TJ Klune

As a reader who was enchanted by Klune’s “In the Lives of Puppets," I’m disappointed to report that this book was a slog for me from the first chapter until the very end. I never expected it, especially given that “Under the Whispering Door” has garnered so many 4-star and 5-star reviews. Don’t get me wrong. The storyline employs a unique other-worldly approach to LGBTQ issues and is laced with important life-lessons (albeit served up in a somewhat cliché fashion). It also introduces readers to an eclectic cast of characters. But the book is glacially paced. Vignettes that could have been beautifully spun in a couple pages take three times as long to stage. For example, there’s only so much literary mileage one can rack up when describing tea-tastings. I almost stopped reading three times before deciding to trudge on. My disappointment has spurred me to delay my long-planned reading of Klune’s “Wolfsong,” which weighs in at 520+ pages.… (more)

Wholesome and twisted. It doesn't really seem like a possible combination, but this really seems like a rated-R Pixar or Disney film in novel form. The characters are extremely lovable the adventure is fun, the setting is dark with a veneer of coolness to it. Unfortunately, for me, the darker parts got all to0 soft and squishy as time went on. I enjoyed it as a "different experience", but it's not the kind of style I would enjoy reading often/again.

Also very disappointed that there were no puppets in this book. It really needs a different title.

A note on the audio. The narrator does some pretty funny voices that I enjoyed, but I can see it getting really annoying for some people. His "normal" reading voice, is just okay for me.… (more)

I was told about this book by a friend, and I’m so glad he recommended it. It’s such a beautiful mix of silliness and serious subjects.

The book begins with a look into the dull life Linus Baker, a human in a world where creatures from folklore are real. He works a caseworker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth (DICOMY for short), inspecting orphanages to make sure the children are being treated well. Linus is miserable at his office, but he follows the rules and truly believes he’s helping the magical children he’s assigned to. When Extremely Upper Management assigns him to visit and report on an orphanage by the sea, he has no choice but to do his job and go, despite being kept in the dark about what awaits him until he gets there. When he reaches the orphanage on the beautiful Marsyas island and gets to know its inhabitants, he begins to learn about himself and how unjust the system is just as much as he learns about the children and their mysterious caregiver.

The House on the Cerulean Sea is beautiful and hilarious and at times, heartbreaking. Klune builds a world that is absurd and over-the-top but still somehow feels completely relevant. It’s not hard to grasp the main points of this story. Magical people are feared by humans because they are the unknown, just like people in the LGBTQ community and people of color. One quote that stuck with me in particular;

“Hate is loud, but I think you’ll learn it’s because it’s only a few people shouting, desperate to be heard. You might not ever be able to change their minds, but so long as you remember you’re not alone, you will overcome.”

It’s a strong message about acceptance. And the characters are all wonderful. The children are endearing and funny, especially Lucy, a very intelligent six-year-old with a dark sense of humor.

If you enjoy British humor, fantasy, and queer representation (and throw in the antichrist to top it all off), you’ll enjoy The House in the Cerulean Sea.… (more)