The House in the Cerulean Sea

Starred review from September 30, 2019
Quirk and charm give way to a serious exploration of the dangers of complacency in this delightful, thought-provoking Orwellian fantasy from Klune (Heartsong). Caseworker Linus Baker of the Department in Charge of Magical Youths (DICOMY) believes he is doing right by the preternaturally gifted children placed in DICOMY-sanctioned orphanages. But Linus begins to question DICOMY’s methods when the ominous Extremely Upper Management tasks Linus with evaluating the isolated Marsyas Island Orphanage and reporting not only on the island’s extraordinary children—among them a female gnome, a blob of uncertain species who wants to be a bellhop, and a shy teenage boy who turns into a small dog when startled—but also on the orphanage master, Arthur Parnassus. The bonds Linus forms with the children and the romantic connection he feels for Arthur set Linus on a path toward redemption for the unwitting harm he caused as a cog in an uncaring bureaucratic machine. By turns zany and heartfelt, this tale of found family is hopeful to its core. Readers will revel in Klune’s wit and ingenuity. Agent: Diedre Knight, The Knight Agency

December 1, 2019

Hardworking caseworker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth Linus Baker is responsible for periodic reviews of orphanages for magical children. His latest assignment: a month-long evaluation of the remote Marsyas Island Orphanage. His briefing materials are sketchy, revealing that one of the children is Satan's son, while others don't seem to be human. As Linus gets to know the six children and their caretakers, he witnesses the strong bonds between them and the unique community they've created. He even begins to feel a part of it, but his time is limited and he has a job to do. VERDICT A delightful tale about chosen families, and how to celebrate differences. Klune's (The Extraordinaries) quirky tone and appealing cast will remind readers of both the "Miss Peregrine" and "Mysterious Benedict Society" series.--Laurel Bliss, San Diego State Univ. Lib.

Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 1, 2019
A tightly wound caseworker is pushed out of his comfort zone when he's sent to observe a remote orphanage for magical children. Linus Baker loves rules, which makes him perfectly suited for his job as a midlevel bureaucrat working for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth, where he investigates orphanages for children who can do things like make objects float, who have tails or feathers, and even those who are young witches. Linus clings to the notion that his job is about saving children from cruel or dangerous homes, but really he's a cog in a government machine that treats magical children as second-class citizens. When Extremely Upper Management sends for Linus, he learns that his next assignment is a mission to an island orphanage for especially dangerous kids. He is to stay on the island for a month and write reports for Extremely Upper Management, which warns him to be especially meticulous in his observations. When he reaches the island, he meets extraordinary kids like Talia the gnome, Theodore the wyvern, and Chauncey, an amorphous blob whose parentage is unknown. The proprietor of the orphanage is a strange but charming man named Arthur, who makes it clear to Linus that he will do anything in his power to give his charges a loving home on the island. As Linus spends more time with Arthur and the kids, he starts to question a world that would shun them for being different, and he even develops romantic feelings for Arthur. Lambda Literary Award-winning author Klune (The Art of Breathing, 2019, etc.) has a knack for creating endearing characters, and readers will grow to love Arthur and the orphans alongside Linus. Linus himself is a lovable protagonist despite his prickliness, and Klune aptly handles his evolving feelings and morals. The prose is a touch wooden in places, but fans of quirky fantasy will eat it up. A breezy and fun contemporary fantasy.

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February 1, 2020
Linus Baker is a caseworker in the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. He takes his job very seriously, asks few questions, and is absolutely committed to the truth in his reports. When he is summoned before Extremely Upper Management, he has no idea what to expect. They send him to a remote orphanage with six magical children and a caretaker named Arthur Parnassus. Extremely Upper Management provides him with woefully inadequate information, and instructions to be completely honest about what he finds at the island orphanage. The results are, quite likely, not at all what management expected. This is a sweet narrative about the value of asking questions and the benefits of giving people (especially children) a chance to be safe, protected, and themselves, regardless of what assumptions one might glean from, say, reading their case file. The world is harsh?magical people are required to register with the government, and there are quite a lot of rules?but the orphanage is a place where perhaps there is room for people to understand one another instead of blindly fearing the unknown.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)