Review: Somewhere Beyond the Sea (Cerulean Chronicles #2)

Somewhere Beyond the Sea, Book 2 in the Cerulean Chronicles Series by TJ Klune

Published By: Tor
Publication Date: September 10, 2024
Date Read: September 25, 2025
Genre: Adult – Cosy Fantasy
Source: Review Copy from Black Crow PR
Format: Paperback
Pages: 406

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A magical house. A secret past. A summons that could change everything.

This is the hugely-anticipated sequel to TJ Klune’s The House in the Cerulean Sea, a cosy-fantasy triumph and a New York Times bestseller.

Arthur Parnassus has built a good life on the ashes of a bad one. He’s headmaster at an orphanage for magical children, on a peculiar island, assisted by love-of-his-life Linus Baker. And together, they’ll do anything to protect their extraordinary and powerful charges.

However, when Arthur is forced to make a public statement about his dark past, he finds himself fighting for those under his care. It’s also a fight for the better future that all magical people deserve. Then when a new magical child joins their island home, Arthur knows they’ve reached breaking point. The child finds power in calling himself a monster, a name Arthur has tried so hard to banish to protect his children. Challenged from within and without, their volatile family might grow stronger. Or everything Arthur loves could fall apart.

Somewhere Beyond the Sea is a story of resistance, lovingly told, about the daunting experience of fighting for the life you want to live and doing the work to keep it.

“Confidence is silent. Insecurities are loud.”

Back in 2022 I picked up a little book that looked super cute called The House in the Cerulean Sea. And I adored every single moment of it. It opened my eyes to cosy fantasy books and I’ve never looked back. So you can imagine my excitement when I finally picked up the sequel. I was so excited to dive back in and see my favourite characters. Naturally, I really enjoyed Somewhere Beyond the Sea. I love TJ Klune’s writing, and I just love these characters. This book was just like a warm hug and made me feel so loved and it was one again filled with adorable-ness.

Somewhere Beyond the Sea follows Arthur and Linus as they are trying their best to make people realise that magical people are not dangerous and do not need to be separated from non-magical people. But as they are trying to fight against the discrimination and prejudice, they find themselves once again at an enquiry from the government of whether the children are safe with them.

I enjoyed this book… I really did. But I can’t like this sequel was definitely not needed. I’m glad it was written as I really loved seeing the kids again and seeing their antics again. But the plot of this book is practically exactly the same as the plot to The House in the Cerulean Sea. The government get involved and threaten to take the children away from Arthur… they come and see that actually they are safe… it all ends up great. And while the cosy fantasy lover in me adored it, the logical part of my brain was in fact thinking is this book really necessary? And honestly the answer is no. If you decided to not bother with the sequel, you wouldn’t miss anything plot wise. However, I do think it’s worth reading just for those adorable cosy vibes.

Somewhere Beyond the Sea was such an adorable feel-good read. Despite it having the most enormous chapters (I’m sorry but having every chapter on audio being over an hour long feels too much to me), it was so cute and I flew through it. It was a great autumnal vibes read and I definitely recommend it to fans of the first book. You will love seeing the friendships between the kids blossom even more. I really enjoyed it and definitely recommend.

“I believe the greatest weapon we have at our disposal is our voices. And I am going to use my voice for you, and for me. Hate is loud. We are louder.”