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A review by v_larr
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
5.0
*clutches the found family trope with cold trembling hands* I like this trope a normal amount.
Sometimes a family is just
->A radicalized government worker
->A [REDACTED] with funky socks
->An overprotective sprite who doesn’t know how to drive
->A were-Pomeranian who only turns when spooked
->A bird boy who really likes buttons
->A sprite with a literal green thumb
->A green blob who dreams of being a bellhop
->A gnome who definitely knows how to bury a body
->And the overly dramatic record player-listener Antichrist
AND THAT’S OKAY!
My goodness, this book is just so charming and lovely, I’ve turned British just by reading it. In fact, I adore it so much I really don’t have anything to say!
Okay, I lied! I was just a little overwhelmed with emotion for a bit but now I think I can form some coherent thoughts about this book.
Coincidentally I turned on Spotify to write my review and shuffle played Castle on the Hill, and honestly? SAME VIBES! SAME VIBES!
Anyways here I go.
Linus is such a fun character. Like so often he says and does these things that are so goddamn relatable, and his whole "No I DEFINITELY don't want to be here you are all just forcing me to I am not doing this willingly" vibe is so funny. I loved seeing him come out of his shell and find his voice. Like honestly, this may be the first time in a while that I'm not super annoyed with an insecure main character. I think it's because he's so matter-of-fact about it rather than like...woe is me? Like he truly believes he's Just Some Guy, but he's not so mopey about it? Honestly I relate a bit too much. And another thing, I like how he's got all these....I don't want to say flaws because they're not but like...? It's clear he's aging. He's got thinning hair and he's fat and he's got high blood pressure and his back hurts from strenuous activity. It's kind of the bare minimum but I like when they show these natural parts of being human. No he doesn't have to be conventionally attractive! And he doesn't have to be that insecure main character that is super attractive but they don't know it! He's human! It's the bare minimum but I love the way he's described. Also because I felt it in my bones every time he gets super tired from all their adventures and such. He just feels so real. Although his stubbornness is really frustrating, it makes sense. Obviously one month is not long enough to change almost two decades worth of values. But it started something and he realized how even he was working with this systematic oppression no matter how kind he was to the children. Good that he stood up for them by the end! Again, I loved how he found his voice! This guy!
Okay next. Oh god who do I talk about next, the children or Arthur? I think I'll talk about Arthur.
He's my dad. Like okay in one of my updates I called him a DILF but that's a lie. He's not DILF he's actual dad. I ADORE this man. Oh my god like I would just like to have a cup of tea with him. Maybe have a philosophical discussion even though I know nothing about philosophy.
He's just. Those characters who are always incredibly calm but when you make them mad you KNOW you fucked up immensely? Yes. That. I love his charm so much he's just so dad. And I love his descriptions so much. He's just a little quirky, you guys. Just a little. Wears them funky socks and pants that aren't long enough.
Yeah that reminds me, earlier today I had found a post/article on how recently love interests are described to be attractive without the narrator actually showing attraction towards them. Yaknow, typical Chiseled Toxically Overprotective But No Personality type love interest? So then to pick up this book was like a sigh of relief. Like I said, Arthur's a little quirky with his weird socks and his not-fully-healed nose and his knobbly knees but OH MY GOD LINUS IS SO WHIPPED. MY BROTHER IN CHRIST YOU ARE NOT SUBTLE! Like he's always like "I definitely acted normal during that interaction" after doing the most subtle yet obviously horny of things. And yaknow what I get it. I just said Arthur is dad. Like I can't even explain him he is just dad. ALSO! The fact is that Arthur's love language is "Words of Affirmation" and you don't understand how much my heart breaks every time he would say something like "You're so lovely" or some crap like that. LIKE COME ON LINUS TAKE THE FUCKING COMPLIMENT BEFORE I SNATCH IT OUT OF THE AIR AND TAKE IT FOR MYSELF.
Something something...I need to read more mlm books by male authors because I swear the ones written by women just have too much sex. Look at this lovely little relationship between adult men where they don't even kiss until the end because it's not as important as the plot????
SPEAKING OF PLOT. IT IS TIME TO TALK ABOUT THE CHILDREN. THE CHILDREN.
Look. I don't want kids. But I would adopt these children in less than a heartbeat. Like I am a mother of six now okay. Jesus I adore those children so much.
LUCY IS AN ABSOLUTE KNOCKOUT. I ADORE HIM SO MUCH. He tells it as it is sometimes and you have to respect him for it! I get a Good Omens vibe from him (no I never finished the book or watched the series). And he's absolutely hilarious! I love every time he comes up with a super dramatic threat about the end of the world and everyone's just like "that's enough of that!" I swear to god he WILL be a theatre kid when he's a teenager. Someone hit him up with Camilo Madrigal. Okay and can we talk about the significance of the way Linus treats him for most of the book? I GUARANTEE if he had not picked up that file then he would've just considered Lucy a dramatic kid who has a wild imagination. I mean, I guess you could consider that the point of the book, that people care too much about appearances and rumors and never really consider what kind of person someone can be...Yes. It was a basic ass message but you know what? It was done so wonderfully. OH YES. And the fact that Lucy likes record players and old music, mijo. My son. He had a good time with the stoner worker there as he should. Again he's just incredibly dramatic but super caring for everyone in the family. God I adore him so much.
