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itsnotalakeitsanocean's review against another edition
fast-paced
COMPLETE RE-EDIT OF MY REVIEW BECAUSE I'VE CHANGED MY OPINION ON THIS BOOK!
I am no longer giving Klune any benefits of the doubt. To appropriate a tragedy that effects the Native populations of America and Canada - the violent impact of which is still being felt to this day, and is still being perpetrated in different, horrifying forms - and to then write a so-called inspirational queer found family story that posits "oh if only people were just kinder we could end racism and all get along" is absolutely disgusting and he should be ashamed of this work.
This isn't even going into the unfortunate implications of changing the narrative of very real Native children who are dehumanised by real people into monster children, and having them segregated on an island lest they be subjected to being hate crimed by the local, prejudiced population (not that the prejudice is ever properly written about besides a few petty disagreements, because otherwise it would ruin the cutesy-wutesy wholesome vibes 🙄).
Reads With Rachel recently put out a video that explains the problems far more eloquently than I ever could that you can watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlFIppBQFl8
I am no longer giving Klune any benefits of the doubt. To appropriate a tragedy that effects the Native populations of America and Canada - the violent impact of which is still being felt to this day, and is still being perpetrated in different, horrifying forms - and to then write a so-called inspirational queer found family story that posits "oh if only people were just kinder we could end racism and all get along" is absolutely disgusting and he should be ashamed of this work.
This isn't even going into the unfortunate implications of changing the narrative of very real Native children who are dehumanised by real people into monster children, and having them segregated on an island lest they be subjected to being hate crimed by the local, prejudiced population (not that the prejudice is ever properly written about besides a few petty disagreements, because otherwise it would ruin the cutesy-wutesy wholesome vibes 🙄).
Reads With Rachel recently put out a video that explains the problems far more eloquently than I ever could that you can watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlFIppBQFl8
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Xenophobia
Moderate: Confinement, Body shaming, Panic attacks/disorders, and Fatphobia
Minor: Religious bigotry
polythenesam's review against another edition
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
2.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming and Child abuse
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Forced institutionalization, Abandonment, Bullying, and Confinement
Minor: Grief, Torture, Hate crime, Violence, Body shaming, Death, and Emotional abuse
maxcooper's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
fast-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
maybe it’s recency bias but this has to be one of the best books i’ve ever read. i have never cried so much. i devoured this, i could not put it down. pump this shit into my veins
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse and Body shaming
katievallin's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Xenophobia, and Child abuse
Moderate: Confinement and Fire/Fire injury
meeklovestoread's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
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? No
5.0
Oh my gosh! THIS BOOK! I'm so happy I read it! It made me feel happy and yet there was a time when my eyes burned due to the tears in my eyes. I loved all our main characters! EVERY. SINGLE. ONE! I was so unwell after I finished it. Heartbroken even. I love this book so much! 🥰😥
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, and Child abuse
This book does tackle themes of discrimination and prejudice. And how rhetoric like that can shape the individuals as well as the society affected by it.minervacerridwen's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
After hearing so many good things about The House in the Cerulean Sea, I finally got around to reading it! (Thanks to my Secret Santa, Matty. <3)
The book definitely is hard to put down, so it was a fast read, and all the scenes with the children on the island were absolutely adorable. I loved their magical forest, and how much the main character sometimes reminded me of Aziraphale from Good Omens, who is one of my absolute favourites.
Still, I feel like this story didn't quite meet my (very high) expectations. It took about 150 pages before I finally had the feeling that it had really started, and while it makes sense that the reader needed to be given a lot of information about this world, I really felt this could have been tightened up with some thorough editing.
My biggest issue was that I didn't quite "feel" the romance.To me, it felt a bit as if Linus at first fell for Arthur simply because he was the first handsome man who gave him as little as a friendly smile, but I generally prefer if romance stories give me, as the reader, some sense of "why that one?". By the time the story made me feel that a little more, even Linus had already realised he had fallen for him.
Looking back at my review for Under the Whispering Door, I'll have to conclude that TJ Klune's writing style is just a little bit too zoomed out for me. Seeing everything at a distance can be useful to maintain the sense of comfort that his books all have, but for me personally it makes it harder to really be as invested in the characters' emotions. Then again, I doubt I'd call The House in the Cerulean Sea a "comfort read" for myself, considering the underlying themes that made this world so unsafe for children that are "other", and I wasn't entirely satisfied with how Linus' internalised fatphobia was handled.
I'm definitely happy that many readers got to know this book and the cosy fantasy genre in general thanks to the marketing behind it, but for me personally, it didn't quite hit the spot I'd hoped it would.
The book definitely is hard to put down, so it was a fast read, and all the scenes with the children on the island were absolutely adorable. I loved their magical forest, and how much the main character sometimes reminded me of Aziraphale from Good Omens, who is one of my absolute favourites.
Still, I feel like this story didn't quite meet my (very high) expectations. It took about 150 pages before I finally had the feeling that it had really started, and while it makes sense that the reader needed to be given a lot of information about this world, I really felt this could have been tightened up with some thorough editing.
My biggest issue was that I didn't quite "feel" the romance.
Looking back at my review for Under the Whispering Door, I'll have to conclude that TJ Klune's writing style is just a little bit too zoomed out for me. Seeing everything at a distance can be useful to maintain the sense of comfort that his books all have, but for me personally it makes it harder to really be as invested in the characters' emotions. Then again, I doubt I'd call The House in the Cerulean Sea a "comfort read" for myself, considering the underlying themes that made this world so unsafe for children that are "other", and I wasn't entirely satisfied with how Linus' internalised fatphobia was handled.
I'm definitely happy that many readers got to know this book and the cosy fantasy genre in general thanks to the marketing behind it, but for me personally, it didn't quite hit the spot I'd hoped it would.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fatphobia, Child abuse, and Body shaming
Minor: Forced institutionalization, Confinement, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse
graceert's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse
Moderate: Fatphobia, Xenophobia, Body shaming, and Bullying
Minor: Death of parent
mollieweitzman's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
Because the initial premise is so similar to other schools for magical children I didn’t expect this to be a five star read despite its popularity. It quickly won me over! So well written with profound ideals and I really like the 1984-esque aspect as well. INCREDIBLE AUDIOBOOK!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia and Body shaming
Moderate: Abandonment and Child abuse
mags_'s review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
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
3.5
I enjoyed this book, but found the dialogue rather stilted and preachy.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Confinement, Racism, Abandonment, Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Fatphobia, Hate crime, Xenophobia, Emotional abuse, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Gore, Blood, Body horror, and Animal death