Review: The House in the Cerulean Sea
- alexa cameron
- Jul 25, 2021
- 2 min read
A heartwarming and refreshing story with characters you will long to hear more from after putting the book down. Strongly recommended for anyone who prefers young adult or romance, or anyone looking for a feel good familial and romantic love story. "I loved it. It is like being wrapped up in a big gay blanket. Simply perfect." - V.E. Schwab
Linus Barker,
but that's Mr. Barker to you, has worked as a case worker at DICOMY (Department in Charge of Magical Youth) for seventeen years without promotion. After all, why would he ask for one? He loves his job. Well to be clear, he loves helping to make sure children with magical abilities are safe and taken care of. He does not particularly love his supervisor, or the fact that he has not had a day off in years. Although there seems to be nothing extraordinary about Mr. Barker, who goes home at the same time everyday to his cat and his oldies records, Extremely Upper Management seems to think he is perfect for a level four classified, month long assignment. Tasked with investigating an orphanage on a far away island, Linus encounters six extremely unique children that he can't help but be terrified of. Aided by the growing friendship between Linus and the of the master of the orphanage, Arthur Parnasus, Linus begins to realize that everyone deserves to be loved, no matter where they came from or what they are capable of. Because a child that wants to bury you in her garden, or bring on the end of days, is still a child.
Because a child that wants to bury
you in her garden, or bring the end
of days, is still a child.
Linus operates by the book, the specific book being the DICOMY issued textbook, RULES AND REGULATIONS, but the lessons he learns from Aurther and the children of the orphanage show him just how much he's been missing.
"he understood that sometimes, one had to do unsavory things for those one cares about."
I picked this book up because I was looking for a romance novel of sorts, but I did not get what I expected. It had a bit of a slow start, but when I picked it up last night around page 80, I didn't set it back down again until page 310.....at 4am. I will say, part of the reason for that was I was waiting for something insane to happen, some major plot line other than the idea that Linus was investigating the orphanage to see if the children were a danger (or--in danger). I couldn't really understand how such a cast of characters, including of course, the antichrist, would not have caused something extraordinary to happen. Today, finishing the book in tears, I came to the heartwarming realization that readers have to reach right alongside Linus. I thought this was a beautiful story that made me laugh, cry, and wish I could hug the six-year-old son of satan. I would recommend it to anyone who...no, just anyone. I am quick to hate on cheesy young adult fiction or romance novels with terrible dialog, but this was neither.
"your bubble, Mr. Baker, has popped, why would you let it grow around you again?
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