Sometimes, things get chipped and broken, but there's still good in them.
The House in the Cerulean Sea
by T. J. Klune
Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
About: Linus Baker works as a caseworker for DICOMY (that's the Department In Charge Of Magical Youths) and has never had so much as a demerit, thank you very much. He prides himself on his objectivity and detailed reports, all of which help to assess the capabilities at each of the government-run orphanages. There are rules and regulations, after all. Though when he gets a special, classified Level 4 assignment, everything he thinks he knows comes into questions, and that simply will not do.
The Good
The tone of this novel is just perfect. It's whimsical and humorous and feels like a warm hug to read. We start off in a rain-drenched, grey corporate world and then are swept away to a mystical island, bright with magic and adventure. The heart of the story is to not judge a person based on your expectations of them and their outward appearance and does so by making you fall in love with the characters. I loved every single one of the children at the orphanage. Talia is as sweet as she is round, Lucy is hilarious, Theodore melted my heart several times, Chauncey is adorably earnest, Sal said some of the most profound things, and Phee is fiercely protective. I also really liked Linus - his transformation is gradual and begins with him giving that first button to a very grateful wyvern.
The Bad
There isn't a lot of plot. Things happen, characters grow and learn, and you'll likely enjoy the journey but it isn't a book full of twists or conflict. The tensions are a bit forced or simply not used enough. Lucy doesn't ever feel even close to threatening but Linus continues the charade of being afraid of him for the first part of the book, and likewise, the villagers have the appearance of a threat but never really amount to anything. Of course I would have hated it if the novel had turned dark and something really bad happened, but at the same time, I think there could have been more push in the conflict department. As is, the character of Helen washes a lot of the potential for any tension to grow and is, in my opinion, a far too convenient character.
The Somewhat Iffy
I love that this is an LGBTQ+ middle grade book - T. J. Klune has a beautiful way of crafting romance for his characters and that also speaks to the messaging of not judging people because of how they identify. That said, there's a sort of joke about masturbation that is a bit strange to read in a middle grade novel and some of the philosophy moments also don't read as something an 8-12 year old is going to gain much from. It's definitely a middle-grade book and unlike his young-adult fiction, but it's clearly written with an older readership also in mind.
Overall
Heart-warming and soulful. I haven't even mentioned Linus's cat, Calliope, who is another stand-out character I just loved. The story itself probably won't stick with me, but the characters certainly will.
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