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A review by _onemorechapter_
Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
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
5.0
💭 Klune has done it again, folks!
If The House in the Cerulean Sea stole your heart and made you believe in magic and the power of found families, then buckle up, because Somewhere Beyond the Sea is here to remind you why Klune is a master of heartwarming fantasy.
It is the most heartwarming, tear-jerking, laugh-out-loud, swoon-worthy read!
Klune has once again made my heart do the electric slide with Somewhere Beyond the Sea. This book is everything I didn't know I needed, and I'm officially a puddle of emotions on the floor😭
Get ready to have your soul hugged and then shattered (in the best way possible) by this sequel.
This book is a beautiful, emotional, and powerful continuation of Arthur Parnassus’ journey—and it’s everything I could’ve hoped for and more!
We’re back on Marsyas Island, where Arthur is doing what he does best: protecting and loving his six magical children with every fiber of his being. He’s got Linus by his side, the ultimate cinnamon roll boyfriend and former DICOMY caseworker, and a whole squad of allies including Zoe, the Island Sprite, and Helen, the no-nonsense mayor. They’re the ultimate dream team, doing whatever it takes to keep their family safe. But, of course, things can’t stay peaceful for long. Enter: a new threat from DICOMY and DICOMA, and Arthur’s own dark past coming back to haunt him.
The metaphors and allegories of today’s political climate are impossible to miss. Klune takes on the weaponized hatred of “others” with such poignant, powerful writing. It’s a story of resistance and resilience, of standing up for the life you believe in, and doing the hard work to protect it.
This story is a deep dive into Arthur’s history, the pain he’s endured, and the incredible love and strength he’s built around himself. Watching Arthur confront his past while trying to protect his family was gut-wrenching but also incredibly inspiring. This man has been through so much, and yet, he chooses love and kindness every single time. His relationship with Linus is pure goals—supportive, honest, and heart-meltingly sweet.
And let’s not forget the kids:
Lucy - Antichrist, a seven-year-old boy who loves music & baking and whose greatest passion in life is “dead-people” music and who aspires to make footie pyjamas mandatory for humans if he ever enslaves them!
Sal- resident shifter, who could turn from a boy into a dog in a blink of an eye and a gifted writer
Talia - Short, squat grumpy but lovable garden gnome
Chauncey - Amorphous green boy with tentacles for arms and the best bellhop
David - a theater-loving Yeti(newest addition)
Theodore - a button-hoarding wyvern
Phee - sensitive but formidable Forest Sprite
And Calliope The Machiavellian Feline
I loved seeing them grow and face new challenges. They’ve come so far since we first met them, and their bond with Arthur and Linus is just beautiful. Each of them is learning to navigate a world that doesn’t always understand or accept them, and they do it with courage and resilience that had me tearing up more than once.
Klune’s writing is, as always, lyrical and enchanting, with that perfect balance of humor, heart, and hope. There’s a new magical child in the mix who sees himself as a monster, and the way Arthur handles this is such a testament to his character. It’s a story of acceptance, of finding your place in the world, and of fighting for the future you believe in.
Somewhere Beyond the Sea is not just a book; it’s a reminder that family is who we choose, that love is the most powerful magic of all, and that even in the face of darkness, there’s always a light to be found. 5 stars and then some—this is TJ Klune at his best, and I’ll be thinking about Arthur, Linus, and the kids long after the final page.
𝐏.𝐒 I’m really hoping there are many more books from the Cerulean Chronicles because it’s just too heartwarming and delightful to leave us hanging! I think a yearly instalment would be just right!
𝐏.𝐒.𝐒 I’ll be over here hugging this book to my chest for the foreseeable future.
🔸𝑴𝒚 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🔸𝑮𝒐𝒐𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒔 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 4.44 (12271)
🔸𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒓𝒆:Fantasy Fiction, Romance novel, Romantic Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Gay Fiction
🔸𝑺𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔:Cerulean Chronicles
🔸𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏: Oh Yes!!!
It is a must-read if you’re into found families, magic, loveable characters and romances that make your heart do somersaults.
If you’re looking for a book that will make you think, make you feel, and leave you with a heart full of hope, this is it. 5 glowing stars, and a thousand thank-yous to Klune for this masterpiece.
🔸 𝑭𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝑸𝒖𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒔:
“It’s hard.” “What is?” “Being alive.” “It is,” Arthur agreed. “But perhaps that’s the point: the trials and tribulations of life weigh heavily upon us, but we find people to help lighten the load.”
“If you go into a situation expecting the worst, it may cloud your ability to see what good can come from it.”
“But I believe the greatest weapon we have at our disposal is our voices. And I am going to use my voice for you, and me. Hate is loud. We are louder.”
“Confidence is silent. Insecurities are loud.”
“There is magic in the ordinary, magic that has the power to change the world.”
“Even the smallest of things can change the world if only one is brave enough to try.”
“I worry all the time about the children. I worry about them when they sleep. When they wake up. When they run, when they eat, when they laugh or cry or sneeze. When they ask questions or when they answer questions. What does that make me?” Linus snorted. “That makes you a father.”
“You are more than the sum of your parts, but your past is still that: yours.”
“Then, “If what you’re saying is true, how has DICOMY not discovered you? Or Doreen?” Larmina laughed bitterly. “Because we understand how the minds of men work. Give them a little smile, touch their arm, hang on their every word, and they believe they’re God’s gift to women.”
“Mind your manners, but always, always ask questions if you have them. Good people don’t mind questions.”
