The House in the Cerulean Sea
Score Modern
What it's about
Linus Baker, forty, lives a quiet life with a devious cat and his old records, working as a caseworker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. Then Extremely Upper Management sends him on a classified assignment: a month at an island orphanage housing six dangerous children, including a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, a were-Pomeranian and the Antichrist, and run by the mysterious Arthur Parnassus.
Why it's worth reading
It became a word-of-mouth phenomenon and one of the most-read fantasy novels of the decade. Readers call it the coziest, kindest book they've read, and it has a lot to say about belonging.
You'll love it if you liked
A Man Called Ove, Legends & Lattes or The Night Circus
Good to know
It's light, funny and warm, with a gentle romance. Its sequel, Somewhere Beyond the Sea, continues the story.
Quick answers
Is The House in the Cerulean Sea worth reading?
Yes. It became a word-of-mouth phenomenon and one of the most-read fantasy novels of the decade. It ranks #211 of the 2,819 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 83.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The House in the Cerulean Sea about?
Linus Baker, forty, lives a quiet life with a devious cat and his old records, working as a caseworker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. Then Extremely Upper Management sends him on a classified assignment: a month at an island orphanage housing six dangerous children, including a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, a were-Pomeranian and the Antichrist, and run by the mysterious Arthur Parnassus.
How long does it take to read The House in the Cerulean Sea?
About 10 hours (393 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has The House in the Cerulean Sea won?
Goodreads Choice (fantasy) winner (2024, for Somewhere Beyond the Sea).
What should I read after The House in the Cerulean Sea?
If you liked it, try A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman, Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree or The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.
By the numbers
- Readers91 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller70 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz22 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Goodreads Choice (fantasy) winner (2024, for Somewhere Beyond the Sea).
Where it ranks
- #28 of the 461 fantasy books we rank
- #107 of the 1,575 modern books we rank
- #211 of the 2,819 books we rank
Won
- Goodreads Choice (fantasy) winner (2024, for Somewhere Beyond the Sea)
Reads as
Epic
