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T.J. Klune’s The House in the Cerulean Sea has found a loyal fanbase already, with many people in love with its rich world-building and complex characters!
However, the ending of this book has left many wanting more, and wondering whether or not there will be a sequel to this beloved novel.
Will there be a The House in the Cerulean Sea sequel? Yes! The sequel to The House in the Cerulean Sea will be published on September 10, 2024. The new book, entitled Somewhere Beyond the Sea, features Arthur Parnassus and Linus Baker, and will follow the events of the first book in this series.
T.J. Klune has delighted fans with the announcement of this new story (me included)! I’m personally so excited to follow up with Linus, Arthur, and the children of the house!
What Is The House in the Cerulean Sea About?
The House in the Cerulean Sea is an urban fantasy novel that follows Linus Baker, a caseworker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youths.
This fictional department keeps track of all “magical youths” that are placed into homes.
From the beginning of the book, we see that Linus is more empathetic towards the magical children than any of the other DICOMY employees. Though he does fear them, he still sees them as children.
Linus is assigned a new case by Extremely Upper Management, and it changes his whole life. Linus travels far from his comfortable home to an orphanage full of top-secret and “dangerous” magical youths.
The children in this home are not like any he has ever met, and neither is Arther, who runs the orphanage.
Though Linus is sent to investigate the orphanage, he ends up learning so much more than he thought he would.
He finds strength in being different, and that the real danger is not the children themselves but the labels that society has placed on them.
This book is full of endearing characters, love, and magic, and it’s a great read! I would highly recommend reading it!!
The Folks On Marsyas Island
The inhabitants of the Marsyas Island Orphanage all have unique personalities and experiences. The first person we meet on the island is Zoe Chapelwhite, who is a spirit that actually owns the island!
She helps Arthur take care of the children. She’s hesitant about Linus at first but learns to love him just like the rest of the inhabitants of the island.
The other adult on the island is Arthur. He acts as both a father figure and leader to the children in the home.
He eventually becomes the romantic interest of Linus and is the voice of change in this story. I feel that the author speaks most of his themes and messages through this character.
We also learn early on in the book that Arthur has a secret and that there is more to him than meets the eye!
The first magical child we meet is Talia who is a garden gnome with a violent vocabulary (but she’s really just testing to see how much Linus will tolerate).
The next child we meet is Theodore who is a young wyvern who does not speak English. Linus gives Theodore a button when he first meets him and this begins a very sweet and caring relationship between the two.
Phee is a forest sprite. In my opinion, she’s the most underdeveloped of the children who live on Marsyas.
Other than a mentoring relationship with Zoe, there are not many memorable scenes with Phee compared to the other children on the island, as there are no plot points that really include her!
Sal is a shapeshifter who turns into a Pomeranian. He is very shy and the newest resident of the orphanage. Linus is very influential in his acceptance of himself and coping with his trauma.
Chauncey is a blob of goo with a heart of gold. Chauncey’s physical description is pretty vague, as no one can seem to really describe him, but in my mind I imagined him as B.O.B. from Monster vs. Aliens!
Chauncey is very welcoming to Linus from first meeting him. He helps unpack his luggage to practice for the day when he becomes a bellhop.
The child that Linus fears the most is Lucy, a nickname for Lucifer.
Though Lucy has the power to destroy the world, he is just a little boy with nightmares and spiders in his head. Throughout the story, we watch Linus go from initially fearing Lucy to protecting him.
If you have read this book, I need to know your favorite characters and your favorite scenes! I personally loved Chauncey, and all the scenes of him dreaming about becoming a bellhop.
Is The House in the Cerulean Sea A Standalone?
Not any more! The book was originally written to be a standalone, but now The House in the Cerulean Sea will be getting a sequel in September 2024.
The ending of the book left readers hopeful that T.J. Klune was setting up a sequel, and it’s easy to see why!
(Be aware that the next section contains spoilers for the ending of the first book!)
The book ends with the couple learning of a young yeti who is currently displaced and in need of a new home. Arthur and Linus begin making plans to convert the cellar into a chilly new bedroom for the yeti.
When I first read this, I also thought that it was setting up for a The House in the Cerulean Sea sequel.
Turns out, I was right!
Somewhere Beyond the Sea will follow Arthur as the main character this time around. We will get to learn more about his past and his powers, as well as meet the newest member of the orphanage, the yeti!
Arthur has to face his past and fight to keep his family safe and together. I am SO exited to reunite with all of the lovable characters of Marsyas Island.
Is The House in the Cerulean Sea YA?
No, The House in the Cerulean Sea is not Young Adult fiction; it’s just general fiction. Though there are children in the book, the story mainly follows Linus Baker, a man in his forties who has a romantic relationship with another man (also in his forties).
The target audience of the book is not for readers between the ages of 12-18 (though readers in this age-range would still enjoy the story).
The content is appropriate for any age, though some of the themes may be heavy for younger readers.
The main theme throughout this book is that being different isn’t bad.
One of the children of the orphanage, Lucy, speaks about a teaching Arthur once taught which I think perfectly sums up the message of the story:
“Different doesn’t mean bad. Arthur says being different is sometimes better than being the same as everyone else.”
Different doesn’t mean bad. Ultimately, change starts with one person standing up and speaking out!
-Paisley
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