The House in the Cerulean Sea
(Goodreads)I have not read a book like this one in a while and I think every book lover should pick it up at one point in their life. This book felt like the most honest hug I have ever received. With big messages on complacency and acceptance told through a charming tale, The House in the Cerulean Sea is a must for High School classrooms. I strongly believe this will become a classic that will be taught in the next ten years.
We start the book off in the rather grey world of Linus Baker, a minimally happy caseworker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth (DICOMY). At 40, he feels like his life is less than exciting and follows a strict schedule day in and day out. He is well known for his in-depth reports of the orphanages on his caseload. You may be asking what I mean when I say "magical youth." Imagine a world where one can be born with superpowers. These people, like most of the X-men, were children once. These children are often more than most families can handle, so they end up in "orphanages" that DICOMY regulates.
Linus unexpectedly is called to meet with Extremely Upper Management. In all his time at DICOMY, he has never talked to or even seen Extremely Upper Management. This is cause for a bit of alarm, but Linus soon finds out that he is being recognized for his exceptional work. With the recognition comes a new assignment that is highly classified. With the knowledge that his career could very much ride on this new assignment, Linus packs up his grumpy cat and heads for an island that five rather unique magical youth inhabit with my mysterious caretaker. Forced to stay on their island for a month, Linus must determine if these children should be removed from this home and placed elsewhere.
Things become a tad much for Linus to compute when he opens his new case file and finds out that the "antichrist" is one of the children at the orphanage he now must live at for a full month. Completely overwhelmed, Linus faints, only to find himself being shaken awake by one of the residents of the island, Zoe Chaplewhite. Linus learns that she is the island's sprite and it belongs to her. As a man well versed in magical creatures, Linus knows that he must tread lightly on the island of Marsyas if he doesn't want to find himself thrown into the ocean.
Suddenly surrounded by color and things he had never expected, Linus's view on the world and magical children is turned on its head. The first child he meets is an ill-tempered female gnome who repeatedly threatens to kill him and bury him in her garden. Beard and all, she is quite a rarity. Then he is introduced to Phee, a particularly powerful forest sprite who Zoe mentors. These two young ladies introduce Linus to the rest of the children. He meets Theodore, one of the very few remaining wveryns left in existence. Theodore loves to collect small shiny objects and Linus is soon forced to forfeit many of his shirt buttons. Then he is introduced to Chauncey, a green blob with tentacles and two wobbly eye stalks. All Chauncey wants in the world is to be a bellhop. Sal is a shapeshifting were-pomeranian that changes into a small dog when frightened. Sal is slow to trust and if he bites you, he can change you into a were-pomeranian too. Last, but never least, Linus meets Lucy which is short for Lucifer. Lucy is a sweet 6-year-old boy that is struggling with the weight of who his father is and what that means for his future.
This group of raggamuffins is looked after by one Arthur Parnassus who acts as a father figure to them all. He loves them and fosters their passions unless it means taking over the world and plucking out their eyeballs. Linus soon finds out that many of the things he thought were true about DICOMY are a lie! Arthur shares what it was like to grow up in an "orphanage" run by DICOMY, explaining the lack of funding and appalling abuse that often takes place in these homes for magical youth. Linus and Arthur also start to fall for one another. The real question is, will they both be able to save the home that Arthur has made for the bright young people, or will DICOMY get what they want in the end?
Student Suggested Age: (depending on student maturity) 11 and up
I was really surprised that this book was categorized as "adult."
Warnings: Religious themes (minor)
***** SPOILERS *****
Whew! I thought I would never get to the part where I get to genuinely spill my soul about this book.
This book is one of my new, all-time favorite books. The characters are so sweet and the reader goes on the same emotional journey that Linus does. I laughed. I cried. It moved me, dear reader. Linus starts out in a grey world where he feels like he is wasting his life away behind a desk. Ever been there? I know I sure have been. Linus is worked relentlessly by a system that squashes any sense of individuality. I mean this book feels like it might be speaking to me only here, but dang! T.J. Klune, you didn't have to make it that real dude. Forced on an assignment he is really questioning, Linus meets a group of beautiful people and learns that everything he has been told is twisted to make his job look good.
Linus falls in love with each kid, just like teachers fall in love with their students over time. They became Linus's family. In a world where Linus had pretty much nothing, this ragtag group of people fills the hole in his heart.
I was absolutely in love with the way that Klune represented a gay relationship. It wasn't a flash in the pan or forced. Linus and Arthur get to know one another and grow together over the month they spend on the island. Both find various ways to force each other out of their comfort zone. As a teacher looking for genuine gay relationships that my gay students can see themselves in, well done Mr. Klune.
All in all, this book is about more than just magical children. It focuses on found family and moving past appearances to find the true person underneath. This book explores the dangers of complacency and that even the smallest person can fight for what is right. Never give up on your dreams and never give in when you believe in something. This book teaches some of the most valuable life lessons all in one go, you just need to be open enough to realize this book is not just about magical kids.
