Well, it’s been a while – 7 July, to be precise! –  since I posted that The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune had just arrived, thanks to the good offices of the publisher (TOR’s) regional rep.

I also shared that I was already reading and enjoying, so it’s definitely a case of “shame on me” for taking so long to post my “terribly important thoughts.” O:o!

First up, I enjoyed the story, which follows a “midlife sea change” storyline for the protagonist Linus Baker. Linus has lived a life of quiet obscurity as an i-dotting and t-crossing bureaucrat employed by the Department in Charge of Magical Youth.

Linus’s i-dotting and t-crossing, together with his departmental line-toeing, is so exemplary that he is selected for a special inspection of a school for magical children in the titular Cerulean Sea. At which point, Linus’s carefully ordered life begins to unravel – for a number of reasons, including a growing attraction to the charismatic and enigmatic principal of the school; the challenges but also the charm of the six magical pupils; and the holiday atmosphere of life in a combined island and ocean environment.

Faced with these challenges, Linus begins his endearing and heartwarming discovery of found family and a life outside the scope of the Department’s Rules and Regulations.

The House in the Cerulean Sea is heartwarming. It’s also fun, entertaining, and mostly lighthearted, but with enough depth to hold the reader’s interest. The characters are engaging, and while the plot follows a “midlife sea change” formula, the interest lies in the characters and their relationships rather than narrative twists and turns.

I was a little surprised to find The House in the Cerulean Sea is published as adult fiction, since the story has a Hogwarts meets Good Omens vibe—although the story is recounted chiefly from the adults’ perspective, which may be reason enough. I believe, however, it can probably be read as “crossover” fiction, suitable for and enjoyed by both adult and younger readers.

Overall, I enjoyed the read. I think those of you who’ve enjoyed Harry Potter (especially the earlier books) and Good Omens, but also Diana Wynne Jones’ Chrestomanci stories, or Howl’s Moving Castle, AJ Fitzwater’s Cinrak the Dapper, or Paul Gallico’s The Man Who Was Magic, may enjoy it, too.

Oops, almost forgot! I read a paperback edition, 400 pp, published by TOR in 2020. As noted above, my copy was supplied by TOR’s regional rep.