The House in the Cerulean Sea

· Cerulean Chronicles Book 1 · Macmillan Audio · Narrated by Daniel Henning
4.8
102 reviews
Audiobook
12 hr 12 min
Unabridged
Eligible
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About this audiobook

"Daniel Henning is a great narrator for this quirky and theatrical audiobook...Henning revels in a cornucopia of characters, diving into nuanced voices and colorful moments with accents and growls, tone shifts and whispers...This is definitely a title for those who enjoy fantasy stories replete with gnomes and witches and all in between" -- AudioFile Magazine

Lambda Literary Award-winning author TJ Klune’s breakout contemporary fantasy

Linus Baker is a by-the-book case worker in the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. He's tasked with determining whether six dangerous magical children are likely to bring about the end of the world.

Arthur Parnassus is the master of the orphanage. He would do anything to keep the children safe, even if it means the world will burn. And his secrets will come to light.

The House in the Cerulean Sea is an enchanting love story, masterfully told, about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place—and realizing that family is yours.

A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Books

"Daniel Henning provides nimble, versatile narration, clearly having fun voicing a variety of magical creatures as well as cautious Linus, protective Arthur, and a wide range of secondary characters...This charming, funny tale about chosen family and finding your place in the world is sweet without being saccharine and heartwarming without being corny." -- School Library Journal

"1984 meets The Umbrella Academy with a pinch of Douglas Adams thrown in." -- Gail Carriger, New York Times bestselling author of Soulless

Ratings and reviews

4.8
102 reviews
Christina Lyon Maughan
March 17, 2024
Beautiful imagery, yet a trite, predictable story. A thinly disguised love story hidden under social advocacy. The child characters were unrealistic and poorly written. The adults characters were formulaic. It is an obvious allegory for LGBTQ+ rights but presented in a shallow, predictable way.
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Hannah Lasher
December 8, 2021
Couldn't stop listening. The warmth and heart and depth of truth in this novel has completely overtaken me. It in some ways has the beats of a light family-focused rom-com, but with so much life and detail poured into the characters that this fantasy love story somehow feels more real and true than any film ever could. All that, and it also serves as a beautifully empathetic allegory for the importance of caring for and standing up for those facing oppression. A whole-hearted five stars.
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Kaleaha Gutierrez
March 8, 2024
I couldn't get over how Daniel seems to speak English as a first language, but can't properly say gazebo. It's guh-zee-bo, not guh-zay-bo. Otherwise, good narration. Different characters have different voices, and he is not monotone.
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About the author

TJ KLUNE is a Lambda Literary Award-winning author (Into This River I Drown) and an ex-claims examiner for an insurance company. His novels include The House in the Cerulean Sea and The Extraordinaries. Being queer himself, TJ believes it's important—now more than ever—to have accurate, positive, queer representation in stories.

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