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4.45 AVERAGE
4.45 AVERAGE
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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:
No
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
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
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
Loveable characters:
Yes
lighthearted
I really thought I was going to enjoy this book. Considering all the praise it got, I was near certain of it. But instead of a captivating and imaginative new fantasy, I felt like I reread [b:Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children|9460487|Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children, #1)|Ransom Riggs|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1623449170l/9460487._SY75_.jpg|14345371] as told from the point-of-view of a social services worker. Except Miss Peregrine's is correctly listed as a young adult work, where this wasn't, and really, really should have been.
You may think my low rating is because there is a gay romance weaved into the background of the novel. It's not. That was one of the more believable and charming aspects of the novel. You may also think it's because of the controversy about how this book was inspired by "the Sixties Scoop," but I honestly do not know enough about that historical event to pass informed judgement on whether this book is appropriating it or not. So, onto my actual complaints.
My first issue was the setting waffling between fairy tale magical realism (the government is always referred to as "Extremely Upper Management," and other little silly things) and being grounded in reality (the deaths of Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper in a plane crash are mentioned). So we're clearly in our world, or a version of it, but it's not rooted anywhere specific, in either location or time, although it seems vaguely English (they mention "maths" at one point). But it's never mentioned where this society diverted from ours and how we got to the place where the story is set. Which I found to be a constant low grade frustration.
But I could have easily gotten over that gripe if the story drew me in and I found myself immersed, but that leads me to my second issue — the pacing, which was far too slow. The protagonist was too dull to have us witness the minutiae of his life at the speed the story was told. I understand it was done so we could understand who the character is, but that point was made quickly enough, and the pace never quickened throughout the entirety of the novel.
Beyond that, there's the resolution. For one thing, you see it coming a mile away. From reading this far into the story, you know a feel-good ending is coming. But how it was done just doesn't work.
So, yeah, in short, this novel didn't commit far enough to a single tone, the pacing was far too slow, it had a dull point-of-view character, and the ending was telegraphed and unbelievable. I am genuinely baffled by the high ratings and constant recommendations of this novel.
You may think my low rating is because there is a gay romance weaved into the background of the novel. It's not. That was one of the more believable and charming aspects of the novel. You may also think it's because of the controversy about how this book was inspired by "the Sixties Scoop," but I honestly do not know enough about that historical event to pass informed judgement on whether this book is appropriating it or not. So, onto my actual complaints.
My first issue was the setting waffling between fairy tale magical realism (the government is always referred to as "Extremely Upper Management," and other little silly things) and being grounded in reality (the deaths of Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper in a plane crash are mentioned). So we're clearly in our world, or a version of it, but it's not rooted anywhere specific, in either location or time, although it seems vaguely English (they mention "maths" at one point). But it's never mentioned where this society diverted from ours and how we got to the place where the story is set. Which I found to be a constant low grade frustration.
But I could have easily gotten over that gripe if the story drew me in and I found myself immersed, but that leads me to my second issue — the pacing, which was far too slow. The protagonist was too dull to have us witness the minutiae of his life at the speed the story was told. I understand it was done so we could understand who the character is, but that point was made quickly enough, and the pace never quickened throughout the entirety of the novel.
Beyond that, there's the resolution. For one thing, you see it coming a mile away.
Spoiler
Linus returns to Arthur and the orphanage, because of course he does.Spoiler
Linus quit his job and moved there on a whim. With no job or prospects. How is he going to afford to eat? Can you eat the magical glow of a feel good story? He becomes a whistleblower, which is great, but doesn't pay the bills. And DICOMY must know he is the whistleblower, but they just let him live on the island with no retaliation and no consequences? Really?So, yeah, in short, this novel didn't commit far enough to a single tone, the pacing was far too slow, it had a dull point-of-view character, and the ending was telegraphed and unbelievable. I am genuinely baffled by the high ratings and constant recommendations of this novel.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
Awe TJ Klume is just so good at turning grumpy managers into the enlightened people they are meant to be. I loved the children so much in this book- but also the adults. Zoe, Helen, Arthur…all play such vital and unexpected parts throughout. I know there is a sequel and can’t wait to see how the group takes on DICOMY in the sequel.
The House in the Cerulean Sea is a feel good novel about found family and middle age romance, about being yourself no matter what others think, about not judging others because they are different from you.
That said, it is so precious and twee I struggled to finish it. The House in the Cerulean Sea is for adults who loved A Series of Unfortunate Events as a kid and Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children as a teen and want to read an adult book in the same style. The House in the Cerulean Sea has two middle-aged main characters and is written (mostly) as if it is for middle schoolers.
The plot is 100% predictable, but that can be comforting. Every Heart a Doorway has similar bones, but I found it more original and less hitting-you-over-the-head-with-a-blunt-object. I listened to the audiobook and the text is very repetitive. There were a few times when I wondered did it start over? Didn’t I hear this already? Then I realized the author was repeating himself for effect. A little too often to be effective on me.
I kept asking myself, where are there so many magical orphans? Then I read about the author's inspiration and thought, hmm, perhaps there are not that many magical orphans. The book was inspired by the Sixties Scoop, a terrible real life time period in Canadian history, when indigenous children were first stolen from their parents and then had their language and culture stolen from them. I’ve no doubt that the (non-indigenous) author meant basing his story on this history to be for the good, but I found it unsettling.
A second romance was crammed in at the very end. Not every person has to end up in a happily-ever-after romance in a book. Since he was writing sequels, I would have preferred the author to hold that out for a sequel if he insisted on it happening.
One comment on the audiobook – the narrator pronounced the word “gazebo” as gaz-eh-bo. Maybe that is actually how it is supposed to be pronounced, but I have never heard it pronounced any way but gaz-ee-bo. The word gazebo appears in the book an astonishing number of times, and the pronunciation never stopped annoying me. 😊
I’m glad I finally read it but I won’t be reading the sequels. I can see why the story appeals to people but it did not work its magic on me.
That said, it is so precious and twee I struggled to finish it. The House in the Cerulean Sea is for adults who loved A Series of Unfortunate Events as a kid and Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children as a teen and want to read an adult book in the same style. The House in the Cerulean Sea has two middle-aged main characters and is written (mostly) as if it is for middle schoolers.
The plot is 100% predictable, but that can be comforting. Every Heart a Doorway has similar bones, but I found it more original and less hitting-you-over-the-head-with-a-blunt-object. I listened to the audiobook and the text is very repetitive. There were a few times when I wondered did it start over? Didn’t I hear this already? Then I realized the author was repeating himself for effect. A little too often to be effective on me.
I kept asking myself, where are there so many magical orphans? Then I read about the author's inspiration and thought, hmm, perhaps there are not that many magical orphans. The book was inspired by the Sixties Scoop, a terrible real life time period in Canadian history, when indigenous children were first stolen from their parents and then had their language and culture stolen from them. I’ve no doubt that the (non-indigenous) author meant basing his story on this history to be for the good, but I found it unsettling.
A second romance was crammed in at the very end. Not every person has to end up in a happily-ever-after romance in a book. Since he was writing sequels, I would have preferred the author to hold that out for a sequel if he insisted on it happening.
One comment on the audiobook – the narrator pronounced the word “gazebo” as gaz-eh-bo. Maybe that is actually how it is supposed to be pronounced, but I have never heard it pronounced any way but gaz-ee-bo. The word gazebo appears in the book an astonishing number of times, and the pronunciation never stopped annoying me. 😊
I’m glad I finally read it but I won’t be reading the sequels. I can see why the story appeals to people but it did not work its magic on me.