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

emotional hopeful 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

3.5

I was expecting to love this book and was a little bit disappointed. I really disliked the narrator for the audio book which may have influenced my experience of the story as well. The characters (especially the children) are great and the found family vibe is extremely sweet. However, the politics of the book are pretty questionable, with a strong connection between Klune's magical orphanages and the legacy of residential schools for indigenous children. The allegory becomes muddled, and the ending presents an overly cheery outcome that emphasizes individuals overcoming bias as the solution. 
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