A review by andrea_lachance
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

emotional funny hopeful 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? Yes

4.5

Wow. Just wow. I don't have the words to explain how much I love this book. I relate so much to Linus Baker's struggle with living the comfortable mundane and entering the wonderful unknown. And any book that can bring me to tears over Lucifer in a 6-year-old's body deserves high praise. The House in the Cerulean Sea really does feel like a big gay blanket. Queerness does hold a lot of tragedy and darkness, but any book that can speak to the inherent joy and found family that develops in queer spaces deserves to be read by anyone.

I've just come off a Riordan reading spree, and this book feels like it would be great for 16+ year-olds who love Riordan's books. I'm surprised/pleased that this is a book marketed as Adult Fiction with nothing content-wise that would immediately flag it as Adult. I think the older age of the protagonist - Linus - is what pushes it there but if OFMD is any indication, young people crave the stories of middle-aged queer folk finding love. Cerulean can and should be read by anyone. It's an easy, light read with a strong emotional punch that hits that found family sweet spot. 

This whole review has absolutely no direction.

I love this book. That is all.
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