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readerette's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Aside from an identity mystery that is pretty easy to figure out if you've read or watched other mysteries, this story is stellar. Touching and funny, and while it's about magical beings in a world that doesn't understand them, the correlation to other kinds of diversity is obvious. The characters are a delight--deeply drawn, imaginatively created, and relatable. It's been a while since I read something so realistic and still so hopeful.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse and Racism
Minor: Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, and Grief
sfbookgirl's review against another edition
adventurous
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? Yes
5.0
My goodness, this book. THIS BOOK. I think the best way to describe The House in the Cerulean Sea is Animal Crossing in book form. I’m not kidding. The story is touching, heartfelt, and provides eloquent commentary on social issues. The book starts with Linus Baker, a caseworker at the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. Linus is assigned a new case at a classified orphanage in the Cerulean Sea with a group of magical creatures. There, adventure awaits.
This is the book I will be pushing into the hands of all adult readers. I urge you to pick it up; I guarantee you will love it. The children at the orphanage are what make this book spectacular. They are hilarious, kind, puzzling, and incredibly intelligent. So rarely do I connect with a book as magical as this one. Believe the hype.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Hate crime, and Xenophobia
firefly's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Bullying, and Physical abuse
Minor: Death and Blood
gracereadsandruns's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
What can I say about this book that hasn’t been said? It was just as wonderful as everyone said it would be. It would make the most amazing movie. I want to meet all of the kids and hang out on the island with them. The book was like a warm hug, while dealing with tough topics like bullying and loneliness, it also showed hope and acceptance. It deserves all the praise it is receiving.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying
kelseyland's review against another edition
hopeful
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
4.0
Truly heartwarming found family story that's also about disrupting and dismantling oppressive social structures I mean what's not to love?
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Fatphobia, Panic attacks/disorders, and Forced institutionalization
annaminunlukea's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, and Xenophobia
mairead_parade's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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
4.75
This is aggressively heartwarming, but cut with so much dark and morbid humor and built on genuine, painful conflict that it never becomes saccharine. Many of the main characters are children, and I was especially impressed by how fleshed out and specifically they're drawn - there are clear plot reasons that underpin any wise-beyond-their-years-ness and they rarely veer into moppet territory. It is really just a delightful read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child abuse, and Forced institutionalization
ktdakotareads's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
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
Content Warnings
Minor: Bullying, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse
keen's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
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
5.0
I came into this book immensely hesitant. I'm not a fan of romance. I find most stories to be either be too quick with the development, or so slow I forget it was even a part of the book. And overall, it's just not my thing. Additionally, I'm a fan of horror and thriller stories. So, aside from the urban fantasy and found family aspects, I thought I wouldn't get much from a "lighthearted" and "romance" book. This was not helped by me finding the main character, Linus, to be a very different protagonist than I expected: A 40-something year old child service worker with a stuffy, distant attitude.
I teared up three times, and by the epilogue, my eyes were so wet I had to wipe them with a paper towel to be able to see the words on the screen.
I very rarely cry from any story. When I do, I know it has ensnared me. I also very rarely think about books in terms of "Boy, I really wish people would write fanfiction about this." So imagine my surprise when I read nearly seven chapters straight.
The romance isn't the main aspect of this story. The main love story is Linus taking on a fatherly role towards the children in the 'orphanage' and how those kids grow to love him. The way each character developed was so subtle I barely noticed how much had changed until the end.
One complaint I had while reading this story was, "How is this described as lighthearted and middle-school reading?" The story almost feels dystopian at first. A society blatantly prejudiced against the supernatural, going as far as to harm children in its hatred. I'm a black, trans-masc person, so some parts of this story took me by such surprise that I was actually uncomfortable.
But that's not an actually a complaint. By the end of the story, I understood. It's a story about overcoming your own bigotry, learning from people you never expected to interact with (much less care for), and taking the first steps in changing society. Parts of this story gets dark, but I would happily hand this book to a pre-teen.
This story literally made me feel brighter. It made me more confident about choosing the best path in my life, no matter what society says it should be.
I teared up three times, and by the epilogue, my eyes were so wet I had to wipe them with a paper towel to be able to see the words on the screen.
I very rarely cry from any story. When I do, I know it has ensnared me. I also very rarely think about books in terms of "Boy, I really wish people would write fanfiction about this." So imagine my surprise when I read nearly seven chapters straight.
The romance isn't the main aspect of this story. The main love story is Linus taking on a fatherly role towards the children in the 'orphanage' and how those kids grow to love him. The way each character developed was so subtle I barely noticed how much had changed until the end.
One complaint I had while reading this story was, "How is this described as lighthearted and middle-school reading?" The story almost feels dystopian at first. A society blatantly prejudiced against the supernatural, going as far as to harm children in its hatred. I'm a black, trans-masc person, so some parts of this story took me by such surprise that I was actually uncomfortable.
But that's not an actually a complaint. By the end of the story, I understood. It's a story about overcoming your own bigotry, learning from people you never expected to interact with (much less care for), and taking the first steps in changing society. Parts of this story gets dark, but I would happily hand this book to a pre-teen.
This story literally made me feel brighter. It made me more confident about choosing the best path in my life, no matter what society says it should be.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Physical abuse, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Cursing and Murder
bookish_riz's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
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? No
4.5
This book is just what I needed! To be perfectly honest, I'm not one for light-hearted books. But this had just the right amount of magic to make it such an easy read. It felt like a pixar movie playing in my brain while reading it. I'm sure I will reread it again at some point and will definitely be recommending it others along the way.
.
I've been reading so many adult fantasy/academic/long series books, it was a breath of fresh air to read a stand alone book with a surprising amount of introspection. Such a delightful book!
.
I've been reading so many adult fantasy/academic/long series books, it was a breath of fresh air to read a stand alone book with a surprising amount of introspection. Such a delightful book!
Content Warnings
Minor: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Homophobia