Finding a Family in an Unexpected Place: The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

Personal Rating

A book should not be judged by its cover, but who would not be tempted to read TJ Klune’s The House in the Cerulean Sea (2020) when it has an enticing artwork that speaks for itself? Not only is it a treat for the eyes, but simply looking at it already gives an idyllic nautical vacation vibe. 

True enough, inside this contemporary fantasy and queer work of fiction is a sensational dream holiday destination. Even Linus Baker, the protagonist, is marveled by how vast the ocean is. For the first time in a long while, he is surrounded by bright colors of sunlight, sky, and the whole set of nature. He can almost pretend that this is his long-overdue and well-earned holiday. But that’s the thing he needs to remind himself of: this is not a vacation.

This is a highly classified assignment delegated by the Extremely Upper Management of the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. His sole task is to investigate the inhabitants of Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six unusual children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an amorphous green blob, a pomeranian shifter, and the Antichrist; all under the tutelage of the master of the house, Arthur Parnassus who will do anything to keep the children under his protection — a challenge that Linus must meet, with coherent objectivity to determine whether the orphanage must continue or cease to exist. With little information about the case subjects, Linus carries the attitude of a caseworker, along with his copy of Rules and Regulations, as he sets out on an unfamiliar adventure to unravel the secrets of the orphanage, where he then finds the most unexpected things. 

One of the most beautiful things in the book is how elaborate the writing is; it’s the first and foremost noticeable feature within the great long pages of each chapter. The created overall settings make the story so easy to get lost in because the use of imagery touches all the senses, from visual to auditory. Alongside it are the figures of speech that make the narrative even more vividly transporting. 

The story takes place in two different worlds, the city, and the island. The city is described as cold, dark, and damp where the rain never seems to stop; which is a bit reminiscent of the dark fantasy horror film, Coraline (2009), where all the colors seem muted. The somber effect can also be felt in the quiet neighborhood of Linus where no one seems to go outside — and the 1950’s music references and vintage objects only add to that effect. 

The plot however mainly happens on the island, which is where the promised majestic world is situated. Even though nothing is moving nor speaking here as strange fantasy creatures do, everything is still bright and beautiful. The picturesque landscape of nature and the finesse in its details are impeccable sensory stimulators. Linus describes it best, “This isn’t simply an orphanage. It is a house of healing.”

But perhaps these two worlds are merely a metaphor of Linus’s life. The city where the rain never seems to stop may be a portrayal of the dark ages where prejudice, bigotry, and racism are running rampant. In his seventeen years at his bureaucratic work, he learns to be invisible, focuses only on his job without questioning anything, and keeping his honest thoughts to himself — he is, in other words, a puppet of the society he lives in. But when he steps his feet into the island, he metamorphoses into someone capable of speaking his mind about the nuances of what is right and wrong. His character development touches the lives of people who have no strength to raise their voices.

The true beauty of this novel, aside from the grandeur of the elements of the fantasy with its superb worldbuilding is that it tackles moral philosophy through positive diverse, and queer characters that have different demographic backgrounds, and character flaws. This may be targeted mainly to an adult audience but the morals of the story are resonant to all ages at any given period of time. At the end of the story, it gives the readers something to think about in terms of how humans treat each other and all life forms. 

Apart from the serious subject matters, there’s also some subtle and wholesome romance between the characters to swoon over. At the same time, there are brief mentions of bigotry, bullying, child abuse, and some other related content warnings.

The House in the Cerulean Sea written by a Lambda Literary Award-winning author, TJ Klune — a story that is reminiscent of Ransom Riggs’ novel, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (2011), and films such as Hotel Transylvania (2012), and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), is five out of five stars.