Challenge Corner discussion

A magical island. A dangerous task. A burning secret.

Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages.

When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he's given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they’re likely to bring about the end of days.

But the children aren’t the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn.

An enchanting story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place—and realizing that family is yours

RUNNING TIME ➼ 8hrs. and 30mins.

©2020 T.J. Klune (P)2020 Macmillan Audio

**This BOTM thread will be open until April 5th @ Midnight (in your time zone)**

Reading now

Ch 6 (view spoiler)[ The kids are funny, especially Lucy. I like that they're challenging Linus' thoughts and beliefs. (hide spoiler)]

Ch 12 (view spoiler)[ I'm glad Linus is warming up to the kids and changing his opinions a bit. It kills me how stuck in his ways he is and that he didn't care what happened to the kids in the group homes.

The way people treat these supernatural kids is deplorable and I'm glad Arthur is giving them a good home (hide spoiler)]

Ch 15 (view spoiler)[ I'm so happy that the mayor of the town and the record shop owner were kind to the kids. People should be accepting of them. And Linus defending them was so sweet.

Poor Arthur, being treated terribly as a child. It's cool he's a phoenix and went on to help other kids like himself. (hide spoiler)]

Finished (view spoiler)[ I'm glad everything worked out for the kids and the men. This was a low stakes book but the relationships were sweet and Lucy kept cracking me up. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 4 (view spoiler)[ Linus is a great main character, he's beyond likable. I also really enjoy the fact that he is homosexual and it's not made out to be all he is about... that's a refreshing take.

I'm eager to see what will happen on the island now and what he will encounter. Those kids must be special as fuck. (hide spoiler)]

Isabel wrote: "Chapter 4 Linus is a great main character, he's beyond likable. I also really enjoy the fact that he is homosexual and it's not made out to be all he is about... that's a refreshing take.

I'm eag..."

Yes I agree about Linus. The island is so great, I'm excited for you to get there!

Aly wrote: "Isabel wrote: "Chapter 4 Linus is a great main character, he's beyond likable. I also really enjoy the fact that he is homosexual and it's not made out to be all he is about... that's a refreshing ..."

(view spoiler)[Lucy is cracking me up... The children are pretty funny but they seem so loveable. (hide spoiler)]

Lucy is the best!

Chapter 9
(view spoiler)[ Let them become a couple, pleaseeeee!! Linus and Arthur are a great match.
Also, I absolutely adore Linus Baker's character. He's so unique and versitile, it's truly re-freshing to read.
Lucy also had the most morbid humour I would have expected for the 'Antichrist'. He's too funny.

So far, this novel is beyond gripping. (hide spoiler)]

Isabel wrote: "Chapter 9
Let them become a couple, pleaseeeee!! Linus and Arthur are a great match.
Also, I absolutely adore Linus Baker's character. He's so unique and versitile, it's truly re-freshing to read...."

I'm so glad you like it!

Chapter 16 (view spoiler)[ I am just absolutely adoring where all of this is going: The children are great. Zoe is so cute. Arthur and Linus are still a fantastic match. Helen is a powerhouse.
But i can't believe that this book is making me cry over a bird that gifted a grown ass man a frucking brass button. what is this story doing to my poor poor vulnerable heart? i think i'm in love with all of it. (hide spoiler)]

Isabel wrote: "Chapter 16 I am just absolutely adoring where all of this is going: The children are great. Zoe is so cute. Arthur and Linus are still a fantastic match. Helen is a powerhouse.
But i can't believ..."

haha I know! Cuteness overload

Finished

i loved everything about it - i wished there was a sequel

Aly wrote: "Finished [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[Them adopting the children together was more than my little heart could take! It was so so so wholesome! (hide spoiler)]

Please let me know if there are books similar to this one because I need to read them as soon as possible! hh

If I find any, I definitely will! For now I think I'll check out T.J.'s other books

Aly wrote: "If I find any, I definitely will! For now I think I'll check out T.J.'s other books"

i'd love to do that as well but my library does not stock any of his other novels and buying the is rather expensive at around 25euros for a paperback...

