Description
A magical island. A dangerous task. A burning secret.
Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages.
When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he’s given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they’re likely to bring about the end of days.
But the children aren’t the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn.
An enchanting story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place—and realizing that family is yours.
Quote
I am but paper. Brittle and thin. I am held up to the sun, and I can never be used again. These scratches are a history. They’re a story. They tell things for others to read, but they only see the words, and not what the words are written upon. I am but paper, and though there are many like me, none are exactly the same. I am parched parchment. I have lines. I have holes. Get me wet and I melt. Light me on fire, and I burn. Take me in hardened hands, and I crumple, I tear. I am but paper. Brittle and thin.
My thoughts
This was a slow burner for me. I think I read it at the wrong time because it is currently being talked about everywhere and I should have waited a year or so for the hype to die down. I was at the 30% mark before my interest started to pick up, and the halfway mark before I can say I was enjoying it. However by the time I finished I can honestly say it’s a lovely story about what it means to be different, and how and why we should embrace our own differences and those of others, and I’m glad I persevered and finished it because it was well worth it.
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