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

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing 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

3.5

I’m torn about reviewing this book because on one hand it was delightful and I really enjoyed it but on the other hand I was really confused as to who the core audience for this was and whether or not my criticism even mattered if this was a novel that was maybe intended to be more for children than adults. The House in the Cerulean Sea is a syrupy sweet story about embracing your individuality and navigating the world to find a home and family to call your own. It was an uplifting and enchanting story full of loveable characters and cute adventures. It was also a fairly easy and quick read and a good reset from some of the darker things I’ve been reading this year. That being said, this book seems to be catering to the wrong audience? I wouldn’t even say that this is necessarily a YA read because to me it seems more like something catered to 10-12 year olds. Taking that into account, the themes of love and acceptance are all fantastic devices but if this is intended to be a novel for YA or adults, it’s a little heavy-handed and too simplistic. I also didn’t really feel that there was ever a consistent conflict to tie things together other than “people are afraid of what they don’t understand”, so the third act feels too brief to really resonate and everyone is resolved so quickly that it feels like the stakes never really mattered. Also, I think we could have done without the over-packed epilogue. Though in not giving this book a 5 star rating, I do still recommend it for those who are looking to read something pleasant, empowering and happy and DEFINITELY recommend it for kids aged 10-13 who are struggling to find the their place in this world.