“A home isn't always the house we live in. It's also the people we choose to surround ourselves with.”
Linus Baker lives an average life. He is good at his job but he is ruled by his inability to see beyond his average existence. His life is a lonely one but at least it is predictable. On a day of work not too unlike all the other days, Linus is summoned by Extremely Upper Management. Without warning, he is assigned a very special and very secret case. He is sent to a charming little house on a secluded little island. Magical children who are considered "extreme cases" live in a sort of foster home with Arthur their carer. Linus is sent to observe the house, the children, and Arthur to ensure that the house and the children are safe and adequately cared for and managed.
This is such an odd little book. It felt like Ms. Peregrine's home for Peculiar Children meets an offbeat Chris Moore novel. It is light and airy in its humor and unending in its ability to charm and tug at the reader's heartstrings. The House in the Cerulean Sea meets readers with an intersecion of original characters-- including a child anti-christ and a mischievous garden gnome-- with a mostly predictable plot. I really enjoyed the depth of characters and the way the author unfolded the story. My only criticism is that the "heartwarm-factor" felt a little overly cloying and at times a little bit forced. I still enjoyed this read a great deal. The House in the Cerulean Sea was such a fun, light, read. I am always looking for something to lighten up my reading life, since my tendency is to pick books that showcase the full spectrum of human emotion in all its glory and ugliness.
I really think this is worth a read. If nothing else, you can enjoy a happy little book that is joyful and uplifting all the way through. I liked the way this novel gently touched on themes of discrimination, judgement, and the need for empathy and radical acceptance of all humankind. The focus wasn't on the negative sides of human stubbornness but on the way we can all love in a better fuller way when we hold our biases and preconceived beliefs loosely.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 Stars
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