Blurb:

He expected nothing. But they gave him everything . . .

Linus Baker leads a quiet life. At forty, he has a tiny house with a devious cat and his beloved records for company. And at the Department in Charge of Magical Youth, he’s spent many dull years monitoring their orphanages.

Then one day, Linus is summoned by Extremely Upper Management and given a highly classified assignment. He must travel to an orphanage where six dangerous children reside – including the Antichrist.

At the orphanage, Linus must somehow determine if they could bring about the end of days. But their guardian, the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, will do anything to protect his wards. And, as Arthur and Linus grow ever closer, Linus must choose: his duty, or his dreams . . .

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune is an uplifting, heart-warming fantasy tale that’s become a New York Times, USA Today and Washington Post bestseller.

Review:

The House In The Cerulean Sea is not a novel I would normally read as I often struggle with books in the fantasy genre. However, I read this novel for my local book club and I’m really glad it was chosen. The novel is set in a world that’s not familiar to us and many of the characters are mythical creatures. TJ Klune is extremely good at setting the scene for the reader and the description is so vivid that I immediately felt drawn to the island of Marsayas and the people who live there.

The protagonist of The House In The Cerulean Sea is Linus Baker. He’s worked in the same government department for several years and he prides himself on his objectivity. It was lovely to see his reactions as he met the people on the island and I enjoyed seeing him change and grow throughout the story.

In addition to Linus, the children on Marsayas are also important characters. I love that TJ Klune has developed these characters really well and given them characteristics that we as readers can relate to. They are humorous and engaging and I loved getting to know them, especially those of whom others might be wary.

The plot of The House In The Cerulean Sea is relatively simple and, for the most part, it is easy to see where it is going. However, there are themes in the novel, particularly the theme of acceptance, that I feel are very relevant to our society and I love the way that the author presents the themes in a simple but touching way.

The House In The Cerulean Sea is available from Amazon.