Note, there is Native American drama associated with this book (see below).
In short - I listened to the assigned book, The Cerulean Sea and went to the meeting.
I did not enjoy this book. I went through it as fast as I could, just to finish. My dislike has nothing to do with the drama (below).
What was the problem? I found the book to be too long and the writing to be slightly immature. I do not mean YA. I often love YA.
Had it been edited and shortened, from 12 hours down to 8 hours, perhaps I would have liked it. I think that would have improved the writing. Others in my group agreed with this point.
It suffered from the Jane Eyre syndrome. The first half of the book needed much condensing. The second half the book was much better.
Of the six people at my book group meeting, three loved this book, but agreed it was too long. One had not read it. The fifth, like me, finished it simply because it was assigned, but did not like it.
I suspect I am not a fan of fantasy books. I have read very few. I am not motivated to read that genre. Except Watership Down, which I loved.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/entertainment/article/fantasy-books/
The above link is a list of the 30 best fantasy books. I am very tempted to read more fantasy to see if I have just been reading the wrong fantasy. Perhaps if I read the best fantasy, I would like it.
The drama -
Right when I started this book, and did not like the writing level, I looked to see if this book was in the YA category. At that beginning point, I realized there was online drama about this title.
https://nusantaranaga.wordpress.com/2021/06/30/the-controversial-politics-of-fantastical-wish-fulfillment-a-review-of-t-j-klunes-the-house-in-the-cerulean-sea/
It is unfortunate Kline mentioned the The Sixties Scoop at all. He inadvertently opened a mess, that in my opinion, was not deserved.
I believe this book was slotted to become a movie, before the drama.
It is interesting that after all that drama, a sequel was written. I am not reading the sequel. Of the three people in my group who said they loved The House on the Cerulean Sea, none had gone on to read the sequel, which I find odd.
https://indigenousfoundations.arts.ubc.ca/sixties_scoop/
I was familiar with native children being removed from their families and placed in schools. I had read a previous book, This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger, about this topic from an earlier view point.
https://williamkentkrueger.com/standalone/this-tender-land/#about
I believe this author, TJ Klune, writes mostly YA in the SFF and queer pride category.
