A breezy and fun contemporary fantasy. Why bother? I read the first 2 Harry Potter books and just couldnt read any more. TJ Klune's book tells the story of children with magical abilities who have been removed from their families to live in an orphanage. Loading. "The House in the Cerulean Sea" is a beautiful fantasy story that begins with Linus Baker, a caseworker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth, who has just been assigned a top-secret case. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. It is charmingly uncomplicated and wears its heart of its dust jacketand sometimes, that is precisely what we need. How Do I Protect My Young Child from Cyberbullying? Fuck realism. Fuck realism. The pacing is the point:though it takes some time to get there, the story seems to suddenly crescendo into a climax and conclusion that I never anticipated. He has been working the job for seventeen years, and now he is forty, rotund, and alone. I put to you that not even Mr Klunes harshest critics believe that a reasonable person reading this book would come away with the idea that indigenous children should be forcibly adopted by white parents or placed in residential schools. Set in a world much like our own ('50s music plays a big role), it's the tale of Linus Baker, a downtrodden, dutiful middle-aged bureaucrat who's spent his entire career toiling for DICOMY (Department In Charge of Magical Youth), which, in theory, is the government agency in charge of protecting assorted gnomes, sprites, wyverns and the like from mistreatment, violence, and death at the hands of humans. View all posts by bookcoffeehappy. I LOVED The Time Travelers Wife (read my thoughts HERE). What a beautiful and insightful comment! Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. The goal was for primarily white, middle-class families across Canada, the US, and even Europeto adopt these children. I get written on, and I can never be used again. The Alex Awards are given to books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults. "1984 meets The Umbrella Academy with a pinch of Douglas Adams thrown in." Gail Carriger, New York Times bestselling author of Soulless more Tor Books Paperback December 2020 400 Pages 9781250217318 Buy the Book $18.99 About the Author Praise Discussion Questions Excerpt For more information, please see our Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not theyre likely to bring about the end of days. On the long side for some middle grade readersbut a great choice for other kids who are reading above grade level but not ready for typical YA/adult content. Email us at reviews@insider.com. In Summary of The House in the Cerulean Sea. The fact that I read 70 pages is proof of that! I just finished this book, and I loved it! At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. Learn more >. [9] His motivation for this first book came from a realization of the poor, often offensive stereotypes of queer characters within stories. Without spoiling anything, it's so tremendously written that you don't realize small hints had been left throughout the story until all the pieces harmoniously come together. Linus Baker is a man leading an ordinary, boring life slaving away at his job as a case worker for orphanages under the care of the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. It offers up the absurd fantasy that one man doing small, achievable acts of kindness in the right place at the right time can change the world. The message is strong and the subtle character nuances make it very fresh and important for our time. I believe that Mr Klune wrote this book with the sincere hope that he would be adding something good and positive to the world. Details add ISBN-13: 9781250217318 ISBN-10: 1250217318 Publisher: Tor Books Publish Date: December 2020 Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 1.2 inches as well as other partner offers and accept our, Katherine Fiorillo is a freelance content writer specializing in books, lifestyle, and e-commerce.Katherine has a B.A. The story focuses on Linus Baker, longtime employee of the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. if Im wrong. Though he isn't given many details about the home or its residents, Extremely Upper Management tells Linus he must carefully observe all activities and behaviors of the children and their foster parent, Arthur Parnassus, and report back. One of Publishers Weekly's "Most Anticipated Books of Spring 2020" I googled the defination of sprite and heres what Marriam- Webster had to say: An elf or a fairy. "The House in the Cerulean Sea" is a beautiful fantasy story that begins with Linus Baker, a caseworker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth, who has just been assigned a top-secret. Lambda Literary Award for Best Gay Romance, "Local author TJ Klune's new book is 'a slice of happiness', "Asexual Romance in an Allosexual World: How Ace-Spectrum Characters (and Authors) Create Space for Romantic Love", "Queer Joy and the Politics of Storytelling: An Interview with author TJ Klune", "Obituary for Eric Anthony Arvin at Madison Chapel", "Best science fiction and fantasy of 2020", "Winners of the 26th Annual Lambda Literary Awards Announced", "An Interview with Alex Award Winner TJ Klune, author of The House in the Cerulean Sea", "15 feel-good books guaranteed to lift your spirits", "Paperback Trade Fiction Books - Best Sellers - Books - Week of January 31, 2021", "Amy Goldschlager Reviews