The House in the Cerulean Sea (Cerulean Chronicles, 1)

How to review this book? Let's get the good stuff out first. This book made me think, more than once, "this is like if Roald Dahl was still around and writing for adults." It is undeniably charming. It's got whimsy (oh boy does it have whimsy) and gentleness oozing off of every page. It's full of heart, optimism, and hope. It's stuffed with little teachable moments. The characters are adorably quirky and lovable. The premise is neat, and Klune's writing is engaging. By any metric, this is a likeable book. I absolutely understand why it is so beloved. ...and yet. I don't think of myself as a particularly cynical or cold-hearted person; I don't need, or even especially want, everything I read to be grimdark and bleak; I have enjoyed many a "cozy" novel and author over the years; and frankly, as I thought about how to write this review, I developed a gnawing sense of unease over the idea of complaining about it. It feels a little bit like complaining about a really nice hug. So here's what I'll say. This book did not quite work for me. It was so charming, so openly heart-on-the-sleeve, so earnestly saccharine, that it not only revealed to me that I apparently have limits to how much whimsy I can personally tolerate but blasted right past those limits and cheerfully kept right on going. I will confess that, more than once, I rolled my eyes at yet another scene where a child or an adult delivers some profound little life lesson - every flower can open with enough sun, even the darkest night shines with stars, the broken things have the most interesting stories, a stranger is just a friend you haven't met yet. There is barely a chapter that goes by without one of these scenes, and I grew a little weary of them by the end. And none of that is bad, per se. This book is readable, and the fluff is propulsive in its own way. This is certainly not a book that will, in any way shape or form, challenge you: not with complex prose, or internecine plot, or unlikeable characters, or grave peril, or even any real conflict. You will be gently warmed through from start to finish like a pot of custard. And that's absolutely fine. It just isn't quite my style. (crosspost of my Storygraph review)

3.5

I loved this story and wanted to give it 5 stars but I couldn’t get past the fat phobia and self body shaming. For a book about acceptance it missed the mark there.

After reading a rather heavy historical fiction novel I was looking for something lighthearted to read. I decided to try this fantasy novel for something different and because of all the great reviews. I realize I am in the minority here but I didn’t love this book. For one it seemed like the author spent a lot of time “teaching” his audience through one character- Arthur. I also struggled with the portrayal of the antichrist character Lucy. While at points the writing was humorous in many other ways it seemed to be mocking Christian beliefs, in particular that evil exists.

One of my favorite books I’ve ever listened to. Not sure I would have enjoyed it as much as I did if I would have read it myself.