The House on the Cerulean Sea is a book that’s been on my radar for a very long time. Following a lot of people who talk books, this is one that has been doing the rounds for quite some time. So when one of my followers on Tik Tok very kindly sent this to me via my Amazon wish list, I was incredibly excited to quickly jump into it and see what all the hype was about.
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Despite the hype, I actually had very little idea what The House on the Cerulean Sea was about before I dived in. It tells the story of Linus Baker who works in a very mundane administrative role for an organisation who look after and organise magical children. He goes to magical schools and runs audits and goes to homes of magical children and decides where they should be sent.
However, one day he is called up by the highest of management for a very secret and dangerous task – something Linus wouldn’t in a million years think he would be asked to do. The dangerous task is to go to a school of very dangerous children on an island with a headmaster who the organisation aren’t particularly sure about. They need him to be honest and deliver thorough and regular reports – but this is what he’s very good at.
The House on the Cerulean Sea plot – 4.25/5
The House on the Cerulean Sea is a book all about “good feels”. The island that Linus is sent to is in fact inhabited by some young children who many may deem incredibly dangerous but also children who just in fact children.
It’s a story all about not judging people by how they look or by what others have told you about them. It’s a story about prejudices and showing people that by taking the time to learn, you can find yourself far more comfortable around people you may never have felt comfortable around before.
The pacing of the book is fairly consistent throughout. The start is very interesting as you’re left under a cloud of intrigue as to what the big secret assignment he’s been tasked is and as he approaches the island, you continue to wonder what he’s in store for. However, once he’s there and the characters are established, things slow down considerably and focus on the overall message I’ve outlined above.
There is an underlying story and plot going on with the headmaster too which I had a lot of time for and also adds a layer of intrigue.
The House on the Cerulean Sea characters – 4.5/5
So so much of this The House on the Cerulean Sea though is about the people. As we understand it Linus lives a very easy, calm and routine life. He has a cat, lives by himself and does the same thing almost every day and rarely diverts from that. So when hes thrust into this uncomfortable world surrounded by new things, it’s fun to see his reaction to everything.
Without spoiling too much of the plot, the children and people he meets on this mysterious island are also brilliant. They open up his eyes to things he’s never considered before. He realises that despite appearances, they all have deeper layers that make them softer or harder than they may appear to everybody else.
There’s a lot of humour in The House on the Cerulean Sea too that had me chuckling along. Linus’ cat is your typical grumpy hates-everything sort of cat which leads to some funny moments throughout. There are characters in here who are purely in the book to make Linus feel uncomfortable with is enjoyable to read too. And Linus, as he opens up realises his he has a wicked sense of sarcasm too which I always find a delight in characters.
The House on the Cerulean Sea final rating – 4.5/5
The House on the Cerulean Sea is all about the characters and the message that these characters bring with them. Yes, those you read about in this book may not be of our world or fictional mythical creatures, but their struggles and other people’s prejudices are things that everybody can relate to in the real world. There are no real huge plot moments, just a bunch of great small ones that all deliver their own small personal message about the kindness of humans and how a little thought and education steer them in a much more open direction. The House on the Cerulean Sea feels like one big mythical hug.
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