TJ Klune is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling, Lambda Literary Award-winning author of The House in the Cerulean Sea, The Extraordinaries, and more. Being queer himself, Klune believes it's important—now more than ever—to have accurate, positive queer representation in stories. You can find Klune on Instagram @tjklunebooks. You can find more of my reviews of TJ's work here.
Linus Baker is a by-the-book caseworker in the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records for company. But his quiet life is about to change. Linus is summoned by Extremely Upper Management and given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to an orphanage on a distant island and determine whether six dangerous magical children are so dangerous, in fact, that they're likely to bring about the end of days. When Linus arrives at that strangest of islands he's greeted by a series of mysterious figures, the greatest mystery of which is Arthur Parnassus, the master of the orphanage. As Linus and Arthur grow closer, Linus discovers the master would do anything to keep the children safe, even if it means the world has to burn. Or worse, his secret comes to light. The House in the Cerulean Sea is an enchanting love story, masterfully told, about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place—and realizing that family is yours.
Linus is a loyal and by-the-book civil servant, and the character with one of the most well-developed and important character arcs. Not only does Linus learn to see past the pages of rules and into the lives of others, but he finally recognizes the danger of being complacent in a bureaucratic environment. His character also provides great commentary on how one can work so incredibly hard, get everything right, and still get essentially nowhere special in life (no vacations, no treasured belongings, no one else to share his life with). It's astonishing to see how thoughtfully Klune took our own world and stripped it to the bones, to show readers how much the world is like a machine, and that we can forget to be human without an adventure and a desire to see what the world is really like. Linus's character was powerful for me, as it is all of these realizations I came to when thinking about how his character functioned in the story. While working hard is important, we, like Linus, need some magic to remember that we're human, and to fight for that magic for everyone else.
The found family trope is a worldwide favorite, I'd have to say, and a lot of the best books include it, especially The House in the Cerulean Sea. If I had to describe it in one trope, the found family would be it. Not only does Linus encounter six silly, big-hearted magical children that show him the way, but the master of these children, a housekeeper/teacher, and even a mayor who evolves to be an integral part of their story by the end. Klune focused a lot of energy into making the children as unique yet relatable as possible. It is so easy to see bits of our childhood selves in each of them—they all have their special traits (flair for drama, fierce loyalty, love of buttons, big dreamer, incredible writer, and salty but sweet personality), but they're all so scared that the only life they've ever loved could be taken away from them. And the only one with the power to do that is Linus. It is these children and this family that teach Linus his capabilities for love and happiness, and this family that allows his character to develop into the fighter he has always been.
One of this novel's biggest draws is the way it can be read by both older and younger readers. The prose is super digestible for younger audiences (middle school students would be the youngest, although that is totally up to the parents/children reading), and super fun for older readers. Some of the wry humor and more subtle elements could go over younger heads, and that would make returning to the novel once you're older even better, because you can experience the same story in a new way. The commentary on prejudice is just cutting enough to be completely understood and possibly life changing for a younger audience, and since it is written in the simplest can of language, any young reader could understand the book's meaning and weight, and carry all of the lessons with them as they start to get exposed to the world around them.
Klune's writing is fantastic, and it is one of the most fun writing styles I've read in a while. He does a fabulous job of creating mood and tone—so much so that I felt like I was reading Linus's life in black-and-white at the beginning, until he reached the island and his life exploded into color. The way he nudges the mood and tone of the novel is telling to readers, and is what gets us so invested in Linus's choices, especially when his time on the island is reaching an end. I also enjoy that while the biggest social commentary related to prejudice and bigotry, Klune was still able to implement discussions of body positivity and fully realize all of the characters in thoughtful, believable ways. And, of course, the slow simmering of the romance under the surface had me plotting out how Arthur and Linus would get together, cheering for them especially at the end once all secrets were revealed and hearts were bared.
If you loved The House in the Cerulean Sea, you're in luck, as TJ Klune has recently published a new queer fantasy romance titled Under the Whispering Door, which can be found anywhere books are sold. You can find more of Klune on Instagram @tgklunebooks. You can find more of my reviews of TJ's work here.
*This review can also be found on my Goodreads page*
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