“Let them listen to what joy sounds like. Maybe they’ll learn a thing or two.”
If The House in the Cerulean Sea stole your heart and made you believe in magic and the power of found families, then buckle up, because Somewhere Beyond the Sea is here to remind you why Klune is a master of heartwarming fantasy.
It is the most heartwarming, tear-jerking, laugh-out-loud, swoon-worthy read!
Klune has once again made my heart do the electric slide with Somewhere Beyond the Sea. This book is everything I didn't know I needed, and I'm officially a puddle of emotions on the floor😭
Get ready to have your soul hugged and then shattered (in the best way possible) by this sequel.
This book is a beautiful, emotional, and powerful continuation of Arthur Parnassus’ journey—and it’s everything I could’ve hoped for and more!
We’re back on Marsyas Island, where Arthur is doing what he does best: protecting and loving his six magical children with every fiber of his being. He’s got Linus by his side, the ultimate cinnamon roll boyfriend and former DICOMY caseworker, and a whole squad of allies including Zoe, the Island Sprite, and Helen, the no-nonsense mayor. They’re the ultimate dream team, doing whatever it takes to keep their family safe. But, of course, things can’t stay peaceful for long. Enter: a new threat from DICOMY and DICOMA, and Arthur’s own dark past coming back to haunt him.
The metaphors and allegories of today’s political climate are impossible to miss. Klune takes on the weaponized hatred of “others” with such poignant, powerful writing. It’s a story of resistance and resilience, of standing up for the life you believe in, and doing the hard work to protect it.
This story is a deep dive into Arthur’s history, the pain he’s endured, and the incredible love and strength he’s built around himself. Watching Arthur confront his past while trying to protect his family was gut-wrenching but also incredibly inspiring. This man has been through so much, and yet, he chooses love and kindness every single time. His relationship with Linus is pure goals—supportive, honest, and heart-meltingly sweet.
And let’s not forget the kids:
Lucy - Antichrist, a seven-year-old boy who loves music & baking and whose greatest passion in life is “dead-people” music and who aspires to make footie pyjamas mandatory for humans if he ever enslaves them!
Sal- resident shifter, who could turn from a boy into a dog in a blink of an eye and a gifted writer
Talia - Short, squat grumpy but lovable garden gnome
Chauncey - Amorphous green boy with tentacles for arms and the best bellhop
David - a theater-loving Yeti(newest addition)
Theodore - a button-hoarding wyvern
Phee - sensitive but formidable Forest Sprite
And Calliope The Machiavellian Feline
I loved seeing them grow and face new challenges. They’ve come so far since we first met them, and their bond with Arthur and Linus is just beautiful. Each of them is learning to navigate a world that doesn’t always understand or accept them, and they do it with courage and resilience that had me tearing up more than once.
Klune’s writing is, as always, lyrical and enchanting, with that perfect balance of humor, heart, and hope. There’s a new magical child in the mix who sees himself as a monster, and the way Arthur handles this is such a testament to his character. It’s a story of acceptance, of finding your place in the world, and of fighting for the future you believe in.
Somewhere Beyond the Sea is not just a book; it’s a reminder that family is who we choose, that love is the most powerful magic of all, and that even in the face of darkness, there’s always a light to be found. 5 stars and then some—this is TJ Klune at his best, and I’ll be thinking about Arthur, Linus, and the kids long after the final page.
𝐏.𝐒 I’m really hoping there are many more books from the Cerulean Chronicles because it’s just too heartwarming and delightful to leave us hanging! I think a yearly instalment would be just right!
𝐏.𝐒.𝐒 I’ll be over here hugging this book to my chest for the foreseeable future.
🔸𝑴𝒚 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🔸𝑮𝒐𝒐𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒔 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 4.44 (12271)
🔸𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒓𝒆:Fantasy Fiction, Romance novel, Romantic Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Gay Fiction
🔸𝑺𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔:Cerulean Chronicles
🔸𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏: Oh Yes!!!
It is a must-read if you’re into found families, magic, loveable characters and romances that make your heart do somersaults.
If you’re looking for a book that will make you think, make you feel, and leave you with a heart full of hope, this is it. 5 glowing stars, and a thousand thank-yous to Klune for this masterpiece.
🔸 𝑭𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝑸𝒖𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒔:
“It’s hard.” “What is?” “Being alive.” “It is,” Arthur agreed. “But perhaps that’s the point: the trials and tribulations of life weigh heavily upon us, but we find people to help lighten the load.”
“If you go into a situation expecting the worst, it may cloud your ability to see what good can come from it.”
“But I believe the greatest weapon we have at our disposal is our voices. And I am going to use my voice for you, and me. Hate is loud. We are louder.”
“Confidence is silent. Insecurities are loud.”
“There is magic in the ordinary, magic that has the power to change the world.”
“Even the smallest of things can change the world if only one is brave enough to try.”
“I worry all the time about the children. I worry about them when they sleep. When they wake up. When they run, when they eat, when they laugh or cry or sneeze. When they ask questions or when they answer questions. What does that make me?” Linus snorted. “That makes you a father.”
“You are more than the sum of your parts, but your past is still that: yours.”
“Then, “If what you’re saying is true, how has DICOMY not discovered you? Or Doreen?” Larmina laughed bitterly. “Because we understand how the minds of men work. Give them a little smile, touch their arm, hang on their every word, and they believe they’re God’s gift to women.”
“Mind your manners, but always, always ask questions if you have them. Good people don’t mind questions.”
“Let them listen to what joy sounds like. Maybe they’ll learn a thing or two.”