Somewhere Beyond the Sea (Cerulean Chronicles, 2)

This much anticipated sequel was just as lovely as I expected. The children’s antics were hilarious, “I can talk to cauliflower and I’ve named the all Peggy.” Chauncey might be my favorite because he takes things literally and is unapologetically himself all the time. Book #94 in 2024

I absolutely love this author. So far no book has disappointed. Fell in love with these characters in the first book and fell in love all over again with this. The realities of foster care and the system within this book, it hits home.

I loved House in the Cerulean Sea, so while I was super excited for this sequel, I was also nervous it wouldn't live up to it's predecessor. But within 1 chapter, I knew it would be just as amazing. I cried, I laughed out loud, I sighed happily. I mean Chauncey and Frank. Lucy's mud men (and woman: respect her pronouns lol). It was all glorious. And the acknowledgments at the end? I never read those but I am glad I did this time! What a wonderful book!

I’ve literally never written a book review, because I’m always so nervous about my opinion swaying people one way or another. But here I am. PLEASE read this book 😭 The House in the Cerulean Sea is one of my top 1% books, which is a very high accolade because I constantly have my nose in a book. I was worried that maybe Klune couldn’t follow up and I’d be left with disappointment souring my experience of the world of Marsyas, but I was a fool for worrying. The giggles, the tears, the gasps, all of it was there as it was in the first book. Maybe even more, because now I went into it knowing they had my heart. Please, PLEASE read this book

TJ Klune is one of my favorite authors, and “The House in the Cerulean Sea” one of my favorite books by him, so I was looking forward to this sequel. “Somewhere Beyond the Sea” takes us back to Marsyas Island a year after the events in the first book, and we see how Arthur Parnassus, with Linus Baker by his side, deals with the repercussions of going against the Department in Charge of Magical Youth (DICOMY). We are also treated to manifestations of growth in our lovable children as they develop and discover their abilities, with a new character, a young yeti named David, joining their chaotic but endearing family. I love how vocal TJ Klune is about LGBTQ+ rights, but he comes across as preachy here, without subtlety. The conflict resolution feels deus ex machina, and he has done so similarly in other books. I continue to be a fan as I have been for the past decade, but will have to give this book 3 of 5 stars.