Page Count: 394
Publisher: Tor Books
Release Date: March 17, 2020
Genre(s): Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQIA+
Amazon // Indie Bound // Barnes & Noble //
April 10 - April 13
Rating: 5 stars
Goodreads synopsis:
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.
When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he's given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they’re likely to bring about the end of days.
But the children aren’t the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn.
An enchanting story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place—and realizing that family is yours.
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This book.
Guys!
This book!!!!
If you've been amongst the book community since this book was released, you probably have either seen it or have witnessed the hype that has accumulated around the story. I'm here to tell you -- it's so worth the hype.
This book was everything I could have hoped for. Maybe more?
Yeah. It was even better than I could have imagined.
When first reading the synopsis of this novel, my interest wasn't all that peaked. When I started listening to it through the Libby app (thank you library!), I was instantly hooked. This story was just so compelling to me from the get-go.
The House of the Cerulean Sea follows Linus -- a forty-year-old caseworker that works for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth where he oversees the children that are housed in government-run orphanages and homes. One day, Linus is plucked from his ordinary life by Extremely Upper Management and sent to the Marsyas Island Orphanage. He doesn't know what his assignment is -- he isn't even allowed to read about the location until he arrived. He meets six children of extraordinary abilities and their caretaker, Arthur. Arthur isn't like other caretakers. To the children, he is their ultimate protector and Arthur will do anything to keep his kiddos safe.
This book was whimsical, magical, charming, inspiring, and like a breath of fresh air. This book is technically adult, but I just want to push it off into my younger siblings hands, my mom's, all of my family members -- heck, I bought three copies to gift my friends and then pushed my copy into my fiance's hands to read after his finals are concluded. This is one of those books that I was everyone to read.
This book was the warmest hug that my soul needed during these crazy times we live in. This book is probably one of my newest comfort reads. You bet your patooty that I'll be picking it up at least one more time this year. I can't stop thinking about it. This is the sort of book that needs to be adapted and promoted toward other modes of media. This book is incredibly hopeful, relevant, and uplifting and I hope it is received by more open-hearted readers. I hope it inspires change and love in the hearts of whoever reads it.
I went into this book knowing it had queer representation, wonderful characters, heartwarming and loving vibes, and that it was incredibly beloved by all who've read it. Because of that, I don't want to reveal more about the book other than what's included in the synopsis. Trust me as I continue to just gush and gush about this book. Please read it. I don't think you will be disappointed at all.
