A review by chondritesandchondrites
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

adventurous 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? It's complicated

4.5

I was uncertain of this book for the first few chapters, but I’m very glad to have stuck with it. I loved the Linus’s development, and how his relationships with the children of the island, the other adults of the island, and himself grew. This book left me feeling inspired, giddy, and hopeful for the future. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Body shaming

Content warning: discussion of body shaming

One of the themes used to show Linus’s growth is how he and others react to his weight. Early on, he and his coworkers were very unkind and disparaging about his weight. Throughout the rest of the book, other characters treat him better, and he starts to care less and less about about his weight. Personally, I felt like this was an entirely unnecessary arc in the book, which, unfortunately, lasted for the entirety of the narrative. Personally, I felt like it a clumsy metaphor that could have been replaced with something else. What bothered me the most was that after leaving the island, the narrator goes on about all these good changes that Linus had undergone, and one of them was losing weight. Perhaps Linus’s growth in this aspect was helpful to some readers who struggle with body shaming, I personally wish that it had been handled with more care. That said, I really loved the book overall, so I’d caution people who deal with body shaming to be aware that this happens, but not to discount the book because of it. I think there is a lot to love about this story and that it’s worth reading.