The House On The Cerulean Sea

Author: TJ Klune

Mood: Emotional. Hopeful. Lighthearted.

Summary: Linus Baker, a case worker at the Department in Charge of Magical Youth, has been tasked with his toughest assignment yet— ensuring the safe instruction of a gaggle of extremely dangerous children, including the Anti-Christ. But Linus’ heart is the core of this book— his love of the children he has yet to know, his inclination towards protecting those he loves, and a desire to build a broader community than humans limit themselves to.

Review: I needed this book to heal from the trauma of The Measure, and it didn’t fail to deliver. Witty, charmy, and cozy, this book gave me the warm and fuzzies I needed.

My Rating: 4.5 stars

Beverage Pairing: Linus dreams of the seashore long before he gets to visit it. Let’s manifest our own summer vacations with this beautiful Cerulean Seas Cocktail.

Note: I heard some controversy about this author on two fronts. (1) The first criticism for having “drawn inspiration” from internment camps. We all know internment camps were awful. I, personally, found the author used this book to recognize the removal of children from their families is awful, bureaucratic, and undermined the autonomy of affected communities. But Klune expanded the narrative of victimhood to create a space of hope, joy, and resiliency even in the midst of life’s sorrows. (2) The other criticism is that this book perpetuates a white savior trope. This might be true. Yet I recognize that marginalized communities actively under fire need allies to stand by, create space, and amplify the voices when they lack platform. Although Linus played a role in the ministry where he works, I’d like to think the kids, themselves, instigated a lot of the reconciliation in their communities. Alas, reading is so subjective. Perhaps I’ll have more perspective on a reread.