The House in the Cerulean Sea
T.J. Klune, 2020
Fantasy Science fictionYoung adultHorror
A by-the-book inspector of magical orphanages visits a house whose children—and caretaker—begin to undo his neatly filed life. A witty, warm read that moves gently, mixing bureaucratic dryness with wonder and a current of unease.
Feels like wonder and hope. About war.
Who it’s for
You may like it if you enjoy witty, hopeful fantasy about found family and an orderly man whose life is gently upended. Still, the genres include horror and war, so expect darker threads alongside the whimsy rather than an entirely soft story.
Why read it
It offers a warm, funny escape with a sharp look at rules and kindness, and its Alex Award recognition makes it a good bridge for adult and teen readers.
A page from the book
The difference between the posters on the wall and the laughter behind the door.
He was about to leave through the front door when he paused at a bright burst of laughter coming from the kitchen. Against his better judgment, he tiptoed toward the sound. He passed by posters nailed to the walls, the same messages that hung in all the DICOMY-sanctioned orphanages he’d been to. They showed smiling children below such legends as WE’RE HAPPIEST WHEN WE LISTEN TO THOSE IN CHARGE and A QUIET CHILD IS A HEALTHY CHILD and WHO NEEDS MAGIC WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR IMAGINATION? T.J. Klune.The House in the Cerulean Sea won the 2021 Alex Award, given by the American Library Association to adult books with special appeal to teen readers.
Books that feel like this
More by T.J. Klune
Under the Whispering Door
T.J. Klune, 2021
A lawyer, a tea shop between life and death, and a ferryman who won't be impressed. A comedy about the paperwork of dying and who makes it bearable.
Where to get it
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Questions readers ask
- Is The House in the Cerulean Sea for me?
- You may like it if you enjoy witty, hopeful fantasy about found family and an orderly man whose life is gently upended. Still, the genres include horror and war, so expect darker threads alongside the whimsy rather than an entirely soft story.
- What is The House in the Cerulean Sea like?
- A witty, warm read that moves gently, mixing bureaucratic dryness with wonder and a current of unease. Feels like wonder and hope. About war.
- What should I read after The House in the Cerulean Sea?
- If you liked The House in the Cerulean Sea, try The Hotel Nantucket (Elin Hilderbrand), The Mark of Athena (Rick Riordan) and Good Material (Dolly Alderton).
A taste of the feed
Why has no one invented a pill for the one thing that really hurts?
With all the advances in medicine and technology, why has someone not created a pill that cures heartbreak? Emotional penicillin. Why has someone not invented software that will sweep all traces of your ex out of your brain or an app that eliminates unrequited love?
The Hotel Nantucket · Elin Hilderbrand
What six months of missing someone looks like when it finally ends.
Percy smiled at her - that sarcastic troublemaker smile that had annoyed her for years but eventually had become endearing. His sea-green eyes were as gorgeous as she remembered. His dark hair was swept to one side, like he’d just come from a walk on the beach. He looked even better than he had six months ago - tanner and taller, leaner and more muscular. Percy threw his arms around her. They kissed and for a moment nothing else mattered. An asteroid could have hit the planet and wiped out all life, and Annabeth wouldn’t have cared.
The Mark of Athena · Rick Riordan
Why letting go is never a single, clean decision.
You don’t let go once. That’s your first mistake. You say goodbye over a lifetime. You might not have thought about her for ten years, then you’ll hear a song or you’ll walk past somewhere you once went together - something will come to the surface that you’d totally forgotten about. And you say another goodbye. You have to be prepared to let go and let go and let go a thousand times.
Good Material · Dolly Alderton
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