Under the Whispering Door and Empire of the Vampires", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=TJ_Klune&oldid=1142325627, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 19:57. While the kids have often been abused and terrorized in the past, and their powers are sometimes dramatic, no one comes to real harm in the story. Take me in hardened hands, and I crumple. [11] Other novels written by Klune include the queer werewolf series Green Creek, the queer superhero series The Extraordinaries, the contemporary romance How to be a Normal Person and the comedic fantasy series Tales from Verania. Without the worlds knowledge. This exclusive trade paperback edition of The House on the Cerulean Sea includes gorgeous full-color stenciled edges matching the beautiful cover design.. A NEW YORK TIMES, USA TODAY, and WASHINGTON POST BESTSELLER! A burning secret. I share your distaste for fantasy novels, and, for that reason, also considered stopping at the 70-page mark. "The House in the Cerulean Sea" by TJ Klune Courtesy of MacMillan Publishers Jolie Hughes of Morgan Hill Bookstore in New London, N.H. has a recommendation for people who want a summer read that . It's the type of book that reminds you of being outside on a sunny day with a cool breeze blowing through. [2], Klune's first book, Bear, Otter and the Kid, was published in 2011. Its the best book I read this yearand I suspect it will remain, always, one of the sweetest books I have ever read. If we do not believe these half-lies, these fables, why do we even try? Thank you for this insightful comment! We used to have a rescue, a Siberian husky, whom we named Lucy. The House in the Cerulean Sea. Trivialising the tragedy by turning it into a feel good fantasy analogue story. So its not an accident, and its impossible to give him the benefit of the doubt that it is an accident. Coincidentally, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about found families and islands, and it features someplace called the Marsyas Island Orphanage which is the home of an orphan named Lucyshort for Lucifer, for he is the Antichristwhere he lived with five other "dangerous" children: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, a were-Pomeranian, and a bellhop Linus isn't the first hero to be transformed by his experiences on an island. Profiting from both the cultural and literal genocide of indigenous people. House in the Cerulean Sea was a story born from the Sixties Scoop, which refers to Canada removing indigenous children from their own families and placing them into white families, which went on for about twenty years and is still having an effect today. Second, to ask what damage did this book do to indigenous people is to trivialize indigenous peoples generational trauma. At the end of the day, this is a fantasy novel that can satisfy many readers, even if they're not usually fantasy fans. Being queer himself, Klune believes it's importantnow more than everto have accurate, positive queer representation in stories. Common Sense Media. He also falls in love and discovers unsuspected depths of courage, loyalty, and tenacity in himself. Love wins in this book. As it should be. " The House in the Cerulean Sea is a heart-swelling wave of sweetness and hope. Sold. Maybe pictures would have helped me to want to continue reading?? Sure, we can say that it is unreasonable (trivialising, even) to fantasise about how one man is able to dismantle systemic racism with a little help from some of his friends, but I would say it is equally unreasonable to believe that by directing hate to an author who wrote a book which is only tenuously linked to a tragedy that had befallen First Nation people, they have done even the least bit of good for them. A burning secret. It should be said that she never actually murders anyone and becomes more docile on the island. But its not on white people to tell them how they should feel about it. Nor are people reading whatever they like into the book. As Linus Baker reaches the house in the Cerulean Sea, he meets the magical children who call it home. SO. literature, namely Sandra Cisnero's The House on Mango Street and Toni Morrison's Jazz. It wasnt easy to say goodbye to Lucy and leaving him with his newfound family when we moved our entire household from one island to another last year, and I cannot help but think of him as I read the explanation for Lucys name in T. J. Klunes The House in the Cerulean Sea. 400 pp. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. I have holes. I dont always like the fantasy type either. Your article is supremely well written, and I think you have a good idea of whats really going on. The opposite, if anything. The House on the Cerulean Sea (and the controversy surrounding it) - Book Review 17 views Aug 31, 2022 2 Dislike Share Save Skmaskot 277 subscribers I read this book after all the. enchanting story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about the profound. A dangerous task. The astonishing inhabitants he gets to know there will change his life and make him reassess everything he thought he knew. I just absolutely hate this type of fantasy. A downtrodden bureaucrat goes a remote island populated by magical kids and their mysterious teacher, where his heart begins to unshrivel in unexpected ways, which is a treat to see. And all of that can be true, and you can still like the book and the story. The astonishing inhabitants he gets to know there will change his life and make him reassess everything he thought he knew. