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bookwormbirdy's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Very lovely story that was easy to follow and pleasantly predictable.
colbymandell's review against another edition
1.0
The dialogue in this book was really similar to dialogue in Disney movies, which gave the book a nostalgic feeling and made it really fun and lighthearted. The ending felt a little too convenient and quickly wrapped up, and I feel like there should have been way more of the children’s backstories and experiences included. It would have been really cool to get more details about DICOMY and it’s history of mistreating the magical children. There were so many ways that the story could have been more complex, and so many important topics that could have been explored that just fell flat for me.
I probably would have given at least 2.5 stars had I not found out half-way through the book that the author used inspiration from Canada’s Sixties Scoop.
“It remained fuzzy until I stumbled across the Sixties Scoop, something I’d never heard of before, something I’d never been taught in school (I’m American, by the way). In Canada, beginning in the 1950s and continuing through the 1980s, indigenous children were taken from their homes and families and placed into government-sanctioned facilities, such as residential schools. The goal was for primarily white, middle-class families across Canada, the US, and even Europe—to adopt these children. It’s estimated that over 20,000 indigenous children were taken, and it wasn’t until 2017 that the families of those affected reached a financial settlement with the Canadian government totaling over eight hundred million dollars” - TJ Klune
I almost dnfed after finding this out, but I wanted to see what all the hype and discussion was about for myself, and be able to form my own opinion (and it was too late to un-purchase the book). This could have honestly so easily just been a book about prejudice, love, acceptance and family. I don’t understand how the comparison of this orphanage to Residential Schools is at all necessary or appropriate. That is such a gross and disturbing comparison, and completely undermines the traumas of so many indigenous families. The worst part of this book is that IT IS NOT EVEN ABOUT THE CHILDREN. It’s not about what they went through, or even the orphanage itself. It’s about LINUS BAKER (the social worker) learning to love and accept himself and finding chosen family. It’s about HIM being a hero. HIM saving the day. So then, what exactly was it about the Sixties Scoop that “inspired” TJ Klune to write this cozy fantasy? I question the authors intentions with this novel, and his take-aways on the history of Residential Schools in Canada are incredibly disturbing.
I probably would have given at least 2.5 stars had I not found out half-way through the book that the author used inspiration from Canada’s Sixties Scoop.
“It remained fuzzy until I stumbled across the Sixties Scoop, something I’d never heard of before, something I’d never been taught in school (I’m American, by the way). In Canada, beginning in the 1950s and continuing through the 1980s, indigenous children were taken from their homes and families and placed into government-sanctioned facilities, such as residential schools. The goal was for primarily white, middle-class families across Canada, the US, and even Europe—to adopt these children. It’s estimated that over 20,000 indigenous children were taken, and it wasn’t until 2017 that the families of those affected reached a financial settlement with the Canadian government totaling over eight hundred million dollars” - TJ Klune
I almost dnfed after finding this out, but I wanted to see what all the hype and discussion was about for myself, and be able to form my own opinion (and it was too late to un-purchase the book). This could have honestly so easily just been a book about prejudice, love, acceptance and family. I don’t understand how the comparison of this orphanage to Residential Schools is at all necessary or appropriate. That is such a gross and disturbing comparison, and completely undermines the traumas of so many indigenous families. The worst part of this book is that IT IS NOT EVEN ABOUT THE CHILDREN. It’s not about what they went through, or even the orphanage itself. It’s about LINUS BAKER (the social worker) learning to love and accept himself and finding chosen family. It’s about HIM being a hero. HIM saving the day. So then, what exactly was it about the Sixties Scoop that “inspired” TJ Klune to write this cozy fantasy? I question the authors intentions with this novel, and his take-aways on the history of Residential Schools in Canada are incredibly disturbing.
sarahsshorts's review against another edition
5.0
So wholesome, and yet didn’t get bored at all while reading ❤️
I am now so attached to these fictional characters
I am now so attached to these fictional characters
alaina_fraser's review against another edition
5.0
Such a wonderful read! Makes you feel good. Read it to your kids
emmas_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
5.0
iven's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
pwilson710's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
mena_bh's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
emmah36's review against another edition
02/22
I thought being magical was a metaphor for being LGBTQ+ but NOOOOOO. Oh my god this is disgusting. I was scrolling through the reviews on here and I learned that this book was inspired by Indigenous residential schools. And he thought this was okay for him to do.... why? The message of the book has completely changed now that I know this. Residential schools did NOT help children. The "House in the Cerulean Sea" is a desirable place to be. Residential schools ARE NOT AND NEVER HAVE BEEN desirable places to be. Not for the children at least! Not to mention there are barely any people of color in this book... but now you're telling me it's supposed to be about indigenous people? So he has essentially white-washed and romanticized a real and horrible and not so distant history of GENOCIDE. I don't know what to feel right now. I'm so disgusted.
