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A review by shanellewrites
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
1.75
I found the characters relatively endearing, though a little flat. However, that is the best thing that I can say about this book. The fact that the "inspiration" was Canada's residential schools is deeply problematic, and I wish I had been aware of that before picking it up. I regret not doing more research beforehand.
The fatphobia in this book was also troubling. Repeatedly, comments are made about the main character's weight, including once where he says essentially (I can't remember the exact words) that it was a problem he could overcome if he tried hard enough.
The degree that a book (or other piece of media) is unproblematic does not always correspond with its value, but those issues made me feel deeply uncomfortable.
Unfortunately, even on a technical level, I also felt let down. The setting was well drawn, but the story was weak, with extremely heavy-handed and forceful application of the themes.
The fatphobia in this book was also troubling. Repeatedly, comments are made about the main character's weight, including once where he says essentially (I can't remember the exact words) that it was a problem he could overcome if he tried hard enough.
The degree that a book (or other piece of media) is unproblematic does not always correspond with its value, but those issues made me feel deeply uncomfortable.
Unfortunately, even on a technical level, I also felt let down. The setting was well drawn, but the story was weak, with extremely heavy-handed and forceful application of the themes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Xenophobia, and Fatphobia