Is The House in the Cerulean Sea going to be a movie

T.J. Klune’s Under the Whispering Door shows a whimsical multistoried multicolored building on the cover, visually suggesting it’s a sequel to the beloved The House on the Cerulean Sea, which won such acclaim. The latter book celebrated tolerance and difference as it taught a pencil-pusher to embrace a group of magical orphans and their varied powers. This book is not related to the other, but it shares the character arc and some of the appeal.

Wallace Price opens the book as a boss to rival Mr. Scrooge — he’s introduced firing a woman whose life is crumbling and only has her job to live for. By the end of chapter one, he’s died of a heart attack. Continuing to echo A Christmas Carol, the soul journey that follows is his real adventure. He’s picked up at his funeral, not by an ancient spirit, but by a young Asian woman on her first job. Mei, a Reaper, leads him to a teashop that also functions as a waystation to the beyond. It holds a whispering door, through which Wallace may pass when he is ready. In the meantime, he spends time with gentle, insightful Hugo, the shop owner. There’s also the ghost of Hugo’s loving dog (with interactions reminiscent of Disney or Pixar) and Hugo’s grandfather Nelson. Both dog and grandfather are ghosts so bound by love for Hugo that they refuse to pass on. The author did his sensitivity research on the many multicultural characters, like Hugo’s Black family, and they appear both charming and delightfully proud of their backgrounds.

In this vein, Wallace surprises Hugo when he comments that not only was his wife sleeping with the hot gardener but “I probably would have done the same if I thought he was interested” (137). After this comment and his matching well with a strong mint tea that reminds him of his mother’s baking, Hugo notes that Wallace “contain[s] multitudes” (137). These moments of subverted expectations indeed surprise readers while also giving the character some depth.

In a twenty-first century post-organized-religion way, the book insists that God is imagined by humans. Instead, there’s the Manager, who has nearly infinite power over the afterlife, but chooses order over mercy. Hugo calls him “A guardian of the doors…A little god. One of the oldest beings in existence. Take your pick” (183). This of course serves to throw traditional theology into the background by replacing it with a new bureaucratic character.

As with Scrooge and the hero of Cerulean Sea, Wallace’s adventures with this madcap crew teach him to stick up for them and thus learn some compassion. Hugo and Wallace form an attachment, though it’s doomed because Wallace will soon be passing on. The author uses this and their inability to touch to give the story some poignancy and also model handicap accommodation.

There are hilarious moments when the characters trade insults, or Wallace tries imagining himself into changing clothes. In fact, as he finds himself in a bikini, ballet slippers, soccer cleats, and so on, the book emphasizes how much he’s uncertain in his own skin. The book balances the sweet, the kind, the funny, and the introspective to bring readers a book that helped the author through his own loss and may help readers do the same. Fun and thoughtful, with some of Cerulean’s charm.

Valerie Estelle Frankel is the author of over 80 books on pop culture, including Hunting for Meaning in The Mandalorian; Inside the Captain Marvel Film; and Star Wars Meets the Eras of Feminism. Her Chelm for the Holidays (2019) was a PJ Library book, and now she’s the editor of Jewish Science Fiction and Fantasy, publishing an academic series for Lexington Press. Once a lecturer at San Jose State University, she now teaches at Mission College and San Jose City College and speaks often at conferences. Come explore her research at www.vefrankel.com or https://www.amazon.com/Valerie-Estelle-Frankel/e/B004KMCLQK/

Growing up, I loved the moving “Cool Runnings,” loosely based on the Jamaican bobsled team during the 1988 Winter Olympics. Now when I watch the movie, I can’t help reflecting on a line that one of the bobsledders said: “People are always afraid of what’s different.” This quote resonated with me while I was reading “The House in the Cerulean Sea” by T.J. Klune. If you’re looking for a cozy, feel-good read that covers acceptance of others, check out my review of “The House in the Cerulean Sea.”

PLOT

Linus Baker is a caseworker for the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth. He spends his days overseeing the well-being of children with magical abilities in government-sanctioned orphanages. He’s given an odd, secretive assignment: evaluate the mysterious Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Their caretaker, Arthur Parnassus, will do anything to keep his wards safe. Arthur and Linus get to know each other better and start to develop feelings for one another. Long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus needs to make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn.

PROMPTS

For my 2021 Reading Challenges, I used “The House in the Cerulean Sea” for the following prompts and challenges:

THOUGHTS

This book reminds me of the X-Men. For anyone that hasn’t heard of the X-Men, it’s a Marvel comic series about humans that have abilities that are unique to them. The X-Men use their powers to be heroes and fight others like them or that don’t like the X-Men because they’re different. This book is a good introduction to prejudice and can find comparisons to today’s current events. Each of the children now holds a special place in my heart. Some of the characters realize they need to get rid of these prejudices, and they remind us that a little kindness can truly go a long way. If you’re looking for a feel-good read that makes you think about acceptance of those that are different from us, I recommend The House in the Cerulean Sea.

Does House in the Cerulean Sea have a sequel?

Is Under the Whispering Door a sequel?

Why is The House in the Cerulean Sea controversial?

Is The House in the Cerulean Sea part of a series?