Reviews tagging 'Violence'

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

81 reviews

fanboyriot's review against another edition

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dark slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

Read For:

Fantasy

Slow Burn

Found Family

Idiots in Love

Happy Ending

Think Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children vibes but kinda queer. I just felt kinda neutral about it. The humor was okay, the characters were okay, and the setting was kinda meh. I just felt like I had to force myself to keep reading and if I didn’t already own the book I would have stopped. Also, I thought there would be more queer rep to be honest so that was kinda disappointing. Not to mention the fatphobia.

I wasn’t going to read this given the reviews I’ve been seeing recently, however, I already own the first two books so I figured I’d see if it was as bad as some of the reviews were saying. And honestly, I just didn’t understand the hype about it. Even not knowing what the book was based on it was barely a 3-star rating for me, it just fell flat to me.

However, learning that this was based on the Sixties Scoop and how the author decided to turn what was a cruel and tragic piece of history he read about on Wikipedia about how the Canadian government removed a bunch of indigenous children from their literal homes and away from their family only to be adopted to white, middle-class families and he then took that information and basically turned it into a happy little fantasy where the kids live not in an “orphanage” but a “home” like, dude, why?

This kind of thing is still something native people are dealing with and as a white person, it should not be something you’re involved in like this. In America the Supreme Court literally is going to be voting soon on overturning ICWA so states can regain control to remove Native children from their homes and families, this isn’t just some fantasy. This story could have been written way better and in a way that did romanticize trauma and make light of a literal genocide.

I just wouldn’t recommend this one. There are some links on where I got my information from if you’re interested along with two reviews I think do a better job of explaining this than I did.

Links:

Source: https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A617930246/ITBC?u=uvictoria&sid=bookmark-ITBC&xid=0efbabda

Wikipedia: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sixties_Scoop

Helpful Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4032060130

Another Helpful Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3601407534

Rep: Achillean, Queer MC

Content Warnings

marleennieke's review against another edition

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funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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? Yes

4.0

Very nice and cosy read about being different. Easy to read.

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tiernanhunter's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing 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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neurospicyreader's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective 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

Heartwarming, vulnerable, and achingly human.
I absolutely adored this. Were there flaws? a few. But this book had me crying in the best way. It is a massive hug.

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theinkedpath's review against another edition

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emotional 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? It's complicated

4.75

ES:

El libro que necesitaba en el momento que lo necesitaba. Para aquellos a los que la sociedad nos ha hecho sentir diferentes y que no encajábamos en ninguna parte. Nuestro sitio existe y tenemos todo el derecho a ocuparlo y encontrar, en el proceso, a nuestra gente.
Este libro me ha robado el corazón.

Recomendación: Si podéis, escuchad este libro en audiolibro. Una maravilla.

EN:

I found this book when I needed and it filled my heart. Very touching and emotional. For those who feel the world is cold and unloving...for those who don't find their place. Your place exists and your people are waiting you there.

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jae_bird's review against another edition

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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

4.5

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pastelkerstin's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful sad

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

3.5

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marsspider42's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful inspiring fast-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

The House in the Cerulean Sea is full of pure joy. It is so easy to love, and I would recommend it to everyone.

Content Warnings

shinypurplepants's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

LOVE THIS!!

✅ queer romance
✅ found family
✅ speculative fiction
✅ cozy vibes

A very sweet and quick read despite its length. Audiobook version is also very well narrated! A more optimistic cousin of Kevin Wilson's "Nothing To See Here" and a definite mood lifter.

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yellowcape's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring 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? No

4.5

The gays were gaying!!!!

This is one of the most beautiful books I have read in a long time. I struggle to write a review if not to just use words in a list. Heartwarming, wholesome, paternal, funny, beautiful, fantastic, clear, honest.

I think the subject of discrimination is handled delicately and is well executed. I loved our main character Linus from the first page, J-Bone is also a personal favourite along with Talia.

My sole criticism is that the first half of the book was paced a little too slowly for me but I am SO glad I picked it back up after a break - which I cannot state how rare that is once I put a book back on the shelf usually it is doomed to be ignored. However the characters were just so loveable (calliope I’m looking at you) that I was convinced.

P L E A S E read it. There were so many times I was giddy, grinning at the pages - honestly all but kicking my legs. The positive 2SLGBTQ+ representation is incredible and it’s so nice to read a book with queer characters where the relationship is so realistic and wholesome but not the main focus of the plot nor the characters.

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