and personal growth that is near-inspirational. It was this clear growth, bookmarked by weekly doldrum reports on observations of the orphanage, that kept the book at its most interesting. The book is also rife with Hallmark moments that, if truth be told, "got me." (Please decipher this on your own.)

The major theme, a firm standpoint on the debate of Nature vs. Nurture, is a good one, and is reflected through nearly every character, organization, and setpiece of the book. Klune's highest praise, I think, should be on how focused he is on telling his readers a message, with little deviation from that goal. It's fair to mention, as well, that the main character is discovering himself as part of his own growth. It's a good journey that I'm sure many readers will identify with, but one I saw as simply just delightful representation that, though related to the main theme, was not at the forefront of the book's message.

I would like to point out a major flaw that is perhaps my own fault, perhaps unfair marketing on the book's part. I went into the novel (again, perhaps unrightfully) expecting a bit more action -- the setup of the book sounds a bit more like X-Men to me, rather than the character piece it truly is, and the comic book-esque cover of the novel does little to overturn that suspicion.

Bottom Line

If you're a fan of Klune, you'll likely know what you're in for. However, if you're a casual fantasy fan that looks for epics, series, and plenty of fights to keep you engaged in the internal conflicts, this isn't that book.

If you like your magic on the lighter side, encased in a story about humans, meant to be savored and taken slowly, then give The House in the Cerulean Sea a try.

The House in the Cerulean Sea is a stunning piece filled with so much heart and humor and love. Fans of TJ Klune will love seeing his continual writing growth in this novel. The humor and plot of this story really drives the book to it's magical status. The cast of lovable and unique & quirky characters will have readers falling in love immediately. The children especially are entertaining and wildly mischievous . This title will be the first TJ Klune book for a lot of new readers and I think it's the perfect debut for new audiences that will be introduced to TJ's books.

I'm so proud of the author and this story and the warm, happy feeling I was left with after reading it. I look forward to the book dazzling both readers who have been with this author for years and the new readers he is surely to gain!

I would give The House in the Cerulean Sea 10 stars if I could. Hands down the best book I've read in 2019! Well written, lovely characters, beautiful setting, an absolute delight to read. If I ever get to meet T.J. Klune, I will thank him repeatedly and give him a brass button. I very much look forward to handselling this book! #houseinthe ceruleansea

This was utterly sublime. An enchanting story for adults with a very cute queer romance, a cantankerous scheming cat and bizarrely (but it totally worked) the antichrist. This was Howl’s Moving Castle meets Good Omens via The Sound of Music. I loved every minute of it. Full RTC but Highly Recommend.

This surprisingly entertaining and engaging story was simply delightful. I wasn't sure what to expect, but what I discovered was an amazing and heartwarming story. The story is a bit predictable, but it is so well developed, that did not effect my opinion as to what was going on. As a result of reading it, I thought about things in a different light. It is perfect for people who love fantasy and would like to see an alternate side of it.

I am in love with this book. That seems to be what I say every time I read a TJ Klune book. I have been following him for a while and have read the majority of his published work and have loved every single one of them. This book was no different.

I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. I didn't read the excerpt or the blurb on the back of the book. I basically went in blind because I knew it was going to be good because it was from TJ. I was so thrilled when TJ got his contract with TOR because I cannot wait for his work to reach a bigger audience than it was able to before.

Sometimes I had to remind myself early on in the book I was reading a TJ Klune book . It felt slightly different than his other books. Not in a bad way, just different. But the further I read the more I saw TJ in the writing. I saw the writing quirks that I'm used to seeing in his writing show up more and more and I was relieved. I was a little worried that some of the quirks he has that I have come to love would be edited out, but they remained.

This book is absolutely gorgeous from the cover to the last page. TJ has a way of making me feel so much for the characters and worlds he creates every single time.

One of the things I love about TJ's characters is that they aren't perfect. Linus is your average middle aged man. He isn't in amazing, godly shape. He isn't drop dead gorgeous. He is just a normal person. Linus's character development is a thing of beauty to watch unfold on the page. I loved him with all my heart.

The children of the island were done so well. Each one had their own personality and it shown through on the page. A lot of times when I read books with this many characters on page for large amounts of time most of the characters get lost. But that did not happen in this book. Each of the characters stood out in their own way and would not stay in the background. Even shy, nervous Sal wouldn't be pushed back and forgotten. Lucy was so well done. My heart was broken for him and I loved the idea of nature vs nurture with him being who he is. I could go on and on and on about Lucy and Sal and Theodore and Talia and Phee and Chauncey. They were all gorgeous characters.

Zoe and Arthur. I loved them fiercely. Both their stories and how they came to work together was heartbreaking but beautiful. The small twist with Arthur was done very well. I had my suspicions he wasn't completely human, but I had not picked up on the Phoenix part until shortly before the reveal.

