Reviews tagging 'Grief'

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

42 reviews

emmagreenwood's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Fire/Fire injury, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Xenophobia, Child abuse, Racism, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Confinement, Death, Fatphobia, Grief, and Hate crime

scarlett_f's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Recommend for teens+. Pages: P. 156 'A vagina being penetrated by a penis.' P. 263 use of pot/marijuana. PP. 274, 276 'deft little bitch'. P. 363 '...shove demerits up his ass.' The Anti-Christ. Just some items to be aware of that may not be suitable for a younger age. Positive queer representation. Belonging, family, nature vs nurture, inclusion, acceptance.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Gaslighting, Drug use, Xenophobia, Body shaming, Bullying, Hate crime, Abandonment, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Child abuse, Death, Confinement, and Death of parent

Moderate: Sexual content

Minor: Death of parent and Fire/Fire injury

thebibutterfly's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

Although this is a  slow-paced story with very simple and sometimes stilted prose, it’s a new favourite! Not only is every detail purposeful and well-placed, but the characters are fully fleshed-out and beautifully crafted. The relationship was slowly and painstakingly developed, which was a welcome change in a fantasy novel. At first, I wasn’t sure I liked reading from Mr. Baker’s POV, but by the 30% mark, I understood why the author chose him. It’s an interesting depiction of prejudice and the approach to the topic is nuanced and thoughtful. Absolutely adored Arthur and Talia, but Lucy was honestly the star of the show.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child abuse, Racism, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Confinement

starlily's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Confinement, and Abandonment

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Bullying, and Body shaming

Minor: Violence, Torture, Outing, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, and Grief

keelirae113's review

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This book is a love letter to everyone who has ever been made to feel that they don’t belong. You deserve a family who loves you just as you are, even if that means you have to go out and find them for yourself. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Body horror, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Child abuse, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Ableism, Hate crime, Death, Death of parent, Blood, Confinement, Body shaming, and Panic attacks/disorders

fatedefied's review

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment and Xenophobia

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Grief, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Homophobia

friendly_neighborhood_grandma's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I loved the narrator! 
The story is very wholesome, reminds me of the secret society of irregular witches, maybe even better:) 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Fatphobia, Emotional abuse, Body shaming, Death of parent, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Child abuse, Abandonment, Ableism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Bullying, Confinement, and Cursing

sallytiffany's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I liked the book. Thought it was well done. But definitely wasn’t as good as the hype. But well done characters and a good moral. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Confinement, Racism, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Grief

hales_1243's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Biphobia, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Homophobia, Xenophobia, Abandonment, Grief, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Cannibalism, Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Body shaming, and Cursing

Minor: Drug use

There was no explicit drug use, but there was reference to drugs briefly by a side character.

lilacs_book_bower's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

On the surface this is a sweet book.  A bureaucrat named Linus goes to an orphanage to see how things are going with the magical children and their mysterious headmaster, for lack of a better term.  The kids are sweet and he comes to love them and Arthur, the headmaster (who deeply loves and cares for the children).  I was very fond of Arthur and the children, and was passingly fond of Linus.  We are told he is by the book and seems unflappable, which is why he was chosen for this review by the government agency he works for.  But he sort of dithers around and seems very surprised and shocked by the kids.  We are constantly told how wonderful he is, but I don't quite see it?  Because he is open-minded and not a jerk to the kids?  I also think the book is a smidge too long.  I found it to be a soothing book about giving people chances and not judging them for being different, and that everyone deserves a place to call home with people who love them.  

HOWEVER, there are some controversies about this book, as Klune was at least partially inspired by residential schools, where Indigenous children were taken from their families and placed in to orphanages, treated brutally (some even killed) to try to assimilate them into white society and culture.  There are also some excellent points to be made about trauma and children in foster care systems, and whether or not that is accurately reflected here in the book.  As I have no experience with the foster care system, and I am not an Indigenous Person, or even a person of color, I do not want to make a judgement call on this, nor do I feel able to.  I have seen comments on both sides about these issues.  What is clear is that Klune is using the magical children as an allegory to show the oppression of a marginalized group by society, culture, and the government.  I think we can all appreciate the attempt. But how people feel going from there is really going to be up to each person and their individual lives and experiences.  The story and the characters are sweet and soothing, but there is still a lot I feel uncertain about.  I did not want to ignore the issues that many other readers have addressed much better than I have.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Forced institutionalization, Abandonment, Bullying, and Confinement

Minor: Grief, Torture, Hate crime, Violence, Body shaming, Death, and Emotional abuse