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Coincidentally, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about found families and islands, and it features someplace called the Marsyas Island Orphanage which is the home of an orphan named Lucyshort for Lucifer, for he is the Antichristwhere he lived with five other "dangerous" children: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, a were-Pomeranian, and a bellhop The main characters are advocates for the government not treating the magical beings (inspired by indigenous people) as they did. Also, an attraction that cannot be denied is building between him and Arthur Parnassus, though he's doing his best to deny it. I am parched parchment. His fantasy novel The House in the Cerulean Sea is a New York Times best seller and winner of the 2021 Alex and Mythopoeic Awards. Mild-mannered government caseworker Linus Baker is sent on a secret assignment to an island orphanage he's never even heard of. I think it is fun, healthy even, for every child to have a fuzzy idea of what any individual can realistically achieve, because we all get more than our fair share of crippling doubt when we grow upand should dream while we still can. *Please share this page with your book and blog loving friends! Suppose he wrote a story that is more openly inspired by the Sixties Scoop, featuring actual indigenous children as opposed to magical beings, I would actually find that more objectionable, profiteering, and ghoulish. Some indigenous folks may, and others may not, take issue with the book. As to why there is a delay between the publishing of the book last year and the outrage this year, its because it was dredged up in the wake of the discovery of the remains of 215 First Nation children near Kamloops Indian Residential School last month and then the subsequent discovery of 751 unmarked graves at the Marieval Indian Residential School a few days ago. And if I can offer any criticism of The House in the Cerulean Sea, its that the book is pure wish fulfillment. And it isnt even a particularly original idea (I mean, its practically just X-Men) and if he didnt talk about his inspirations, no one could even tell. That trauma may be impacted by the author expressly taking the crimes against their ancestors and turning them into a whimsical story where the victims (the magical beings/indigenous people) are happy in their boarding home. I give The House in the Cerulean Sea four stars. There are many villains in the world, and I remain unconvinced that T. J. Klune is one of them. This particular Naga is Malaysian, born and bred. Due to the prevalence of pen names in M/M romantic fiction, he wrote under the pseudonym TJ Klune. Linus Baker is a by-the-book case worker in the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. Already I wasnt into it but I decided to keep reading. The House in the Cerulean Sea Travis Klune 2021-09-16 An enchanting story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune is about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place - and realizing that family could be yours. For more on this challenge and why Im forcing myself to do it, read THIS POST**. However, the book is more nuanced than this suggests. (LogOut/ I also liked the narrative tone that exaggerates the foibles of the world and minor characters to great effect. Today, #thehouseintheceruleansea has over 3.9 million views on TikTok, over 22,000 dedicated posts on Instagram, and a staggering 4.45 average rating across over 292,000 reviews on Goodreads. I hope youll like the other two. In practice, it's more like assessing how dangerous they are, and taking a hard look at the methods of Arthur Parnassus, the headmaster. [2] Klune's writing influences include Stephen King, Wilson Rawls, Patricia Nell Warren, Robert McCammon, and Terry Pratchett. I tear. Locked post. What do you think is the enduring appeal of this theme, which sometimes takes the shape of magical kids in a school? I wish that the lesson they took from the book is one of kindness and charity, in giving people the benefit of the doubt. MUCH. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. The characters include an amorphous blob who aspires to be a bellhop, a wyvern who adores buttons, a gnome who loves gardening, and other delightful and distinct personalities. He was breathing. [17][18], His stand-alone fantasy novel, The House in the Cerulean Sea, is a New York Times Best Seller and has been named by The Washington Post as one of 2020s Best Feel-Good Reads. Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. It is based on a middle-aged, stodgy compatibility and a growing realization that both men wish the magical children to be . The whole alternate universe where things arent what they seem is NOT something I enjoy. And it was quite apparent to all who met him that Lucy is a boy and because we live in a deeply gendered society, people naturally wondered why we named him thatand I, naturally a troll, enjoyed everyones bafflement so much that I was not always forthright with the explanation. It may play in a well-trodden arena but it does so with an element of charm and joyfulness that feel ripe for adaptation to the screen. Reblogged this on Salvation and Shenanigans. We must believe that all of us are, by and large, good people. I really liked the children characters, especially Lucy who could be both mischievous and vulnerable. Who do you think does it best? I