The House in the Cerulean Sea Review
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune is a cozy fantasy novel that follows Linus, a caseworker for a government organization that runs orphanages for magical children. As a cozy novel fan, I am surprised it took me this long to pick up! This is my third Klune novel, and it did not disappoint!
This is truly a charming read, in which the main character discovers that life can be more fulfilling than following strict guidelines and working for soulless people. All of the characters, including the children in the titular house, are cute and enjoyable. Klune's narration is distinct, though at times a bit repetetive and predicatble.
While I enjoyed the overall messaging in the novel and the premise as a whole, I did find some of it a bit on-the-nose. I did not find it as emotionally engaging as Klune's other works (especially Under the Whispering Door). Despite this, (as you might be able to tell) I enjoyed this adorable book and found myself rooting for everything to go well for the characters.
It is definitely the case where one should go into the text expecting a cozy novel, with all of the classic characteristics associated with the genre. If you're looking for a low-stakes story with fun characters, a sweet love story, and a rewarding conclusion, this is definitely the book for you!
I look forward to continuing this series in the future!