My feelings about this book just did a 360. I'm removing my rating entirely. It just feels wrong to to rate it at all.
This quote from @thefourthvine articulates how I feel so well:
"I hoped that the author just didn't realize he was appropriating the genocidal traumas of indigenous people. However, guess what? He FULLY did know what he was doing. He read about Canada's Sixties Scoop and went, "Hey, you know what? I, a white man, should not write a book about this. So I'm going to. But I'm going to make all the kids monsters instead of indigenous! That will solve all the problems with appropriation and using genocide as the background of a love story!"
It does not, T.J. It super, super does not. It makes it worse.
And it also means that Linus, the asshole protagonist who readers are supposed to care about, is literally a baby-stealer and genocidal monster. And the big arc of this book is about how this monster meets a hot man and finally learns, after seventeen years of torturing and stealing children, that Tolerance Is Good and Prejudice Is Wrong. Because the man is hot and his kids are cute."
___
02/20
For the majority of this book I thought I was gonna give it three stars. Then the ending came. I'm a sucker for found family, especially if it's cheesy and queer. and this- is very cheesy and very queer.
Objectively 3 stars, subjectively 5.
There were certain parts of the book that were a little meh and some of the activism elements felt a lil off, but the book made me feel warm and safe and happy so... I'm giving it 4 stars.
As for the activism stuff... There was a lot of fatphobia. And it was very White. I got annoyed at how shocked Linus was about bigotry. When he stood up for the children and for Arthur, it was weird. It felt like white saviorism but for magical people... Non-magical saviorism.
I thought being magical was a metaphor for being LGBTQ+ but NOOOOOO. Oh my god this is disgusting. I was scrolling through the reviews on here and I learned that this book was inspired by Indigenous residential schools. And he thought this was okay for him to do.... why? The message of the book has completely changed now that I know this. Residential schools did NOT help children. The "House in the Cerulean Sea" is a desirable place to be. Residential schools ARE NOT AND NEVER HAVE BEEN desirable places to be. Not for the children at least! Not to mention there are barely any people of color in this book... but now you're telling me it's supposed to be about indigenous people? So he has essentially white-washed and romanticized a real and horrible and not so distant history of GENOCIDE. I don't know what to feel right now. I'm so disgusted.
My feelings about this book just did a 360. I'm removing my rating entirely. It just feels wrong to to rate it at all.
This quote from @thefourthvine articulates how I feel so well:
"I hoped that the author just didn't realize he was appropriating the genocidal traumas of indigenous people. However, guess what? He FULLY did know what he was doing. He read about Canada's Sixties Scoop and went, "Hey, you know what? I, a white man, should not write a book about this. So I'm going to. But I'm going to make all the kids monsters instead of indigenous! That will solve all the problems with appropriation and using genocide as the background of a love story!"
It does not, T.J. It super, super does not. It makes it worse.
And it also means that Linus, the asshole protagonist who readers are supposed to care about, is literally a baby-stealer and genocidal monster. And the big arc of this book is about how this monster meets a hot man and finally learns, after seventeen years of torturing and stealing children, that Tolerance Is Good and Prejudice Is Wrong. Because the man is hot and his kids are cute."
___
02/20
For the majority of this book I thought I was gonna give it three stars. Then the ending came. I'm a sucker for found family, especially if it's cheesy and queer. and this- is very cheesy and very queer.
Objectively 3 stars, subjectively 5.
There were certain parts of the book that were a little meh and some of the activism elements felt a lil off, but the book made me feel warm and safe and happy so... I'm giving it 4 stars.
As for the activism stuff... There was a lot of fatphobia. And it was very White. I got annoyed at how shocked Linus was about bigotry. When he stood up for the children and for Arthur, it was weird. It felt like white saviorism but for magical people... Non-magical saviorism.
oldnewscourtney's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5