have an imagination but seeing what the author wanted us to invision would have been grand!!! Sorry it wasnt your thing. It is sad, but I guess there's no point to morose. : r/Fantasy Not for this. I am but paper. You can like the book and the author and still feel uneasy about the inspiration. Genres Fantasy FictionLGBTRomanceYoung AdultAudiobookQueer .more 394 pages, Kindle Edition First published March 16, 2020 Book details & editions Liked the review. In order to compare the two books I will first analyze them separately before taking a look at them side by side. Linus faints dead away on reading the first file, belonging to Lucy (short for Lucifer), the 6-year-old reputed to be the child of Satan, but as time passes and he investigates further, he starts, for the first time, to question some of the things Extremely Upper Management has been telling him about these kids. A magical island. About TJ. But the author is on the record saying that that history inspired the book. These scratches are a history. A lot of what makes the romance in "The House in the Cerulean Sea" great is the idealism, and the worldbuilding is wonderful in how it fully commits to a world of magic, leaning into the silly and the absurd at times. Its estimated that over 20,000 indigenous children were taken, and it wasnt until 2017 that the families of those affected reached a financial settlement with the Canadian government totaling over eight hundred million dollars. Its for us to listen. Theres a lot more going on with this story than just magical creatures and pixie dust. Again, I am not opposed to anyone wanting to read whatever it is they want into any text but I just want to spend a minute here to ask ourselves: what harm are we averting, mitigating, or neutralising here exactly by attacking Mr Klune? They tell things for others to read, but they only see the words, and not what the words are written upon. There's a lot of ignorant prejudice directed against the kids in this story. A burning secret.Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. The kids in the books house are the outcasts and people try to hide them and forget them. An Indie Next Pick! [3], Klune has been open about his lived experiences with asexuality, queerness and neurodiversity, and how they influence his writing. Now, I shant go too deeply into the history of it all because there have been reams enough written about it but basically, Mr Klune said that while he already figured out the general plot about an Orwellian world where magical children face bigotry and discrimination just for merely existing, the story didnt become clear to him until he learned about the Sixties Scoop in Canada: beginning in the 1950s and continuing through the 1980s, indigenous children were taken from their homes and families and placed into government-sanctioned facilities, such as residential schools. And I feel thatthose who said he glamourised residential schools in the bookare doing so in incredibly bad faith since the whole point of the book tries to make is that such state-run facilities are bad. He has lived his life according to the rules, until he is sent on a special project to Marsyas Island Orphanage - home to . Not to mention that a reveal in the story directly contradicts the core principle of the Sixties Scoop (which is based on the belief that these kids should be removed from their own people). Now, I must say that Im disappointed that I just couldnt do it. [6] Arvin endured many years of health struggles and passed away on December 12, 2016. And furthermore, Linus ethnicity was never clarified in the book, not even once. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free. In the following passage, he discovers an unconscious record store clerk, who's been (magically) thrown against the wall by the 6-year-old boy he tried to capture and exorcise: "Linus glanced down at Marty again. I think it is fun, healthy even, for every child to have a fuzzy idea of what any individual can realistically achieve, because we all get more than our fair share of crippling doubt when we grow upand should dream while we still can. Klune has spoken about how his asexuality influences his writing. . How dare people read strong connections between crimes against indigenous people into a book that was admittedly inspired by those crimes! Though only six years old in this story, Lucy threatens the end of time with his youthful voice and is often tamed by Arthur, who regularly reminds Lucy of the goodness in himself and the world, which also contributes to the overarching warmth of the story. Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. Have you read this book? The House in the Cerulean Sea isn't really a gay romance, though the cover quote describes it as "like being wrapped up in a big gay blanket." There is attraction, yes, but it is not particularly physical or sexual. Klune was born in Roseburg, Oregon. View more posts. