Reviews tagging 'Grief'

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

51 reviews

foxclcves's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Hate crime and Racism

Minor: Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

kiminion's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse

Minor: Grief and Death of parent

clarelou07's review against another edition

adventurous emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

A cute fictional book about acceptance and defining who you are. I generally have a hard time with the first 150 pages of TJ Klune books due to the pace and the unlikeable character traits, and that opinion transforms as the characters do. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Grief

ariep's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful reflective relaxing slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

A really enjoyable read! I loved the characters and the world building. I loved how hopeful it was without being unrealistic. Highly recommend! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Self harm, and Grief

Minor: Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Death, and Forced institutionalization

kathleendayle's review against another edition

emotional hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Sweet story with endearing characters. Seems written for an adolescent-to-young-adult audience. Not typically my taste, but I did enjoy it. Even as a straight reader, queer stories are important!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Abandonment, and Classism

Moderate: Confinement, Fatphobia, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Grief and Outing

micaelamariem's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I adored this book! It was the perfect touch of whimsical while still revealing important lessons with quirky characters. The descriptions were vivid and the dialogue fun. 
My one critique is that I think some of the turnaround (or bubble popping) in characters happened a bit too quickly. 
Otherwise it was a great book!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Hate crime, Grief, and Abandonment

Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, and Cursing

Minor: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Fire/Fire injury

nooweljayy's review against another edition

emotional inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

if you're looking for a comforting, light story about finding the pursuit of one's own happiness through the power of fostered familial love, or maybe you're in the "lost in the world and needs assurance" phase in life like me, or even just a story that reeks of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children/Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends with tablespoons of gay and heartwarming and a pinch of 1984... don't you wish you were here? read this book? personally, i hope so. 

full review on Goodreads (copy and paste the link): https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5090552992

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Confinement, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, and Xenophobia

Minor: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Abandonment

iane_reads's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective relaxing sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Child abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Grief, and Abandonment

Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Fatphobia, Racial slurs, and Gaslighting

Minor: Chronic illness, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Violence, Medical content, Car accident, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

njh_books's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

 I started this book first in December 2023 and couldn't get into it, so I put it to the side for a bit and then came back to it.

Had a much better read the second try and overall found the book sweet and wholesome and funny. Reminded me of my counseloring days--kids say the darndest things. Lols.

The kids all grew on me and each I thought was unique in their own way. I think some kids were fleshed out better/more than others (Lucy and Sal) and I think that was also due to who had the most one-on-one alone time with Linus (since the story follows Linus). Now that the sequel is coming, I hope this may change in the next installment. Just felt like some kids got more focus, which while I know no book would ever cover all characters equally, would've been nice to have a bit more in depth look at Chauncey besides just the bellhop/monster under the bed and Thalia besides gardening/grave digging and Phee with growing plants/being a sprite. Also just noticed that all the magical female characters in the book have something to do with plants.

Arthur is a smooth talker and sweet and was nice to see him continuing his journey to be himself. Also showed that childhood trauma can still be a battle into adulthood.

Glad Linus eventually fought for himself and found his voice.

Also hope to see a bit more of Zoe and Helen in the next book.

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Some favorite quotes:

“'It’s the little things. Little treasures we find without knowing their origin. And they come when we least expect them. It’s beautiful, when you think about it. He loves it dearly. That was very kind of you.'” (94)

“'When something is broken, you can put it back together. It may not fit quite the same, or work like it did once before, but that doesn't mean it's no longer useful.'” (247)

“'The little girl. She wasn’t scared of me. She was nice. She didn’t care what I looked like. That means she can make up her own mind. Maybe that woman will tell her I’m bad. And maybe she’ll believe it. Or maybe she won’t believe it at all. Arthur told me that in order to change the minds of many, you have to first start with the minds of few. She’s just one person. But so is the lady.' Talia grinned.” (270)

“'It’s not fair,' Linus said, staring off into nothing. 'The way some people can be. But as long as you remember to be just and kind like I know you are, what those people think won’t matter in the long run. 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.'” (278)

“Helen scoffed. 'A home isn’t always the house we live in. It’s also the people we choose to surround ourselves with. You may not live on the island, but you can’t tell me it’s not your home. Your bubble, Mr. Baker. It’s been popped. Why would you allow it to grow around you again?'” (283)

“'You’re too precious to put into words. I think … it’s like one of Theodore’s buttons. If you asked him why he cared about them so, he would tell you it’s because they exist at all.'” (308)

“'Funny how that works out, isn’t it? That we can find the most unexpected things when we aren’t even looking for them.'” (376) 

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Grief, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Murder and Injury/Injury detail

dmrains's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I loved this book so much! I love all the children and Arthur and Linus and Zoe so much, I can't pick a favorite. I read this book faster than anything I've read in a long time because I couldn't wait to escape into their beautiful world

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Confinement

Moderate: Confinement, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, and Grief

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Death, and Fatphobia