Who else do I adore? I love Sal oh my gosh. The boy just wants to write. The traumatized boy who was taught that he had to hide in a shell to protect himself but eventually finds the people who support him and encourage him out of his shell because he's brilliant and loving. Goddammit.
Theodore's buttons. Talia's shovels. Chauncey's bellhop dreams. Phee's plants. God I am just so heartbroken. So much "screentime" for so many characters enough to love every single piece of them. I have adopted so many children. I am a mother of six and a daughter of three.
You didn't think I'd forget about Zoe, did you? Gosh I love her so much. She is just there to spit facts and teach Phee how to plant and protect her home and her family and drive horribly and talk crap to the ferry guy. Also her last minute romance absolutely destroyed me. I love her sm.
Anyways...something something plot?
I love the optimism in this book. Change doesn't start right away but it starts with the few. And I liked how they had a main character who actively took part in this systemic oppression far into the book. Again, it takes a long time to unlearn toxic thoughts and behaviours. It's an important message and of course it's still relevant today. It's just in this case there is a happy ending and people do fight back enough and the future looks bright. I love it.
I just love books where there's no explicitly horrible thing that happens. I need more comfort reads like this.
I went insane in my little group chats so here are some of my opinions.
this book is a pillow
this book is a soup on a cold day
this book is waves crashing on the shore
this book is family cooking you haven't had in ages where the first taste brings you back to your childhood
this book is what you thought would happen when you ran away from home as a kid
this book is home away from home
this book is rubbing your legs together after shaving and wearing short comfy shorts and getting under silky sheets
this book is your found family member undoing all the negative thoughts your neglectful family members would push onto you
this book is what you feel when you finally find where you belong
this book is sitting on the edge of a cliff, kicking your legs too much for comfort, scared that you'll fall but when you kick off you actually fly
this book is when you perfectly fit into someone's hug
this book is looking up at the sky and seeing all the stars in the galaxy but the real treasure is the people around you
Sometimes a family is just
->A radicalized government worker
->A [REDACTED] with funky socks
->An overprotective sprite who doesn’t know how to drive
->A were-Pomeranian who only turns when spooked
->A bird boy who really likes buttons
->A sprite with a literal green thumb
->A green blob who dreams of being a bellhop
->A gnome who definitely knows how to bury a body
->And the overly dramatic record player-listener Antichrist
AND THAT’S OKAY!
My goodness, this book is just so charming and lovely, I’ve turned British just by reading it. In fact, I adore it so much I really don’t have anything to say!
Okay, I lied! I was just a little overwhelmed with emotion for a bit but now I think I can form some coherent thoughts about this book.
Coincidentally I turned on Spotify to write my review and shuffle played Castle on the Hill, and honestly? SAME VIBES! SAME VIBES!
Anyways here I go.
Spoiler
Like there are so many things. Like usual I'll talk about the characters.Linus is such a fun character. Like so often he says and does these things that are so goddamn relatable, and his whole "No I DEFINITELY don't want to be here you are all just forcing me to I am not doing this willingly" vibe is so funny. I loved seeing him come out of his shell and find his voice. Like honestly, this may be the first time in a while that I'm not super annoyed with an insecure main character. I think it's because he's so matter-of-fact about it rather than like...woe is me? Like he truly believes he's Just Some Guy, but he's not so mopey about it? Honestly I relate a bit too much. And another thing, I like how he's got all these....I don't want to say flaws because they're not but like...? It's clear he's aging. He's got thinning hair and he's fat and he's got high blood pressure and his back hurts from strenuous activity. It's kind of the bare minimum but I like when they show these natural parts of being human. No he doesn't have to be conventionally attractive! And he doesn't have to be that insecure main character that is super attractive but they don't know it! He's human! It's the bare minimum but I love the way he's described. Also because I felt it in my bones every time he gets super tired from all their adventures and such. He just feels so real. Although his stubbornness is really frustrating, it makes sense. Obviously one month is not long enough to change almost two decades worth of values. But it started something and he realized how even he was working with this systematic oppression no matter how kind he was to the children. Good that he stood up for them by the end! Again, I loved how he found his voice! This guy!
Okay next. Oh god who do I talk about next, the children or Arthur? I think I'll talk about Arthur.