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. So what if I, an adult, want to indulge in a daydream in which my Sword of Destiny is my good intentions, and believeeven for just a few hundred pages that if I wield it sincerely and earnestly enough, I can defeat deeply entrenched systemic issues of bigotry and discrimination in just a couple of weeks? I teach high school emotional support. Linus learns that home is more of a feeling than a place. Get me wet, and I melt. But, man, would it be worth encouraging you to give THITCS another try? Now, while I am not white, I am also not an indigenous First Nation person either, and I dont think anyone should listen to me but just in case you are, I wish to say I believe one has to be deeply uncharitable to read such heinous crimes into Mr Klunes book. Same spirit, new stories. "The House in the Cerulean Sea" is a 2020 fantasy book that's still a popular bestseller. Now, while I am not white, I am also not an indigenous First Nation person either, and I dont think anyone should listen to me but just in case you are, I wish to say I believe one has to be deeply uncharitable to read such heinous crimes into Mr Klunes book. It was my favorite part of the whole week and Im missing it today . Being queer. I tear. Coincidentally, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about found families and islands, and it features someplace called the Marsyas Island Orphanage which is the home of an orphan named Lucyshort for Lucifer, for he is the Antichristwhere he lived with five other dangerous children: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, a were-Pomeranian, and a bellhop (which is just about the only aspect of Chaunceys identity that is clear to us). Suggesting they are is gaslighting. I am but paper, and though there are many like me, none are exactly the same. In 2013, he wrote a magical realist novel, Into This River I Drown, while processing the death of his father. I have lines. His novel Into This River I Drown won the Lambda Literary Award for . The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune, published 2020 *Mr. The girl isnt levitating anything, its a metaphor for a hobby or belief that society doesnt approve of, or something she would get made fun of. Ive heard such BEAUTIFUL things about this book! So, this is it? Espaol (prximamente) - volver al inicio, Best Movies on Netflix, Disney+, and More, Common Sense Selections for family entertainment, Best TV Shows on Netflix, Disney+, and More, Growing Up Queer: Thoughtful Books About LGBTQ+ Youth, Check out new Common Sense Selections for games, Teachers: Find the best edtech tools for your classroom with in-depth expert reviews. 'I didn't do anything, really. One common thread I see is that many who are angry at Mr Klune did not even realise that he was drawing inspiration from the Sixties Scoop initially, with some even saying that they adored the book before they learned about that unseen aspect of it. But the fact that there was a weapon of mass destruction in the body of a six-year-old and the world wasnt prepared was simply shocking. He wanted to be able to write a novel that had an accurate representation of queer relationships, that were not stereotypical, instead were seen as relatable and positive. No made up worlds, no moving statues, no levitating blocks, etc. The opposite, if anything. By writing The House in the Cerulean Sea, they said that Mr Klune is. I alternated between smiling to myself and tearing up when I read it. Later in his childhood, he began writing original stories. Oh, he understood why there was secrecy and could even comprehend the need for it. This book is amazing and delightful. Hiiii! His novel Into This River I Drown won the Lambda Literary Award for Best Gay Romance in 2014. The heartwarming, imaginative story follows a caseworker on an island of magical youth. Daisy, 11, used her powers to throw a chair at another kid, Marcus. They only knew because he informed them, and I daresay some of his haters only learned about the Sixties Scoop and residential schools because he chose to use his platform to talk about it. I think it is also important to believe that no matter how imperfect or flawed we are, we are still capable of making meaningful changes to the world we live in. [4][5], In 2013, Klune proposed to author Eric Arvin at the GayRomLit Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. And I understand why they did it. Here are three reasons "The House in the Cerulean Sea" is just as great as everyone says. As Linus's adventures at The House in the Cerulean Sea continue, both he and the reader are drawn into its world, delighted by its residents, and more and more inclined to doubt the prejudice that finds them so dangerous. The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making, The Inquisitor's Tale: Or, the Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog, 10 Magical Reads for Kids Who Love Harry Potter. [19][20] Publishers Weekly calls it a thought-provoking Orwellian fantasy in its starred review. [1] A supernatural tale about grief and love in a small town, it won the 2014 Lambda Literary Award for Best Gay Romance. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. It was about this time that Linus felt his vision gray yet again at the thought ofof this child. Fantasy and sci-fi reviews by a Malaysian book wyrm. In stories importantnow more than everto have accurate, positive queer representation in stories universe where things arent what seem. What damage did this book do to indigenous people into a feel fantasy! Publishers Weekly calls it a thought-provoking Orwellian fantasy in its starred review Drown, while processing the death his! With the sincere hope that he would be adding something good and positive to world. Call it home I will first analyze them separately before taking a look at side! Best Gay Romance in the house in the cerulean sea controversy only see the words are written upon have a good of... 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