A review by authorjlr
The Cerulean by Amy Ewing

5.0

SPOILER WARNING!
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Okay... I went into this book with ZERO expectation.
I saw the cover, and read the title.
I thought the cover was GORGEOUS, and cerulean is my favorite color! So, WIN, right?

I didn't know this was "an all-female sapphic society where each girl has three mothers," until I started reading it, but I thought, okay, that's a cool idea. Why not?

And now, I am reading all this hate in reviews from some people because... Sera, the MC, is from a world where there are no men, but she ends up on a planet with men, and ends up being attracted to men ...

We live in a world where people are told the "norm" is for women to like men/men to like women, but over the past few decades, this has changed drastically, thankfully!!, and people are finally free to be themselves (for the most part! I know it's not perfect, but it's better than 100 years ago!)

And now we're reading a book where a girl is supposed to be attracted to women but finds that she isn't? Isn't that a bit hypocritical?? Why can't Sera be free to like who she likes? WHY are people so angry that she found herself attracted to men??
Who the F knows? There are so many ___sexuals in our world, maybe it's because we haven't found another planet yet, with other sentient beings. Maybe we'll discover another race of beings and someone will be like, "DAMN THEY'RE HOT AF!" And I will SUPPORT THAT PERSON WHO IS ATTRACTED TO A BEING WHO IS NOT HUMAN. As long as that being is okay with it, too. (Think like, The Shape of Water, the fish guy was totally in love with the human, too, and that was cool.)

ANYWAY, I thought this book was beautiful science fiction with a nice 1800's theme, maybe a little bit steampunk in there. I listened to the audiobook and I think that helped. I think the narrator really brought the characters to life, but I do think the narrator went overboard with the voice of Errol. It was kind of a creepy weird voice, but other than that, it was great.

I think in the second book, there will be a lot more character development! With everyone. I feel like Leo and Agnes romanticize the Byrnes side of the family, and I'm afraid of what they have waiting for them in Pelago. I want their grandmother to be awesome, but ... I don't know, all the foreshadowing is making me nervous, but I'm super excited to read book 2!! GAH I hate that I have to wait! Maybe I'll sign up for an ARC!

Please, if you read this book, read it with an open mind, no expectations. And just HAVE FUN, BECAUSE IT'S FUN!