He's my dad. Like okay in one of my updates I called him a DILF but that's a lie. He's not DILF he's actual dad. I ADORE this man. Oh my god like I would just like to have a cup of tea with him. Maybe have a philosophical discussion even though I know nothing about philosophy.
He's just. Those characters who are always incredibly calm but when you make them mad you KNOW you fucked up immensely? Yes. That. I love his charm so much he's just so dad. And I love his descriptions so much. He's just a little quirky, you guys. Just a little. Wears them funky socks and pants that aren't long enough.
Yeah that reminds me, earlier today I had found a post/article on how recently love interests are described to be attractive without the narrator actually showing attraction towards them. Yaknow, typical Chiseled Toxically Overprotective But No Personality type love interest? So then to pick up this book was like a sigh of relief. Like I said, Arthur's a little quirky with his weird socks and his not-fully-healed nose and his knobbly knees but OH MY GOD LINUS IS SO WHIPPED. MY BROTHER IN CHRIST YOU ARE NOT SUBTLE! Like he's always like "I definitely acted normal during that interaction" after doing the most subtle yet obviously horny of things. And yaknow what I get it. I just said Arthur is dad. Like I can't even explain him he is just dad. ALSO! The fact is that Arthur's love language is "Words of Affirmation" and you don't understand how much my heart breaks every time he would say something like "You're so lovely" or some crap like that. LIKE COME ON LINUS TAKE THE FUCKING COMPLIMENT BEFORE I SNATCH IT OUT OF THE AIR AND TAKE IT FOR MYSELF.
Something something...I need to read more mlm books by male authors because I swear the ones written by women just have too much sex. Look at this lovely little relationship between adult men where they don't even kiss until the end because it's not as important as the plot????
SPEAKING OF PLOT. IT IS TIME TO TALK ABOUT THE CHILDREN. THE CHILDREN.
Look. I don't want kids. But I would adopt these children in less than a heartbeat. Like I am a mother of six now okay. Jesus I adore those children so much.
LUCY IS AN ABSOLUTE KNOCKOUT. I ADORE HIM SO MUCH. He tells it as it is sometimes and you have to respect him for it! I get a Good Omens vibe from him (no I never finished the book or watched the series). And he's absolutely hilarious! I love every time he comes up with a super dramatic threat about the end of the world and everyone's just like "that's enough of that!" I swear to god he WILL be a theatre kid when he's a teenager. Someone hit him up with Camilo Madrigal. Okay and can we talk about the significance of the way Linus treats him for most of the book? I GUARANTEE if he had not picked up that file then he would've just considered Lucy a dramatic kid who has a wild imagination. I mean, I guess you could consider that the point of the book, that people care too much about appearances and rumors and never really consider what kind of person someone can be...Yes. It was a basic ass message but you know what? It was done so wonderfully. OH YES. And the fact that Lucy likes record players and old music, mijo. My son. He had a good time with the stoner worker there as he should. Again he's just incredibly dramatic but super caring for everyone in the family. God I adore him so much.
Who else do I adore? I love Sal oh my gosh. The boy just wants to write. The traumatized boy who was taught that he had to hide in a shell to protect himself but eventually finds the people who support him and encourage him out of his shell because he's brilliant and loving. Goddammit.
Theodore's buttons. Talia's shovels. Chauncey's bellhop dreams. Phee's plants. God I am just so heartbroken. So much "screentime" for so many characters enough to love every single piece of them. I have adopted so many children. I am a mother of six and a daughter of three.
You didn't think I'd forget about Zoe, did you? Gosh I love her so much. She is just there to spit facts and teach Phee how to plant and protect her home and her family and drive horribly and talk crap to the ferry guy. Also her last minute romance absolutely destroyed me. I love her sm.
Anyways...something something plot?
I love the optimism in this book. Change doesn't start right away but it starts with the few. And I liked how they had a main character who actively took part in this systemic oppression far into the book. Again, it takes a long time to unlearn toxic thoughts and behaviours. It's an important message and of course it's still relevant today. It's just in this case there is a happy ending and people do fight back enough and the future looks bright. I love it.
I just love books where there's no explicitly horrible thing that happens. I need more comfort reads like this.
I went insane in my little group chats so here are some of my opinions.
this book is a pillow
this book is a soup on a cold day
this book is waves crashing on the shore
this book is family cooking you haven't had in ages where the first taste brings you back to your childhood
this book is what you thought would happen when you ran away from home as a kid
this book is home away from home
this book is rubbing your legs together after shaving and wearing short comfy shorts and getting under silky sheets
this book is your found family member undoing all the negative thoughts your neglectful family members would push onto you
this book is what you feel when you finally find where you belong
this book is sitting on the edge of a cliff, kicking your legs too much for comfort, scared that you'll fall but when you kick off you actually fly
this book is when you perfectly fit into someone's hug
this book is looking up at the sky and seeing all the stars in the galaxy but the real treasure is the people around you