Don’t you wish you were here?
A sentiment that seems so simple, but for myself, moves worlds. At first, I told myself that writing about this book would be nigh impossible. How can I put into words a world that has transformed every aspect of my life? How is it possible to grab onto bits and pieces of a story and hope that it resonates with someone else just as much?
I guess that isn’t my job—my job is to write. To tell a story? I hope so, but you reader, read until your heart’s content. Maybe it is a certain word or phrase, maybe I’ll explain this to disarray, but I will try my best to keep you engaged and hope you are still listening.
This book is titled The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune. He is a former claims examiner for an insurance company, and being queer himself, Klune believes it’s important –now more than ever–to have “accurate, positive queer representation in stories.”
When I discovered this book, I had recently finished a queer romance novel by author Mary Renault, The Last of the Wine. After being a little distraught at a surprisingly heartbreaking narrative (which I still highly recommend), I went to Google to search for “cozy books” to aid in my recovery. Reaching out to me from my desktop screen was The House in the Cerulean Sea. Why? Was it because I, too, yearned for a house on the sea? Maybe (yes, yes it was).
As a queer person, I grew up watching coming-out stories, love affairs that could never be, and others like me being brutalized and abused for being who they are. Were they happy? Not a lot of the time. And whether they were happy or not, why couldn’t queer people also have stories written about our personhood? Stories about being the complex, extravagant, resistant beings that we are? Of course, telling stories about queer oppression is more than necessary, but queer people are aware of what we deal with every day. In simple interactions, in small conversations, in family gatherings, and in politics.
Where are the stories written about queer joy? The stories written by queer people for queer people? Or, stories written to empower queer existence in a world in which we very much belong? Well, it is safe to say I have found it. By accident. I think I like it that way. You’re probably hoping that I get to talking about the book soon. That is probably best.
The House in the Cerulean Sea is a contemporary fantasy novel which follows a 40-year-old man by the name of Linus Baker. He lives in a small house with a devious cat. Linus goes by the book, working as a caseworker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth (DICOMY). Then, he is put on a highly classified assignment by Extremely Upper Management. That assignment: travel to an orphanage on a distant island and determine whether six dangerous magical children are, in fact, so dangerous. Should the orphanage remain open? Through his stay on the island, secrets come to light and Linus has to decide: destroy a home or watch the world burn. It is a story about chosen family, resistance, love, and hope.Â
I treasure lessons and social commentary. Stories have the immense opportunity to teach a lesson or question your beliefs. It is an ability to create a fantastical story that still teaches you. Teaches others. Reading a story that comments on the state of this world and how we can approach the future is beyond inspiring; it is necessary.
I also value relatable and holistic characters. The appreciation we have for a character who isn’t perfect. I want to love the characters, but you don’t love someone because they’re perfect, but because they are who they are. They change and have flaws and you love them anyway. This third-person narrative enables the reader to have a unique perspective of the characters. You get to see inner dialogues and commentary from the narrator, Linus, Arthur, and other characters that you are not so easily able to capture in a first-person narrative. Additionally, I love a fantasy world, which is new for me! I like to cozy up with my stuffie friends and read about somewhere beyond the sea.
And then I got the news… Somewhere Beyond the Sea – The Sequel to The House in the Cerulean Sea. Release date: September 10, 2024.
Do I want you to read this book? Absolutely. But maybe this is just a love letter. A love letter to a book that resists prejudice and common sense as truth and allows escape into a fantasy. I write about this book as if it is my own. As if I had been the mind behind the stars. I think that’s because I feel that the book is truly about its audience. The reader gets immersed in the story where they are represented, heard, validated, and wrapped in a warm blanket with a soft whisper: you belong. What’s to lose? The thing is, though, you, the reader. What do you want?Â
Don’t you wish you were here?