As you might have noticed, I couldn’t quite get over The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune, so I immediately picked up the sequel, Somewhere Beyond The Sea. Luckily, I discovered this series late, which meant I didn’t have to wait years for the sequel!
If you’re not familiar, Somewhere Beyond the Sea is the sequel to The House in the Cerulean Sea, a story about an orphanage that cares for magical children. Linus Baker, a caseworker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth, is sent to inspect the orphanage to ensure it meets the proper standards. What he doesn’t expect is to grow personally attached to the people there—and to fall in love with the place. The first book ended beautifully, with Linus deciding to leave his job and return to the island to become a guardian to the children.
As for this book—wow, just wow. We’re past the introductions now. We already know the gnome with the fabulous beard, the forest sprite, the Antichrist, the amphibious tentacle child, the shapeshifting Pomeranian, and the wyvern. This time, the challenges they face are bigger, yet—like in the first book—they’re not overwhelmingly stressful. I never felt a sense of internal panic for the characters, which was a relief.
One of the highlights of this book is the new addition to the orphanage: a yeti named David, who brings even more fun and chaos to an already adventurous household. I loved the interactions between David and Lucy!
Another thing I appreciated was the character development. Everyone from the first book has a more expanded role here, and I have to give a special mention to Merle, who shines in the sequel. And of course, I absolutely loved seeing more of J-Bone—this cool dude that Lucy really likes. The townspeople also play a bigger role in defending these very special children, which was heartwarming to see.
And finally, we get to see Linus and Arthur’s relationship fully bloom in this book, which put a stupid grin on my face the whole time. They’re so cringey in the best way possible—ugh, I love it.
This book truly feels like a comfort blanket for me. Honestly, all the affirmations you need to heal your inner child might be found within these pages. Everyone—aside from the enemies—is just so incredibly kind, and I love the warmth of that kindness wrapping around me before I sleep.
No question about it—I highly recommend this book for all ages. I hope you give it a try!
Have you read this book? If you have, share your thoughts in the comments! If not, let me know if it’s on your list! ❤️
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