I tell myself every time I start a TJ Klune book that I'm not going to cry this time. I was wrong yet again. I cried. I laughed. I was angry. I was so happy I cried. My heart was broken. My heart was so full it hurt. TJ is a master of emotion.

I cannot wait for this book to be published and shared with the world. It is one of my top reads this year! I look forward to more works coming from TJ with TOR.

This is a thoroughly delightful book and I enjoyed every word of it. It is slightly old-fashioned in tone - refreshingly so in the way it focusses on a single 40-year old viewpoint character, far from the current vogue for multiple POV, young narrators - but in a good way, in the sense that this is one of those gentle, almost domestic, fantasies that it seems no one writes any more. I was sold by Linus, the shy, lonely, middle-aged hero, and stayed for the delightful assortment of wild children (a were-pomeranian! The Anti-Christ!) who are the wards of the state orphanage that Linus is sent to inspect. There is a gentle, low-key romance, but the focus is on family and tolerance and kindness and all kinds of lovely things. Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publishers for approving an ARC - I liked it so much I will buy a hard copy when it is published.

A simply wonderful book! I loved the world, Linus' slow flowering, the delightful cast of child characters, and the gentle romance that was always present but never overtook the narrative. This was one of those books that, when I finished it, I immediately went looking for the author's back catalog.

If I could rate this a million stars I would. The characters were unique and amazing. The setting was beautiful. The story made my emotions fluctuate nonstop.

This book manages to charm the pants off you while you least expect it. A wonderful ensemble of characters and one very special island.

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune. An easy novel to read about how the differences that shape us don't define us.

The opening of The House in the Cerulean Sea gives no hint of what's ahead. It's office-bound, and our main character Linus is surrounded by awful people and terrible situations; such is their unpleasantness that it's difficult to get through, at times. BUT. The moment the story and Linus leave the office and the city and go to the house of the title, everything changes. From that point on, the book is glorious -- it's sentimental, ferociously weird, extremely gay, and just profoundly, deeply lovely. After the first third or so, I was half in tears virtually the entire time I was reading, such was the simple generosity and profundity of the relationships and growth on display.

It's a special, special book. Read it immediately, please.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor for the ARC.

[A month before publication date, this review will replace the placeholder review at the GoodReads link below.]

While The House in The Cerulean Sea centers around an adult narrator, this book is set on an orphanage of magical children. You'll meet an unlikely bunch of lovable characters that slowly flesh out from names written about in reports to actual living youths. These youths include more than just Lucy, the Antichrist but his friends a Were-Pomeranian and a Blob with big dreams. At first it just seems that Klune created a 1984 with magical creatures and the book is very Orwellian but it is so much more. The narrator and the characters learn their true nature as they travel through this book looking for, and finding family, in the most unexpected places. A wonderful tale for adults and young adults alike.

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.

The House in the Cerulean Sea follows a bureaucratic caseworker who’s assigned to investigate an orphanage full of magical children, including sure, young Lucy the Antichrist, but also a were-pomeranian and an endearing blob that dreams of being a bellhop. (It turns out I love nothing like I love an earnest child with bellhop dreams? It’s good to learn new things about yourself. Like that I would die for Chauncey.)

This book has heart. It is charming and delightful and queer and kind and I want to clutch it to my chest and keep it safe forever.

Reading one of the blurbs i was expecting something akin to
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
Boy was I wrong.
Politically charged it examines society in an altogether whimsical yet at times emotionally challenging way.
Laugh out loud funny at times , but also heartbreaking at others.
Every character is complete they all grow as the story unfolds.
The first few chapters feel as if they’re in black-and-white and then they suddenly become glorious technicolour
You will meet the most adorable Antichrist in literature.
In the UK We have a saying on our trains to “See It. Say it. Sorted ! It feels chilling now.
The book reminds me stylistically of the works of
Phillip Pullman
C S Lewis
Charles Dodgson, etc in that it never condescends to the reader , the author treats us as if we are all equal regardless of age.
It Makes me wish I were 12 again so that I could feel the magic of just discovering how wonderful reading could be. (And the value of a good dictionary) but this is also a book for adults. The narrator is a forty something man plodding through life expecting nothing, who begins to slowly and quite beautifully learn that he is more than he has been taught to be.
To say anymore would risk going onto “spoiler” territory.
I will finish by saying that this is a book that covers some familiar themes but in a way that makes it feel like the first time you have heard them.
Simply wonderful.

I don't envy the job of marketers having to try and describe this sweet little book; it's got dry humour and an adult main character (planting it in adult fantasy), but the subject matter (an "orphanage" on a idyllic island, populated by children that are each some kind of magical being) means it's also quite light and gentle, with a simple message about the importance of family and love. At certain points, I felt like it could even be a young adult/middle grade book, but then there would be a scene or some dialogue that reminded me it was considered adult fantasy. Anyway, an enjoyable read, for sure, but definitely lighter fare.

(Read a review copy on NetGalley.)

4 stars!