Oh that's a bummer :(

Aly wrote: "Oh that's a bummer :("

who know, maybe they'll end up stocking more of his work... it was pretty enjoyable nonetheless
have fun with the other novels ;p

Ch 4 (view spoiler)[I really like Linus too! I like how he cares so much about doing a good job, and how naive he is. (hide spoiler)]

Caroline wrote: "Ch 4 [spoilers removed]"

Yes, he's great

Ch 9 (view spoiler)[I feel like some of these children are a lot more dangerous than the others. Like Talia - the explanation was just that she is a female gnome, which is rare. But that’s not the same level as someone who turns people into dogs by biting them. Let alone the antichrist.

Also this book is really different than I expected, because the person who recommended it said it was like Harry Potter. So I was expecting a magical school that children wanted to go to, rather than an orphanage where they will be SOL if it is shut down. Also the tone is really light-hearted in this book. (hide spoiler)]

Isabel you might want to put your comment about (view spoiler)[them adopting the children together (hide spoiler)] in spoiler tags. Because that sounds like a pretty big spoiler!

Ch 16 (view spoiler)[I like Arthur and Linus flirting. They are so cute together! (hide spoiler)]

Finished! (view spoiler)[I was pretty surprised that DICOMY accepted Linus’s suggestion to leave the house open. I thought they would try to shut it down and Arthur and Linus would have to fight them. The ending was sweet, although a bit over dramatic. I feel like Linus could have just told everyone that he needed to go see their case through and then he would come back. He didn’t need to put them through all the sadness first. (hide spoiler)]

Caroline wrote: "Finished! [spoilers removed]"

I wonder if (view spoiler)[ they knew things weren't looking good for them and were trying to make Linus happy? I'm not sure.

I also kind of thought that Linus wasn't totally sure he would come back and had to experience missing the kids first. (hide spoiler)]

Aly wrote: "Caroline wrote: "Finished! [spoilers removed]"

I wonder if [spoilers removed]

(view spoiler)[Hmm, that’s a good theory. Because I also didn’t know there were anti-discrimination laws they were violating. But they probably knew that and didn’t want to cross the line too far.

Yeah, I think you’re right that he wasn’t totally sure. But I thought it was kind of ambiguous. I wish we’d seen more of his thought process. (hide spoiler)]

Starting this now!

I really hope you like it!

Ch 1: (view spoiler)[Very intrigued so far and I definitely can't wait to get to know the characters a bit better. (hide spoiler)]

Ch 6: (view spoiler)[Okay, the kids are adorable. Especially Lucy. Can I kidnap one of them? Preferably Lucy. Thanks! (hide spoiler)]

Ch 9: (view spoiler)[I don't think I will ever be prepared for what is about to come out of Lucy's mouth. Hot damn. (hide spoiler)]

Alaina wrote: "Ch 9: [spoilers removed]"

He is the best! I love him

He really is!

Ch 12: (view spoiler)[It's about time you open your eyes to change Linus! It's about god damn time. (hide spoiler)]

**I'm so confused why I put 15 instead of 12 right now lol

Alaina wrote: "Ch 15: [spoilers removed]"

Finally!

lmao that comment was definitely for 12.. not 15. So confused. What am I even typing?!?!

Haha!

Ch 16: (view spoiler)[I vote for everyone outside of the orphanage to disappear.. (hide spoiler)]

Finished: (view spoiler)[There are times like this.. where I love a standalone book so much and I'm mad because it's a freaking standalone. Ugh. Definitely enjoyed the heck out of this. Lucy is forever my spirit animal and I'm glad that everyone got their own little happy ending in the end. (hide spoiler)]

Alaina wrote: "Finished: [spoilers removed]"

Yes! I'd love a sequel with more Lucy

UGH YES!