The House on the Cerulean Sea

 Well, I'd like to show you the picture of the book, but Blogger in its infinite Google wisdom has changed how to post a picture, and I haven't figured it out yet.

There's a new bookstore on the West Side of the city called Books on the Bosque. They have a table with seven stacks of books, you can choose a book, buy it and then meet with others of the "book club" on a certain day and time and discuss the book. It sounded intriguing so I bought The House on the Cerulean Sea, wish I could show you the cover it is really interesting, by CJ Klune. 

I met with the book club there were thirteen of us and we had wonderful lively discussion. Today the author will be at the bookstore for a signing and to talk about and sign the sequel to the book.

I have difficulty reading hard copy and after a chapter or two where I kept falling asleep, not due to the book, but strain on my eyes, I bought the audiobook. This is the best way to deal with the book. Each character has a his/her/whatever voice, and this is important for there are a number of different very different characters.

The book is for Young Adults, but its message is just as important for an old curmudgeon like me.

Linus Baker is an inspector for DICOMY (Department in Charge of Magical Youth). The department oversees orphanages to make sure that magical children are well cared for, and don't become a problem to other students. He's worked at this job for many years and has memorized DICOMY's Rules of Conduct and goes strictly by the book.

Linus is a bit of a wreck; it brings to mind Barney Fife of the Andy Griffith Show. He's in his element doing his investigation and making out his reports but has few people skills and they make him nervous, especially in the office with co-workers and his boss who bullies him.

After finishing his day's investigation, he heads back to his office to file his report. His supervisor meets him with a memo from Extremely Upper Management. Everyone in the office assumes he's going to be fired. He's to report to them first thing in the morning.

When he rises up to the top floor he's shaking in fear. When he meets with EUM he's in bright light and can barely see the committee. Instead of being fired they find him perfect for the job. they are sending him to an island with an orphanage of monsters. He is to conclude if the house at Marsayus Island is to remain opened or shut down.

He's given the files of the six children and Arthur Parnassos, the master of the house.

Linus goes home to pack a few belongings and take his cat, Caliope.

Relieved at not being fired, but a nervous wreck as he's going to investigate monsters. He's so nervous he refuses to read the files, for fear he won't go.

When he gets to the train station, he has some time to wait for a ride to the island he reads the first file to find the child is named Lucifer and is the child of Satan. He passes out until awakened by the lady giving him a ride to the ferry. He didn't read the other files.

They pass through a village where he's told DICOMY pays them to not talk about the island. The people are afraid of the monsters.

Getting to the island he finds the children are on their own. He encounters Talia, a female garden Gnome with full beard while walking through her garden. She comes at him with a shovel and plans to dig a hole and bury him in it for desecrating her garden. 

Theodore, a Wyvern steps in and leads Linus towards the house. They encounter Chaucey who is partially human with tentacles instead of arms. He inspires to be a bell hop. He insists Linus tip him. The only thing Linus has in his pocket is a button, so he gives it to Chaucey much to the boy's delight. as he's never had anything brass before. 

Next, he meets Sal, a shape shifter. He frightens him and he turns into a Pomeranian. If in dog, form he touches someone they shift too. Then Phee, a forest sprite who hides to protect her treasure.

In the house they hear a booming voice threatening Linus scaring him out of his wits. Then a small boy of eight years comes in with Arthur Parnases. Lucifer called Lucy, the son of Satan is admonished by Parnases, and he is no longer threatening. 

Linus takes Arthur outside and chides him for letting the children run amok. Arthur tells him it was play time for them and being on an island they can't be harmed.

As Linus spends time with the children and Arthur, he comes to know them they come to trust him that he won't close down the island and he comes to appreciate each of the children and their true nature, even Lucy. 

I don't want to give too much away, suffice to say that after three weeks he changes his nervousness to confidence, and he and Arthur grow close. Linus advises Arthur to let the children go to the village. It doesn't go well, but it's a start.

Linus goes back to the city to submit his report a much-changed man when he gives his report. He gives EUM both barrels.

Now for a critique.

At first, I was put off by the depiction of Linus in the beginning of the book. I've dealt with by-the-book inspectors, and they are not the Barney Fife types. They are humorless, drab, drones. Zombies without being dead and eating brains. The last thing they do is get nervous and shake with fear. After reading the rest of the book I concluded if Linus was depicted this way, no one would get past the first ten pages. So, Barney Fife it is.

The children make the story, they come so alive, and I became attached to them, why it was better to hear their voices on audio instead of imagining how they would sound. Talia the Gnome was my favorite. When Linus comes back to the island, she meets him and starts digging his hole as she's mad, he left. She's very impetuous but cools down when he tells her they can stay. 

When Arthur gets mad at the villagers, he reveals he's a phoenix and starts to heat up to destroy them. Linus puts his hands on Arthur's face and cools him down showing how much he's changed and the closeness they've developed. It's subtle how their romance becomes. Not too sure this book would be allowed in certain states school libraries, but it should be.

The next book club meeting is the 29th and I'm reading A Confederation of Dunces, also on audio.