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will0beatle's review
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
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I absolutely adore this book!! One of my favorites for sure. I love how the romance takes time and doesn’t feel rushed. I love how well it’s written and I love all the characters just AHHAHAJSJSJS
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Gore
rtaire'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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Child abuse, Abandonment, and Fatphobia
Minor: Death of parent and Emotional abuse
Two notes, the racism is fantasy!racism; the minority being discriminated against is magical beings but the reaction of the people, society, etc. all mirrors real-life bigotry. Also, the fatphobia is mostly internalized by Linus and insinuated in an off-screen doctor's appointment. His weight and "round shape" are commented on but Linus is the only one who views it negatively.inke410's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
This other said he was inspired by the Indian residential school system and the Indigenous people imprisoned there.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia, Bullying, Colonisation, Racism, Xenophobia, Eating disorder, and Slavery
laurynreadsbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
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? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Xenophobia
Minor: Hate crime and Child abuse
psitstorrie's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-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
This is one of the most enjoyable books I’ve ever read. I don’t think I have read something that made me so consistently smile and giggle to myself, It’s heartfelt and tackles issues in such a way that it doesn’t feel forced. It surprisingly insightful. The children are written in a realistic way (like being able to roast adults so innocently) and regularly made me chuckle. The characters are so well developed. I truly cannot recommend those book enough. This is going to be my go to book when I need to lift my spirits.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Racism
Moderate: Abandonment, Body shaming, and Confinement
javeria's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
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
Content Warnings
Minor: Racism and Child abuse
atlas_shruggs's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
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
V. E. Schwab described this book like getting wrapped in a warm, gay blanket, and going into this book it was exactly what I needed. It was warm, it was comforting, it was jarring, it was uncomfortable, it was like lying on a cloud or dancing with rainbows. It was so vibrant. The shift from the scenes in the city to the scenes in Marsyas felt like switching from black and white to a world of technicolour. The character creation was beautiful, and watching them blossom over the course of the book felt like I was watching something wonderful happening before my very eyes.
I don’t feel like I can give this book a more solid review. It was perfect. It was a feeling more than a thought. I loved every moment of it.
I don’t feel like I can give this book a more solid review. It was perfect. It was a feeling more than a thought. I loved every moment of it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Abandonment
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, and Hate crime
aymyoo's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Child abuse
leonormsousa's review against another edition
emotional
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? Yes
5.0
I once read (I don’t remember where so I’m sorry to the person who wrote it for not tagging them) that reading The House in the Cerulean Sea is like being wrapped in a cosy blanket and I honestly can’t think of a better way to describe this book.
Although it is an adult book, it almost has this fairy-tale aspect to it and I believe it could actually be read by children with no problem whatsoever. It tells a beautiful story with so many important messages of acceptance and diversity, of standing up against what’s wrong, of stopping violence, of following your dreams, of “it’s never too late to change your life”... And through this tale of a found family, a dash of a beautiful BEAUTIFUL queer romance (not I didn’t make a mistake: it’s so beautiful, it deserves the repetition!).
I wouldn’t say it is a sad book at all. It’s also not a violent book (at least not in the main meaning of the word). But it’s an extremely emotional one that just makes you want to give happiness and more happiness to these characters, with which it’s impossible not to fall in love.
Writing children is something that I believe to be extremely complicated. Yes, we’ve all been kids and we can even remember some of our childhood moments (some more than others) but going back to the mindset we had back then is not something easy at all. That’s maybe one of the biggest accomplishments of The House in the Cerulean Sea: it gives us six wonderful kids that despite all their peculiarity, are as real as it gets. Their insecurities, fears and dreams might be taken to a fantastic level, but on their basis, they’re the insecurities, fears and dreams of any kid out there (and even of some adults 😉).
The House in the Cerulean Sea is the kind of book that makes you want to restore your confidence in humanity but also the kind that makes you believe that we can do better! And that “we” begins with “I”. Choosing Linus to be our eye into the world was I believe another very clever option that is meant to show us the importance of critically evaluating the rules and traditions and preconceptions that rule the world. To challenge them, even when we have lived under them our whole lives. But also to allow ourselves to find our own happiness.
An extraordinary book, marvellously written, that I consider to be absolutely worth the hype. Needless to say that I 100 per cent recommend this book and it makes me incredibly happy to see it being published in Portugal this month by a publisher that is equally challenging the routine: Desrotina (totally feeling like a genius after writing this basic pun 😝). As for me, I already have the same-style book “Under the Whispering Door” on my shelf waiting to be read, but I’m very much curious to see how T. J. Klune has delved into other genres.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Fatphobia, Body shaming, Racism, Hate crime, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Child abuse, and Xenophobia
tomesandtash's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-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? N/A
5.0
This is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read and I am so sad that I didnt pick it up sooner because I have been missing out. I don't want to describe the plot because I think this book is better if you go into it with the bare bones. Linus is a case worker charged with investigating an orphanage looking after extremely special magical youth to determine if it should stay open. I loved every single character (other than the management etc) and I think I could read several more books just about their life on the island just to spend more time with them. I love that this is a standalone and wasn't stretched out to be a series because it was the perfect length to do everything it wanted to without feeling bloated or stretched out. I already miss these characters and this world and would give anything to read this again for the first time. Please read this book!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Child abuse